Gout

OK, I would be the first to admit that my training hasn't been too good for the last year or so since my move to Argentina. However, along with a couple of friends here, we had agreed to train for the Rosario marathon in June this year. I had started back into training in December, and whilst not setting anything on fire, I was beginning to feel the benefits when I flew home to Ireland in early January for my summer holiday.


I managed 5 runs back home, before waking up one morning with one hell of a pain in my big toe (left foot). Now, this has happened before, and I always put it down to tendonitus, and in the past, a few ibuprofen, and the pain had gone the next day. This time, it got worse. the toe was very inflammed, and the pain was such that I couldn't walk. I took the opportunity of heading to the doctor as I was home, and lo and behold, I was diagnosed with a severe case of Gout.... And let me say, it darn well hurts like hell.


Well, after two weeks of virtually being housebound and a check up for kidney stones, the de-tox regime, along with the anti-imflamatories started to work, and I was able to return to Argentina at the end of February. Whilst the pain has subsided, it hadn't gone away, and the toe was still sore when trying to walk at any pace, so no running.


Last Sunday, I went along to the St Patricks Day Hash (yes, I know, I am a hasher as well, but I believe you can be both!), as I was laying the trail, and once the pack started off, I managed to jog a couple of easy kilometres to test out the toe -.
Thankfully, there was no reaction. Whilst I can tell its not 100%, there is no more inflamation, and today (Tuesday) I manged to run a proper 2 Kilometres - I know its not much, but i have been out for nearly 2 months.

Whilst in Ireland, and obviously not running, I put on a few kgs more than i would have liked, and with the new anti-gout diet, I have managed to drop 4 Kgs (8.8 lbs) since I got home, leaving me at 94 Kgs (207 lbs). My target, both as a runner, and because of the gout, is to get to 80 Kgs, which is around 176 lbs. Obviously, I don't expect the speed of weight loss to be maintained at the present levels, and I have a target of the summer, and a build up for a spring (southern hemisphere) marathon...let's hope.

So another dawn, one of so many in recent years, but I still know I can run the good race, and with the added incentive of ensuring no more bouts of gout pain, I am more determined than ever to reduce the weight, and get back to running, which is the best way to maintain weight there is.