Marathon mum Kerris Browne hopes to defy a worsening auto-immune condition

Jul 19

19 July 2022

Marathon mum Kerris Browne hopes to defy a worsening auto-immune condition which causes her feet to overheat, to complete her 14th marathon in her desire to join the Rotorua Marathon Survivors Club.

The 53-year-old mum of two discovered the joy of running at 40, to combat weight issues and help cope with stress. Later developing into a run coach for beginners, the joy of running became a central part of her life.

That was until a couple of years ago, when she started to discover an issue with her feet during longer events. She was diagnosed with EM or Erythromelalgia in which the nerves under the skin become over-sensitised to heat and friction. This then causes her body to think her feet are injured, circulation stops and the feet start to swell.

“My feet become very red and unbelievably painful to the point it feels like I am running in boiling water with a broken bone, which reverberates up my legs at every step,” said Kerris. “I ended up in hospital several years back after the 100km ultra, due to lack of blood pressure.

“I’ve had to give up ultras a couple years ago, and two different specialists have told me to give up running completely. I am regularly flicking between the emotions of crying in a heap, or being determined and stubborn.”

However, it is the latter quality which is driving her on in her bid to complete two more marathons. To join the Rotorua Marathon Survivors Club, participants must finish 15 marathons around the ‘lap of the lake.’ As walking aggravates the feet to a lesser degree, Kerris plans to complete the marathon walk for the 58th edition of the Rotorua Marathon on September 17.

“Currently I am experimenting with topical anesthetics that numb the skin nerves, and compression socks to increase the blood pressure in the feet,” explains Kerris. “I need to do everything right so that my feet don’t flare up the week of the marathon, as that will be excruciating. I need to prevent, rather than treat otherwise it’s a tonne of painkiller and a complete peeling of my burned feet after the fact.

Kerris acknowledges it is not just about competing the race, but doing so safely and she adds: “I know how to pull the plug before it gets too bad now, so being able to do the whole thing without having to make that decision would be fabulous.”