Running helps Gowrie woman Kylie Scales feel calm and relaxed. It has also lessened the impact of her multiple sclerosis, strengthening her legs and improving memory and cognitive issues.
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“Every single relapse I’d had with my MS, the first thing that would go on me would be my legs - they would be weak and I’d have trouble walking and I’d be tripping over and lots of loss of sensation in my legs and feet," the 44-year-old said.
"I found that after I took up running that if I did have a flare-up my legs weren’t the first thing to go any more, they were strong."
Ms Scales was diagnosed with MS 20 years ago when she was just 25. She woke up one morning, one week into a new job, blind in one eye. Initially unconcerned, she went to see her doctor.
"The GP was a bit concerned about it and sent me off to an opthamologist who then was more concerned about it and sent me to a neurologist, and by this stage I was starting to think ok, maybe this isn’t conjunctivitis, this could be something a bit more detrimental," Ms Scales said.
"So then after an MRI scan it came back that I had lesions on my brain and I was positive for MS."
The diagnosis came as something of a relief for Ms Scales, who had battled "weird health issues" throughout her life.
"At the same time, getting a diagnosis like that is quite confronting and you don’t know what’s ahead of you so you’ve got to make a conscious choice not to convince yourself of the worst case scenario if it’s not happening," she said.
Ms Scales's aunt also lives with multiple sclerosis, which interferes with nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves and affects more than 23,000 Australians.
Since her diagnosis she's tried different medications and approaches. What has worked best for her has been a combination of disease-modifying drugs, eating well and her beloved running.
At first, running was aimed at helping Ms Scales lose weight gained while pregnant with daughter Jaida, when she was put on interventional drugs to prevent pregnancy loss after suffering five miscarriages.
It took some time before her passion grabbed hold.
"It was actually quite horrible to start with," Ms Scales said.
"[But] I actually started to get quite competitive with myself and push myself that little bit further and that little bit further and it was painful and horrible and I didn’t even enjoy it, I was getting fitter and I was feeling better and I was losing weight and I thought ‘well this is actually quite good’."
An MS flare-up has affected preparations for this weekend's Australian Running Festival, but Ms Scales vowed to participate in the 10 kilometre race, her husband by her side.
"He’s always there to be a support for me and make sure I’m safe and well when I’m running," she said.
The Australian Running Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday and feature 5km, 10km, half marathon, marathon or ultra marathon events.
The Australian Running Festival is presented by Tata Consultancy Services.
