The Road Back · Post 9
Two of My Girls
On 19 September I had a lovely run with two of my girls. Sarah was back out running, and Nellie came along to make sure we all kept moving.
It was 3.13 miles round Bridport at 10:15 a mile, the loop along the river and back through Walditch. It was nothing flashy, and it didn’t need to be.
Good to see Sarah back out.
Three days after getting Lee back on the tarmac, here was someone else lacing up again. That’s twice in a week, and it’s exactly what Thinking Out Loud is for. It’s not about pace or PBs. It’s about getting people out of the door, running together, and talking while you do it. Somewhere along the way, the road back has stopped being just mine.
You might also spot the blue T-shirt. Sarah’s wearing the Thinking Out Loud Runners kit, so call it a bit of shameless promo. I’m not sorry.
On the scales it was 93kg that week. That’s 14kg down from Day Zero, with the rattle still at thirteen tablets a day.
The Road Back — Stats
Weight
93kg
Down from 94 on 16 Sep
Lost so far
14kg
From 107kg start
Today’s run
3.13mi
10:15/mi · 32:04 · with Sarah & Nellie
Longest run
7.75mi
With Andy · 6 Sep
Road Back day
38
Two back out in a week
To Paris
350+mi
April 2028
Tablets a day
13
8 of them steroids
Treatment — the daily rattle
- Prednisolone — 8 × 5mg a day (40mg) · steroid, repairing the immediate kidney issue
- Furosemide — now 1 × 40mg a day · to release the water · cut from 2 after four weeks, on my consultant’s advice
- Ramipril — 1 × 2.5mg · blood pressure
- Atorvastatin — 1 × 40mg · cholesterol
- Famotidine — 1 × 20mg · protects the stomach while on steroids
- Adcal-D3 — 1 × 750mg · calcium & vitamin D, protects the bones while on steroids
- Rituximab — IV infusions · the long-term repair · infusions complete (final one 4 Sep 2026)
The combination stays until everything heals. The steroids get weaned off, one tablet at a time, once the urine test sticks come back clear.
Every figure is real and dated. Early weight loss is fluid shifted with medication — the rest is earned on the road.
One more back out. Who’s next?
— James (and Nellie)