Marking a Decade of Living with MS

“My name is Andrea and this year marks my tenth year of living with multiple sclerosis. It is also the year that I finally decided to step out of my comfort zone. To commemorate both of these things, I signed up for a 5 km trail running race in the Ultra-Trail Harricana of Canada™ (UTHC), which took place in September. I also did a fundraiser for MS Canada as part of the event. 

I experienced my first two major symptoms in 2014, which led me to quickly be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It started with a vision problem in my right eye, which was followed by a loss of sensation in the lower half of my body, on the right side. The lack of sensation came on suddenly while I was running a 5 km race, making me fall, since my leg could no longer support my weight. It was like trying to stand on a piece of cooked spaghetti. I had no idea what was happening to me or why. That incident gave me a big mental block about running outdoors. I had a constant fear that it could happen again. I no longer even ran to catch the bus. I knew it was a bit irrational, since I was OK to walk outside, even walk fast, but the thought of running scared me. 

A few years ago, I learned that people with multiple sclerosis were participating in UTHC races. I was impressed to learn that some were even running long distances. I wasn’t training as much as I used to, but this awoke something in me. I thought, “I have the ability to walk and run. If I can do it for a good cause, I should. I can at least try by setting a realistic goal.” At first, it was just an idea, but when I saw that there was only one place left in the 5 km UTHC race, I told myself that it was a sign and that I had to register. 

Before my diagnosis, and even a few years after, I would hesitate a long time before making any decisions. I left too much room for worries to take over. Knowing that the disease is unpredictable and that a symptom can come out of nowhere finally pushed me to hesitate less when making decisions. So I quickly clicked the “Register” button and filled out the registration form. 

Today, I am very proud of myself and of the fact that I succeeded. While training for the UTHC, there were days when I felt intense fatigue and numbness because of the heat. On those days, I felt like giving up. I let my fears take over again. To cheer myself up when that happened, I would go to the group page for fundraisers. I saw everything others were doing for the cause and read why they were taking part. It reminded me of how important it was to continue my fundraiser and participate in the race. 

I trained in the gym, on the streets of Montréal and at Parc du Mont-Royal. I even tried running a few trails in the city. Even though I don’t drive, I now know that training in the city is not enough to be able to conquer the trails in Charlevoix’s wilderness. I had prepared physically but not for the difficulty this mountain race had in store for me. Not only did the trails look nothing like the urban ones I had trained on, the temperature in the mountains is different. 

What eased my worries is that I could complete the race at my own pace. I was not competing against the other participants, only against myself. Fortunately, everything went well, and I managed to finish the race. What helped a lot, especially near the end, when all my muscles hurt and I felt like I couldn’t catch my breath, were the cries of encouragement. The spectators and even the other runners supported me. I really felt part of a community in that moment. I remembered why I had decided to take part and why I will do so again. Maybe I’ll even try running a longer distance next time. 

By participating in this event to mark my tenth year of my living with multiple sclerosis, I learned that you don’t have to live in fear and worry. And that I was capable of doing more than I had thought. Not only physically and mentally, but also personally, in terms of my commitment to the cause.”