Strength in Every Step While Running with PsA
I’ve been living with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) for about five years, though I was officially diagnosed just a year ago. During that time, I’ve woken up almost every day with severe joint pain in my hands, back, and feet. Some mornings, it felt like stepping out of bed with fractured feet—a harsh reality when you're running with PsA.
Running through the PsA
As a marathon runner, I had no choice but to embrace the suck. For my 5:45 a.m. runs, I’d wake up at 5:00 just to give myself 20 minutes to stretch and work through the inflammation. Every day felt like a painful version of Groundhog Day.
I’ve tried Methotrexate and am currently on Otezla, which has been helpful for my joint pain. Last fall, I ran the Berlin Marathon while on medication and hit a personal milestone—my first sub-3:30 marathon.
Looking ahead
I’m still uncertain about what the future holds, but for anyone who feels like they can’t even get out of bed, I want to say this: embracing the discomfort and showing up, even when it’s hard, has helped me cross the finish line of several 26.2-mile races. Running with PsA is possible. This fall, I’m planning to complete my 6th NYC Marathon. My long-term goal is to run it 10 times and finish all six World Majors in under 4 hours.
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