Stuart Blake completed a gruelling Ironman challenge after his diagnosis with ankylosing spondylitis. His inspiration? Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit

I live in Essex with my wife and three children and was a full-time London cab driver until my diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis in August 2011. Since then I have had to reduce my hours to part-time and my wife resumed full-time employment due to the severity of my condition.

A long journey to diagnosis
In 1999 I began suffering from a stabbing pain in my left buttock, which gradually got worse. I found I was no longer able to run, which resulted in me having to give up playing football. I loved the sport and missed the dressing room banter. I was in pain for over seven years and after numerous MRI scans, one showed I had a slipped disc. The surgery took place in 2000 and I hoped it would be the end of my misery. Unfortunately I was wrong.
During this time I also had nerve tests, visited physios, chiropractors, osteopaths, had pain injections, epidurals and blood tests. Over the years I have received some interesting comments and theories from health professionals and doctors. A few of these are:

• Drink three litres of water a day
• Asked what I thought I had wrong with me
• I should try swimming (something I have been doing regularly for the last 20 years)
• We cannot give you a new neck

By 2010 the pain had reached 9/10 and was unbearable. My neck became so painful and stiff that when driving I could not turn my head to the right at junctions and I was getting chest pain. I went to A & E late one Friday night and I was connected to an ECG monitor; although the pain was now 10/10 it showed no heart problems and I was “released without charge”.
In August 2011 I completed a 75 mile bike ride on the Sunday and by the following Thursday I couldn’t get out of bed and my right knee was almost double the size of my left.
The GP was keen for me to see a rheumatologist. I asked that she find a doctor that I had not seen before and as she was scrolling through my notes on the computer she came across a copy of a letter dated 2009 that had diagnosed me with suspected ankylosing spondylitis.
“What’s that?” I replied. “Why wasn’t I told of this?”
I asked to see another rheumatologist, and Professor Tahir’s name popped up. He sounds like the man for me I thought.
My instincts were correct as this man actually listened to what I had to say, hugely different than my previous experiences. He almost confirmed there and then that I had ankylosing spondylitis but sent me for a blood test and a gene test for HLA B27, which I am told 96% of people with ankylosing spondylitis have. We discussed if I should go on a clinical trial and I agreed. I’m currently on the clinical trial.
Six months later after a course of steroids, lots of rest and good direction from Prof Tahir, the pain has subsided.

Rising to the challenge: from light exercise to Ironman
Following my diagnosis, I started doing some light spinning on my bike, then a light mountain bike ride and five months later I completed a triathlon. I have now competed in numerous swim/run/bike events.
A small voice in my head kept asking if I could go further and complete a full Ironman challenge – a crazy thought for even this ankylosing spondylitis warrior. It involved a 2.5 mile swim, a 112 mile bike then a marathon for dessert! But mental strength is where I excel. Add to that belief and desire and the cocktail is potent.
Training was tough, especially taking into consideration looking after three kids, working nights and coaching my twin boys’ under eights football team 10–15 hours a week. It was hard and very tiring but I loved it.
So on the 24th July 2014, my wife and I travelled to Zurich, Switzerland for the event. Three days later, the swim passed off uneventfully. Then onto the bike, which I must admit to struggling with. It is not the distance but my speed. If I didn’t make the cut-off time for the swim and bike I would be eliminated, but despite fixing a puncture along the way, I met the 10-hour cut off with 15 minutes to spare. Now for the marathon, a distance I had never completed. I felt strong and the fact that I had bought my three children Ironman t-shirts which I wouldn’t let them wear if I hadn’t completed the challenge spurred me on. I had to finish in a total of 16 hours, and did it with a time of 15 hours, 55 minutes and 45 seconds.

Today’s picture of health
My spine was fine during the Ironman challenge due to being suppressed by the clinical trial drug. I am now two-and-a-half years into my five-year stretch. My wrists have been my main concern lately. I have been on steroids off and on and methotrexate but they still cause me considerable pain especially after long bike rides due to my gripping the handle bars. I decided that there must be a way to counteract some of this pain and fitted aero bars (used by time trialists) which has helped reduce the stress.

Inspiration
The boss (my name for Prof Tahir) has been a major factor in my achievements. He understands my mind-set and although he probably wouldn’t prescribe an Ironman challenge for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, he knows that taking away something I love doing would be detrimental to my well-being.
The clinical trials team have been fantastic and the trial drug seems to be a wonderful advance in medical treatment.
I have a great physio in Ian Cowell, a specialist in spinal injuries, and I keep Tommy my sports masseur busy.
And of course my three children and my wonderful wife fully support me. She was in floods of tears when I completed the Ironman challenge as only she knows the struggle I have with my ankylosing spondylitis, the mornings when I cannot even open the milk, my moods when I can’t train due to the fatigue associated with this condition. She has stood by my side throughout.

Stuart is raising money for the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society.

To sponsor Stuart visit his page click here.