Hey everyone! Today I'm pleased to present to you a story that should give us all hope...the story of our friend Colin MacKenzie and his successful run in the London Marathon, after having had cervical Schwannoma surgery. I feel like such stories are truly needed, because for some people, Schwannoma pain can make even the most basic things extremely difficult. For some, just going out to get the mail is an ordeal. Or taking care of a child. Or just making it through a shift at work. However some survivors are people who take the norm and stretch that possibility to the max - and Colin MacKenzie is one of them. Based in the UK, Colin trained for and completed the London Marathon in 3:41:23, after having had surgery for a cervical Schwannoma. Colin was kind enough to answer a few questions about this experience, and we thank him for taking the time to do so - and for demonstrating what is possible for athletes and anyone else who has had a Schwannoma. - Neil
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1). What were your symptoms before your Schwannoma was discovered? How did it affect your running before it was found?
The slow growing nature of Schwannomas meant that my symptoms came on very slowly over a long time. I gave up rowing in 2006 shortly after my daughter was born (but before I noticed any symptoms) and fell out of the routine of exercise. I had a few attempts over the next few years to get fit again but did start to struggle a bit with my feet. The best way to describe it is the feeling you get just before your foot falls asleep, the not quite numb feeling and not quite pins and needles. In some ways it felt a bit like my feet were drunk - I couldn't really rely on them landing correcty and in fact did sprain my ankle when playing around in the park. Over time my legs felt really tired all the time despite not doing any exercise. It is worth saying that I had no pain at all. By the time I went to see my GP I couldn't even run for the bus!
2). When your Schwannoma was located, where was it found? What kind of procedure was performed and was it successful?
I was referred to a neurologist who sent me for a head and neck MRI. He told me he was looking for either compression (eg a tumour of some sort) or inflammation (eg MS or Motor Neuron Disease). It turns out it was a Schwannoma on my spinal cord at C1/C2 (right at the top of my neck). It was surgically removed on 13 June 2012. A follow-up MRI a few months later confirmed it was completely removed and a further MRI in 2017 showed no regrowth. The only side effect I've been left with is a numb patch on the back of my head which corresponds to the specific nerve that was damaged.
3). How long did it take you to train back up to the strength required to run a marathon? What was that process like and how did your body feel after having gone through the experience of having the Schwannoma?
Recovering from the Schwannoma was one thing, recovering from the surgery was another. In the days after the surgery I could feel the feeling returning to my feet quite quickly as my spinal cord decomressed. My neck was very sore and stiff from the surgery though. It took a good 6 months before I had most of my movement back and a year before I felt normal again. August 2013 was the start of my get fit campain. I started on the treadmill and cross trainer before building up slowly to 5km. I was lucky to discover parkrun which is an organisation that puts on weekly free 5km runs in parks all over the world now. This helped with motivation and gradually my times improved. I built up over the next few years and found out I had a place in the 2017 London Marathon in late 2016.
I think the key was taking it slowly and listening to my body. I didn't have any residual symptoms from the Schwannoma, my movement was back to what it was before and it just felt good to be able to run up a flight of stairs again. If I'd been told the day before surgery that the best outcome was that my symptoms wouldn't get any worse I would have leapt at it. But here I was 4 and a half years later starting to train for a marathon.
4). How did you feel during the race? Did you find that it the feelings in your body were greatly different than before the Schwannoma?
The race was an amazing experience. The atmosphere of the London Marathon is incredible. Crowds line the whole course and there is a constant wall of noise of people shouting your name and encouraging you on to the finish. Comparing how I felt now to before surgery was like chalk and cheese. In the months before surgery I couldn't run at all and even walking was becoming difficult. But if I compare back to my rowing days then there was no difference (apart from the march of time from which none of us are immune!) My training had gone very well. I'd clocked up just over 500 miles in the 16 weeks before race day so I was ready for it. I held back a bit in the beginning and it was only at 15 miles where I caught up to my target pace. Rounding the final corner in front of Buckingham Palace was an emotional moment and crossing the line was real celebration of everything I'd been through to get to this point.
5) Lastly, having gone through this experience, what are some of the key points of advice that you'd like to offer to other runners or athletes trying to train back into shape following a battle with a Schwannoma?
Don't try do too much too soon. Runners I know are notoriously bad at taking time to recover from injury. Listen to your body, and get advice from a qualified medical professional if you have any issues. Join a running club or group. Doing it with people around you is so much easier than trying to go it alone. Enjoy it!
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You can email Colin at: colin.mackenzie@rocketmail.com
