side. I can sense a lack of movement coordination.
However, I feel positive that I can get this back
with patience and perseverance.
Running has been difficult. It feels like I’m
running in someone else’s body. I’m currently up
to five miles at a steady pace. Despite being lighter
than before the stroke, I feel much heavier and my
movements are clunky. I’ve lost some fine-motor
skill in my movement patterns. However, I’m
very lucky, as the damage is only minor. I’m sure
as my fitness improves, things will advance and
I’m aware the running stride is a very complex
movement. One thing I know for sure: I’m going
to give my brain many hours of practice to relearn
this movement pattern.
Though I still have a goal of running a sub-
three-hour marathon, I need to know more about
the hole in my heart before I make any claims
toward achieving it now. I have a family with
young children and although I wish to show them
the importance of never giving up, I also don’t wish
to deliberately defy good sense and kill myself. So
I won’t be booking any new events for a while. I’ve
been told I can still run, but not push the pace. So I
feel more confident about getting back to running
ultras and do feel I will run across Ireland within
the next few years.
Regardless of the stroke, I still see my future
in running – as a runner, a coach and a race
director. My personal goals may have to change,
but I can handle that. The stroke has only
strengthened my spirit and passion for running,
and I look forward to the rest of my recovery and
life. I had a stroke, I have a hole in my heart and
I have some brain damage – but as long as I’m
breathing, I’ll still be running.’Swift diagnosis
and action are
crucial. Stroke
outcomes
are partially
determined by
how quickly
a patient is
treated, but
recognising a
stroke can be
difficult, says
neurovascular
-disease
specialist Dr
Koto Ishida.
Learn the most
common stroke
symptoms with
the acronym
BE FAST, below.
If you think
someone may be
experiencing a
stroke, call 999.BALANCE / Is the
person having
trouble standing
or walking?EYES / Are they
experiencing
double vision or
having trouble
seeing?FACE / Ask the
person to smile.
Does one side of
their face droop?ARMS / When
the person raises
their arms,
does one drift
downward?SPEECH / Are
their words
slurred? Can
they repeat
a simple
sentence?TIME / Time is
vital: the faster
you get them to
the hospital, the
better the chance
of recovery.R E C O G N I S E
A STROKE
SEPTEMBER 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 049RONNIE STATON