LOLZLetter 107 | Interviews with 3 Essential Workers and Athletes Who Received the Pfizer Vaccine
Welcome!
First, thank you to everyone for the kind words about my recent solo half marathon. Running has not come easy to me over the last couple of years. Just 3 years ago, sub 90 minutes would be somewhat easy, it no longer is. I am proud of running under 90 minutes for the first time since early 2019. Where will I go from here? Who knows, hopefully, I'm on an uphill swing.
Anyway enough about me-
Over the next 3 weeks, I'm interviewing several people who have received both doses of each vaccine: Pfizer and Moderna. Plus, someone who participated in the clinical trials.
Each person interviewed either works in the medical field or is in a risk group to receive the vaccine. No one is a professional athlete, but each person is an essential worker helping keep communities safe.
Many people have wondered: How will the vaccine affect my working out? What are the side effects? Keep in mind, I am not a doctor, and you should always listen to your doctor. Plus, everyone has different experiences. I thought interviewing those who have already gotten the vaccine would be interesting.
This week I am talking to three people who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Monica, Caryn, and Lauren!
About the Pfizer Vaccine:
You can find full information about the Pfizer Vaccine on the CDC website. In the Clinical Trials, consistent high efficacy (≥92%) was observed across age, sex, race, and ethnicity categories and among persons with underlying medical conditions. Efficacy was similarly high in a secondary analysis, including both participants with or without evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. The trial had over 40,000 participants.
Back to our wonderful interviewees:
About Monica: Monica is a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physician currently residing in San Antonio, TX. She specializes in Brain Injury and stroke. She competes in masters track and has a 1500m PR of 5:29, 4x400 relay with All-American times, and a marathon PR of 3:23.19!
You can find her on both Instagram and Twitter.
As a health care worker, Monica received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on 12/17/20 & the second dose on 1/7/21.
The first dose: Before the first dose, she worked out in the morning. After receiving the first dose, her arm was sore enough to wake her up a couple of times in the night. The following day she ran 5 hilly miles and was still able to lift weights. She felt fine!
One thing to note is Monica already had a lingering migraine before getting the vaccine, which lingered into the next day. She believes it was a migraine cluster.
Two days after the first dose of the vaccine: She did a hard peloton ride and felt slightly dizzy after and tired that day. 48 hours later, she felt normal again.
The second dose: She ran the morning of the second dose but didn't "feel the shot." More data was shown about second-dose side effects, so she anticipated an "easier" workout day. The day after the second dose, she did an easier 30 min peloton workout. She experienced arm soreness into the evening and the next day.
Two days after, she had a workout: a hard mile, 300 sit-ups, 200 jump lunges, 100 burpees, followed by a faster mile. Then she ran 5 more hilly miles with no issues. In Monica's words: "My legs were trashed at that point, but that wasn’t the vaccine."
It's been just over three works, and she feels normal.
As a Rehab Medicine Physician caring for COVID patients, Monica works with those who have gotten COVID. She has seen high performing athletes who can no longer run or get back to their activities. Some can’t even work or remember where they are going in a car. As Monica said: "The minor discomfort of a headache & arm soreness, and doing 1 day of a light workout, is so worth it."
About Caryn: Caryn is a 30-something Baltimorean pediatric ICU nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Her marathon PR is 2:54 at Houston, and she is looking to break 1:20 in the half marathon. You can find her on Instagram. Be warned; it's not just running photos...she posts dog photos, too, LOL.
As a nurse, Caryn received the first dose at the end of December and the second in mid-January.
The First Dose: She ran beforehand. She felt normal and better than when she had the flu shot.
The Second Dose: Before the second dose, she ran her "normal run" Afterward, she felt more tired than usual but nothing crazy.
Other Side Effects: Caryn mentioned she had no side effects different from what she has experienced with other vaccines. With other vaccines (as well as COVID), she had a sore arm. There have been reports of more intense side effects with the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, but this is actually seen in other vaccines (which people often don’t know or forget). Some people experience chills, fever, aches, and fatigue from other vaccines like the flu vaccine or shingles (varicella-zoster). She does know a few colleagues that felt crummy (flu-like symptoms) for a day or two after their second vaccine.
Now Caryn feels completely normal and is currently training at her regular training load.
About Lauren: Lauren is a 32-year-old woman who likes running, fitness, and dabbles in a bit of everything (yoga, spinning, strength training). Right now, she is currently building mileage after a long glute injury.
Lauren works full-time in healthcare as an occupational therapist on an acute care/orthopedic unit. She has a degree in Chemistry and used to work in drug research, so she enjoys staying well-informed in relevant science news/topics.
You can find her on Instagram and Twitter.
She received the Pfizer vaccine at her hospital clinic on 12/22 and 1/12.
First Dose: After the first dose, she felt normal except for a very sore arm. Her arm felt similar to how sore it feels after getting the flu shot (which she gets every year). She was tired after work but didn’t sleep well the night before, so she doesn't think it was the vaccine!
Second Dose: On the day of the second dose, she took a rest day because she was tired from outside life factors. The following day she did a light cycling class and felt ok. After the second dose, the most noticeable factor was a sore arm and feeling hungover. As Lauren said: "A hangover in your 30s NOT a hangover in your 20s". She felt tired, achy, and a bad headache that lasted for like 5 hours and made me a little nauseous.
After not feeling 100% the day after the second vaccine, she felt fine after a good night’s sleep. No lasting side effects at all.
She encourages everyone to educate themselves, speak to their healthcare providers, and make an informed decision. From working with post-COVID rehab patients (most of those in their 40-50s, so not as old as you’d think), there’s a lot we don’t know about Covid-19.
As Lauren mentioned, “there are a lot of different side effects/lasting effects, so taking my chances with a tested vaccine was an easy decision for me.”
Thank you to Monica, Caryn, and Lauren for their time! I had actually forgotten how many vaccines are 2 dose series and have more side effects after the second.
What is Keeping Me Entertained?
Podcast: Ali on the Run with Mirna Valerio
Article: Molly Huddle on Elevating Other Women—and Finding Her Own Strength in the Process
Blog: Guide to Brooks Running Shoes
Video: Honestly, I think this is the funniest 5-second cat video I have ever seen.
Shoe Review: New Balance RC Elite Shoe Review The carbon plated new balance shoe designed to race marathons. Not to be confused with the New Balance Fuelcell TC designed for workouts and training.
As always, stay healthy and safe. Thank you to everyone who reads, shares, and subscribes.
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