Why I’m still a cardio addict. And why it’s essential for cancer patients.

I’m currently having a break from running. I miss it.

There is so much noise in the media around strength training. Or maybe that’s just my middle aged, menopausal media. I am 100% on board with the strength message. But I will still always be a cardio girl at heart. Why?

I’m a runner.

I always will be.

It is a huge part of my identity.

Even though I’m not running at the moment (thanks hormone therapy!), I am still a runner at heart. There is nothing in the world that brings me the same peace, freedom, fitness, endorphin high, sense of adventure, sense of satisfaction. Cardiovascular fitness. Bone strength. Mental health.

Road biking is my next favourite sport. I don’t quite get the same buzz. But the social element of riding with my friends, the distances covered, the adrenalin rush of a fast descent. The satisfaction of getting to the top of a climb. The places it takes you. It’s a close second.

So with all the noise around strength, why will cardio still be my favourite form of exercise? And why is it so important for cancer patients?

Triathlons are my new favourite sport! My kids are my best supporters.

Because our hearts and lungs need love and action too. Heart disease is the biggest killer of women. 1 in 3 female deaths per year are due to coronary heart disease. And as cancer patients, many of us are at increased risk. Many chemotherapy drugs are cardio toxic, which means a higher risk of heart problems in the future. Many people who go through cancer become more sedentary and gain weight, both of which increase the risk.

Over half of cancer patients already have comorbidities such as obesity and diabetes. Cardio burns calories and helps with maintaining weight, as well as maintaining heart function. Which is essential for future proofing our lives.

Regular cardio exercise, combined with at least twice a week strength training is the best recipe for cancer prevention.

But even more than preventing cancer, for me, cardio is my therapy.

It’s good for my head.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I ran to cope and process. When I was going through chemo, I ran to keep control and keep myself sane. After cancer treatment, I ran to get my head around what just happened and to feel like me again.

Right now, I’m having a 3 month break from running. To be honest, I am really struggling. Before deciding, with my physio, to stop for a bit, I literally ran myself into the ground. To the point that I could barely walk some days, due to pain in my feet (hormone therapy side effect, yey!). It was silly, I know, to make myself hurt like that. But it took getting to serious pain levels before I was willing to press pause. My head needs it that much.

Running is my mental health life line. It keeps me sane. I am, proudly, the only person in my family who has never been on antidepressants (nothing against antidepressants btw). I 100% attribute that to a lifetime of running.

When I run, I feel free. I forget my problems. Or I sort them out in my head. It’s just me, my body, the elements. I love the simplicity of it. Some days I feel heavy and sluggish and it’s really hard work. On golden days, I feel light and bouncy and like I could go on forever. But however the run has gone, I always feel good afterwards. As the cliche says, ‘you never regret a run.’

Fitness wise, running is my go-to to improve my cardiovascular fitness. It’s not all about speed and distance but running is inherently measurable. There is no other sport that I can really get my heart rate up. There is no other sport that’s as effective for me to build endurance.

Cycling is my social life!

But it doesn’t need to be running. Cardio is any exercise that gets you out of breath, gets a sweat on. It could be biking, swimming, walking, dancing. And the beauty of it, is you can do it anywhere, at any fitness starting point. Putting your trainers on and heading out for a walk costs nothing. Jumping on a bike or going for a swim is inexpensive and accessible for most people. The majority of us have access to some form of walking trails or nature within relatively easy reach of home or work.

So how often and how hard should you be doing cardio?

The WHO guidelines for cancer patients are:

150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. That’s 5x 30 minutes fast walking . Or 75 minutes of intense exercise per week. That’s 3 x 25 minute fast sessions.

But these are just guidelines and the reality is how much you should do, how hard and how often, entirely depends on your starting point, where you are in your cancer treatment and what your goal is.

Drop me a line and tell me what you’d like to achieve and I can help you make a plan that works for you.