Running post-Letrozole + Lupron

Since starting Letrozole in 2023, I had noticed a marked decline in my stamina. Of course, I had had surgery just a few weeks before that, so it was never certain whether Letrozole was affecting my physical fitness or if it was a side effect of surgery. My chief complaint while on Letrozole was an excessively elevated heart rate when running. After I started Lupron in the fall of 2025, I found it even more difficult to run, tiring easily.

I bought a new pair of running shoes in January. I questioned whether or not I would ever wear them out. It’s estimated that you can put 300 - 500 miles on a good pair of running shoes before it’s time to rotate them out. With the way I felt in January and knowing I was facing chemotherapy, that seemed like a lot of distance to cover.

However, now that we are at the end of March, I just noticed that I have crossed the 300-mile mark with exercise already this year, and I feel better than I have felt in a very long time while I am running. I can even run without my heart rate spiking too much.

Suffice it to say that I believe Letrozole and Lupron had a negative affect on my physical fitness, and despite the fact that I am one round into chemotherapy, I am feeling better overall than I have felt in a very long time.

For that, I am grateful.

I told someone yesterday that I have spent my life training for what I thought would be the ability to grow old gracefully. Instead, now I believe I’ve been in training to be able to endure chemotherapy and whatever comes after that.

Round 2 of chemotherapy is April 6. I plan to continue to enjoy this period of feeling phenomenal before going into another hard week.

“And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”

— Hebrews 12:1-2

Countdown to Chemo. Stop #7

POV: Run a half marathon with a critical care nurse. That person will get you to the finish line. 5/5 recommend that medical professional be your own son.

The Myrtle Beach Half Marathon 2026 is in the books, and it was a great time.

The next stop on my Countdown to Chemo is tomorrow, and I can hardly wait.

Countdown to Chemo. Stop #1

Did I have a liver resection and extensive debulking surgery exactly one month ago today?  Yes!
Did I run several miles today?  Yes!
Did I then run/ walk several miles today? Yes!
Did I then walk several miles today?  Yes!
Did I finish the WDW half marathon along with Rick? Also, yes! 🙌 (Rachel and Jared were way ahead of us! 😅)
For years I've been saying "There will come a day when I can't do this..."
But I'm happy to report, once again, that day was not today.

Today is not that day

Am I on the downside to 55 years? Yes

Do I have active disease? Yes

Am I on Letrozole and Lupron? Yes

Am I facing a liver resection and debulking surgery December 10? Yes.

Did I just run a 10K with my best time in years? Yes

One day I won't be able to do this, but today is not that day.

Letrozole and Running

By and large, my experience with Letrozole has been much easier than anticipated. One of the side effects I had noted was an overly elevated heart rate when running. As this is not a common side effect of Letrozole, my oncologist referred me to a cardiologist who did an echocardiogram. (The results were normal.)

I have recently wanted to run more, and thanks to my daughters-in-law I have found that a run-walk method of running is working well to keep my heart rate in check, while still covering the miles in a timely manner.

We’re doing a half marathon together in just over a week. I can hardly wait, and I am thankful that this small change in how I run has made all the difference in my ability to continue to engage in an activity I love.

I just haven’t regained my stamina

This past week I saw an acquaintance I hadn’t seen in a while, and she shared with me that she had had abdominal surgery. I asked her how her recovery had gone and how she was feeling now, to which she replied: “I just haven’t regained my stamina.”

Those words resonated with me and summed up the way I’ve been feeling lately. I feel absolutely fine . . . but I am not the person I was before surgery in May 2023. I felt the same way after my initial surgery in 2019. I recovered quickly, I felt just fine, but I was never quite the same after that procedure.

I thought through that as I was run/walking around Wrightsville Beach yesterday morning.

I noticed groups of runners out together, a common sight on the weekends, and I thought back to the days when I ran every Saturday with friends. I remembered how easy 10 miles used to feel, how quickly a couple of hours on a Saturday morning could go by.

I have nothing to complain about these days. I’m thankful for the health I am currently enjoying, while always aware that the words “incurable” were spoken to me by my healthcare provider.

I go back to Duke November 13, and I am expecting a good report again. But, if I’m being transparent, I just haven’t regained my stamina.

And I miss it.