On your marks, get set, GO! Meet some of our London Marathon team

On Sunday, April 26, thousands of people will limber up for the 40th London Marathon. Among those taking part will be Laura, David and Gail, three amazing runners from Team MS Trust. With the countdown well and truly on, we caught up with the trio to find out how their training is going and their motivations for taking part.

How are you feeling about taking on the 2020 London Marathon?

I feel very apprehensive as I’ve never run more than 10K! But I think it will be a fantastic achievement and doing it for the MS Trust gives me even more of an incentive.

What made you want to join the MS Trust’s London Marathon team?

 I like a challenge and wanted to give something back to the MS Trust as they’ve been so supportive to me and my patients. My motivation is to not let anyone down! That includes my patients, family, friends and definitely myself. I am very competitive and once I have something in my mind I have to do it. I also struggle with my own weight and need to show my patients that I practice what I preach.

How does the MS Trust support your work as an MS nurse?

In so many ways! I often use the MS Trust website and books with my patients. I have also attended the MS Trust Conference each year since I started my post which has been invaluable to my role - very informative, educational and great for networking and getting new ideas. I have also attended the MS Development Module which again was a great start to my career in MS.

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

Working in MS can be very complex. When I first started it became very apparent that I needed to know about everything. There are days when it’s very hard, but then you get a thank you off a person with MS or carer and you realise your worth. It’s always the little things.

What would be your main piece of advice for someone newly diagnosed with MS?

Use the resources available to you - MS Trust, MS Society, MS UK, Shift MS, MS nurses and consultant specialists, GPs.  The list is endless. Make the most of your appointments, as you don’t get long and don’t let MS win. It’s an unpredictable condition, so do everything you can to take control. It’s very easy to let it control your life.

I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS in February 2019 after falling ill six months previously. I now know I had a relapse but the recovery and diagnosis was a very daunting and long process. The support from my friends, family and work colleagues was so important to see me through the tough days and being able to be honest with them about my fears was very comforting.

My main symptom is a numb left hand which makes anything that requires manual dexterity very tricky. I also experience fatigue and vertigo, but on the whole I am very lucky that my MS symptoms do not impact my day-to-day life too much.

Once I started to feel better after my relapse, I got into running by joining my local running group. I found that it helped focus my mind and learn about my body again. Staying active also improves my fatigue. It can be really hard to go out but I always feel better once I have been for a run. Thankfully, my amazing running club is great motivation for getting out regularly. After my MS diagnosis, I felt like the future was uncertain and I really wanted something positive to focus on to remind me that I can do anything I put my mind to. This is why I signed up for the London Marathon. I know it will be tough but the sense of achievement will be totally worthwhile.

With my training, I just focus week to week on my goals and take it steady when I need to. My running group have given me a training plan to follow, allowing me to gradually build up my miles. It’s going to be tough at times but I want to enjoy the training as much as the race, so I’m taking it slow and steady.

MS means I’ve learnt to listen to my body more. If I am tired I allow myself to rest as it’s really important not to overdo it. In the same way, it’s important not to use MS as an excuse not to get out. It’s all about knowing yourself and I’m really clear that my goal is to complete it, not focusing on a time, so that I don’t put additional stress on my body.

I have chosen to run the London Marathon for the MS Trust because it was a great place for knowledge during my diagnosis and afterwards. The information available was key to helping me and my friends and family understand MS and it took away some of the uncertainty.

My advice for others diagnosed with MS is to always remember you’re still the same person you always were. You might have MS, but MS doesn’t have you. Sometimes it might feel like it, but talk to those around you to support you and keep you positive. You’ve got this!

What inspired you to sign up to run the London Marathon?

Four years ago my wife Elise was diagnosed with MS. I remember the day so well: not a great day. But in some ways Elise found it a relief to finally have a diagnosis. At long last she was able to put a name to the unexplained and at times frightening symptoms she had been experiencing over the previous three years - ever since the birth of our amazing son Charlie.

She accepted she had a chronic condition, acknowledging that there was no cure, and that over time her health was likely to deteriorate. She almost immediately adopted a positive mind-set and began a long process of self-discovery and enlightenment. Today, Elise is a stronger person than the woman I first fell in love with and I am in deep awe and admiration of her.

If I’m honest I didn’t cope with her diagnosis anywhere near as well, which is a little embarrassing as MS wasn’t happening to me. I felt completely powerless. All I wanted to do was look after her but I just didn’t know how or what to do. My love for Elise has grown even deeper since her diagnosis and seeing her embrace her degenerative disease and turn it into a positive has been the inspiration for me to try and do something positive for other people who haven’t been able to slow the progression of MS in their lives.

Why do you want to run and raise money for the MS Trust?

I’m proud to once again be a member of the MS Trust’s London Marathon team. Every member of the team has a connection with MS and we all understand how a diagnosis can make people feel lost and alone. The MS Trust plays an important role in supporting people with MS from day one and every day afterwards. In the early days of her diagnosis Elise found the MS Trust’s support and information a vital crutch and they played an important part in her process of beginning to understand MS.

What are you looking forward to most about running the London Marathon?

The atmosphere at the London Marathon is totally amazing; it’s unlike any other marathon that I’ve run and I’m sure as it’s the 40th anniversary this year it will be even more special. You can’t fail to be moved by being part of an event where there’s thousands and thousands of people who are running not only to raise money to help other people, but often for the memory of a loved one. It makes you realise that there’s so much good in the world.

What do you love about running?

Running keeps me sane. Seriously. It’s the thing that helps me cope with the stuff that life throws at you – and you don’t even have to be very good at it.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given about running a marathon? Remember to enjoy it. 26.2miles is a long way and it can take a long time to finish but it can also feel like it’s gone in a blur. So, I’m going to do my best to run with a smile even when it hurts and throw as many high fives as I can on my way around.