Are my expectations too high...?

[Deerhunter3]

I was born with Tetralogy of Fallot and had a pulmonary valve replacement back in 2017. I am 40 years old and it seems that my running is not as good as it should be, or at least as good as I think it should be. I am able to build up my running to be able to run two plus miles, but very slow (around 23 or 24 minutes for two miles...). It seems like when I take as much as a week off from running, and go for a run again, I feel like I am starting all over (not really able to run even two miles...).

Is this normal, or maybe just in my head and I am as healthy as any other 40 year old? Should I expect to be able to run faster (I believe the average adult male should run a ten minute or less mile, if I am not mistaken), or just need to realize that due to my congenital heart defect, I should not expect to be on the same level as another person who was not born with any issues?

Thank you.

 

[pellicle]

Is this normal, or maybe just in my head and I am as healthy as any other 40 year old?

dunno, but you may be as healthy as you'll be.

While I'm not discouraging exersize and pushing limits, its important to find out what the reasonable limits may be (and the echo studies normally also contain doppler studies which may inform that).

I believe the average adult male should run a ten minute or less mile

I believe that we are not all average, but are individuals each with limits which may change.

I'd still look to the echo studies and see if that's a cause. When was your last checkup?

Work to your own limits, after you find out what they are, and just a bit, push past that. For its true that one day you'll be unable to run, eat, smell the flowers and enjoy the sunshine.

Live long and revel in every day.