Question:
Has anyone out there run a marathon post WLS?

I was just thinking or maybe I am dreaming please set me straight. There will be a marathon 26.2 miles and half marathon in my town just six months after my surgery. I am working out every day My surgery date is Jul 23. so my question is Can I do this or I am I dreaming. Has anyone out there run a marathon post WLS? Thanks for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate it.    — Char G. (posted on May 6, 2003)

May 5, 2003
Hi Char, I think it's possible. I only started working out one month before wls. I am now 5 months out and down to 185 (-95 lbs). I have only recently started to run, but I am doing well with it. I am also a fitness instructer now. I think it will be very had (26 miles is very long) - do you have to run the entire thing or can you walk some? Good Luck and if you do miss this one, there will always be more!
   — kandi S.

May 6, 2003
Hi there! I'm currently in training for the Chicago Marathon and am 8 months post op. I don't know if I'd recommend going for the full marathon if you'll only be 6 months post-op. This has to entail a great deal of training and with you being such a new postie..I wouldn't push your body to try to handle it. Especially because you won't be able to run for at least 6 weeks knocking your training time down even less. Go for the half marathon! Or even a 10K. Next year your body will handle the stresses of a marathon much better than this year. You need to drink so much in a little time and try to eat at the same time. Plus, with running so much...I'm having to eat ALOT of added carbs that I didn't eat when I was trying to lose the weight. This of course is all my personal opinion...definetly check with your nutritionist! See what they recommend. Good luck! open rny: 8/28/02 down 138lbs! =D
   — Christie N.

May 7, 2003
I haven't run a marathon (nor would I ever, I think), but ... I sure would like to run a 10-mile race later this year, possibly in the Fall. I'll start off with a 5K somewhere along the line (I can finally run three miles now, which is a big "woo" for me at 11 months out -- I could hardly walk as a pre-op anymore, and I always loved to walk, even when I was M.O.). I think it's a GREAT goal that you have set -- geez, I didn't dare dream that big as a pre-op, so as they say, YOU GO!!! There are so many phases involved in getting ready for this, that it will mean setting many mini-goals to accomplish for yourself along the way, exercise-wise. Kudos to you ... do your walking, then your interval training, then your jogging, then run your first 5K, then a 10-miler maybe, then a half-marathons, and then poof ... you're there!! :~D
   — Suzy C.

October 25, 2004
I completed the 2004 Long Beach Marathon on 11 Oct 2004 at 18 months post-op. I began a run/walk program in Jan 2004. I am scheduled to run another marathon on 20 Nov 2004 and (tentatively) another on 9 Jan 2005. Tek
   — [Deactivated Member]

October 25, 2004
Well. I didn't run a marathon, but I did do a 5 mile breast cancer walk 5 months after surgery. I know it's not the same but, I was a milestone for me. Good Luck to you.
   — KellyJeanB