Long Covid?

As the calendar turned in January, I was eager to continue moving away from limitations presented by a torn proximal hamstring that had hampered me for 15 months.  Part of the process was having a platelet rich platelet (PRP) treatment (see May 2, 2023 post).  I had been advised full healing might take up to a year post-treatment, if I didn’t do something stupid to set it back.  Bottom line, it had been a long time since I’d been able to truly put the hammer down.  The “Us-It-Or-Lose-It” adage had been evident in my running and racing.  Nevertheless, I entered 2024 with reason to be optimistic about the racing season with a largely-healed hamstring.  The Grand Prix series had dropped the marathon in favor of a one-mile race and I aimed to do the 7-race series.  

The first was the Super Sunday 4-Miler in February followed by the New Bedford Half Marathon five weeks later and then the tough, hilly Boston Tune-Up 15 K just 13 days after that.  That meant by March 30, the longest races were in the books.  Great if you winter in Florida or Arizona!  Not so great for us home-bound New Englanders.

We all know that to race long you need to train long.  As noted in my see February 19th post, Wisdom through Acceptance, early year plans went awry due to Covid and the flu.  But I thought I had recovered from that, had run a decent 4-Mile race and was moving on to the two long races.  But the paucity of long runs could not be denied. With just three weeks before the Half, I finally got in a 10-mile run and then 12 miles a week later, with total mileage of 27 both weeks.  Hardly a buildup for a credible Half or hilly 15K.

And that proved out – these two races were total slogs.  In the Half, I felt decent for two miles, going out at a cautious pace.  Even up through mile 6, I was holding up pretty well. But during the last seven miles I had no answer as I saw a steady stream of runners pass me.  At the 15K, by the second mile it felt like I was carrying weights on my shoulders, resulting in the toughest race I ever recall running.

During those races, I had plenty of time to think about what might be happening.  Why was I feeling so washed out even though I was going slower than I had ever run for those distances?  Could it be lingering effects of the Covid I had contracted in January, i.e., Long Covid.  I had frankly poo-pooed this phenomenon and had not experienced it after my prior, more severe bout in 2022.  

Having run and raced for 47 years, I’ve had my share of injury-induced pauses in training.  But I’ve always bounced back pretty quickly, finding the zeal to push the pedal down and hold pace.  It’s why I enjoy racing!  But in these recent races, something was different.

I went to a pretty reliable source — ChatGPT, which I have found to be an amazing resource constructed to draw from credible sources posted on the web.  Chat GPT 3.5, the free version, includes info posted through January 2022.  Chat GPT 4.0, a paid subscription, is current. The chatbot’s take on my question of: “How Long Covid affects endurance running” was as follows: “….common symptoms of Long Covid include fatigue, shortness of breath, and muscle weakness…fatigue and muscle weakness can affect an individual’s ability to maintain pace and recover properly after runs, leading to decreased performance and increased risk of injury…shortness of breath can limit the ability to take in enough oxygen during runs, causing fatigue to set in more quickly.” The chatbot then suggests “reducing training volume and intensity, incorporating more rest days, and focusing on low-impact cross-training activities to maintain fitness while allowing the body to recover.”  It then adds “the effects of Long Covid on endurance distance running can vary widely depending on the individual and the severity of their symptoms. It’s important for runners to listen to their bodies and prioritize recovery.”

This response from ChatGPT provides much to ponder. It certainly reflected my experience of feeling muscle weakness and fatigue in those long races, especially on the hills!  Could it be this is just the effects of aging and the time away from training at an intense level for longer distances?  Maybe? And maybe it’s a combination.  There is no clear way to sort this out.  Long Covid does not result in positive tests.  And aging, as noted, is highly individual.

So, it’s back to taking it one step at a time.  And controlling the things I can control: quality workouts while building up slowly; getting enough rest; eating well; not over-racing.  And keeping a positive attitude that at least I can run unhindered by hamstring woes. That is a blessing!