Long Way to the Finish

Today was the Platte River Half-Marathon.

One thing about  doing all this with MS is how limiting MS can feel. It's frustrating, I can't train well in the hight of summer but at the same time I can't train well in the middle of winter... too much heat or too much cold equals badness, it feels like I just can't win.

Today, the run started pretty much like all of my other runs recently... spasticity in my calves. I tried taking Advil before starting with the hopes of staving off the worst of the pain, maybe it took the edge off maybe not. For the first two or three miles or so, I had the spasticity then by mile four my right foot went completely numb, followed by my left foot. The next four miles felt like I was running in ski boots of what I imagine what running in ski boots would feel like.

One thing I've learned about dealing with MS related issues is that if you push through long enough, they eventually dissipate which happened on this run by mile 10. Unfortunately, the blister forming on the bottom of my left foot at mile 11 made me almost wish I was dealing with the numbness.

In the end, I finished strong and I felt good crossing the finish line. There is still a lot of work I need to do on my running. No matter how much I run, or how hard I try... running is still not my thing. Doing the event today got me itching to sign up for a triathlon this summer, I'm thinking the Boulder Sunrise or Sunset... or maybe the Summer Open or Oktoberfest.

The next race on my agenda is the BolderBoulder on Memorial Day which I'm doing with Jeremy, the boys, and a group of Boy Scouts I've been working with on their Personal Fitness merit badges. After 13.1 miles today, 6 should be a breeze.

Spasticity City

Lately it feels like my body is falling apart.

I’ve been having more issues in the past few weeks than I’ve had in a very long time. The tingling and numbness was just the start, now every time I go running my calves lock up from spasticity. It is one of the most annoying and frustrating things to have happen when I try to run, not to mention painful.

I don’t know why the MS is flaring up more lately. Since the one thing I’m not getting is weaker, my doctor doesn’t feel like I’m relapsing or at the very least he’s not worried... too much. I am going to be seeing the Neuroscience Specialists at University Hospital in Denver to look into going on a new MS treatment. It would be my first treatment for MS in a couple of years, but if I can go on it I wouldn’t have to deal with daily or weekly injections. It would mean getting my MS meds with out it really impacting or interfering with my life too much. 

It’s a pretty nasty catch 22... In order to help keep the disease from progressing I need the meds, but the meds make me feel as bad if not worse than the symptoms of the disease not to mention they would impact my ability to train and work out which is also, my doctor agreed, another very important part to living and managing with MS. Tysabri, the new med I’m looking to go on, is an IV infusion that I would have to get every couple of months or so. There are side effects and drawbacks to the new med, and when I talk with the University I’ll find out more about them.

I’ve got the Platte River Half-Marathon coming up on Sunday, and I’m hoping that the spasticity in my legs will be at least manageable or else it’s going to be a pretty miserable run. I've been trying to keep hydrated, my potassium intake up, stretching and every other thing I can think of to try and combat the issue with my muscles. 

Here's hoping it works on Sunday...