Meet MS Warrior Martin Geicsnek
I am your twin in Austria!
When planning for my “7 marathons on 7 continents” adventure in 2015, I reached out to MS organizations around the world in hopes of meeting other runners with MS. The Austrian MS Society forwarded my email to the one and only person in the entire country (at the time) with MS who runs marathons. I was elated to receive an email from Martin Geicsnek. He introduced himself as my twin! He proudly told me that he has completed 69 marathons (including ultra-marathons), four Ironman triathlons, and climbed Kilimanjaro. Martin included a photo of his 6-foot-1 self with strong legs that resembled a gazelle.
I showed Martin’s picture to Brian and read the email to him. Brian responded, “You’re like the twins in the movie.” And he started roaring with laughter, explaining that tall Martin is Arnold Schwarzenegger and I am the much shorter Danny Devito.
Yes, yes. I get it! And I admit I laughed a lot, too!
We got to meet Martin and his wife Helga when we went to Vienna for the marathon in 2017. Our visit was only three hours long because they were leaving early the next morning for Hamburg to run the marathon there. However, I learned so much about Martin and felt an immediate connection in those few hours. (When you are twins, it doesn’t take long to realize the similarities.) Recurring numbness on the right side of the body was the presenting symptom for both of us. We both thought the abnormality was due to a pinched nerve; however, upon extensive research we feared we might have MS before receiving the official diagnosis. We both ran our first marathons in October 2000. We also both believe running is saving us from the negative impacts of MS. Despite our physical challenges, we know we are luckier than most people with MS because we are able to stay active in the sport we love. Moreover, we both have incredibly supportive spouses. They make all the difference in the world for us, especially when running those last painful miles of a marathon.
In the seven years I have known Martin, his marathon count has more than doubled to an astounding 157 in 44 countries! His statistics are impressive by any standards, but the fact that he started running marathons because of MS is remarkable. Martin contends that running long distances is his therapy. Not only does it keep him strong, but working on his goals helps him overcome the psychological challenges of living with a progressive disease.
Martin’s accomplishments are not without a fair amount of struggles, however. Martin was an avid football (soccer) player but now finds it hard to participate because of poor coordination and lack of explosive lateral movement. Furthermore, Martin tends to stumble when he runs because he cannot feel where his left foot is in space. The numbness becomes especially perilous towards the end of the race when fatigue is at its peak and his limbs feel heavier and weaker. His worst disaster was at the 2016 Vienna Marathon. He had a dangerous fall only 500 meters from the finish line. He put his hands out to try to catch himself, but ended up jamming three fingers deep into his hand. He still got up and crossed the finish line (with a stellar time of 3:37), but his fingers were fractured and required hours of reconstructive surgery. He actually felt fortunate that that was the extent of his injuries but it did cause him to miss Ironman Mallorca the following weekend.
Since Martin’s diagnosis in 1996, he has been hammered by more than 25 exacerbations and has been through countless infusions to temper his immune system to stop the attacks. Yet, he is determined to stay active. In his words, “Die Logik und die Vernunft sagten NEIN.” (Logic and reason say NO.) But he keeps on running. It is his way of claiming control over his body and fighting MS. Traveling all over the world to participate in marathons is also an activity he shares with Helga, the love of his life.
Helga is a major driving force in Martin’s running journey. She is a speedster and can easily match Martin stride-for-stride. She has over 100 marathons under her belt and often places in the top three of her division. No doubt, Helga pushes Martin to focus on the positive during the most crucial parts of the race when his body starts breaking down. They say the support is a two-way street, as it should be in a marriage. When one is not feeling well, “that’s exactly where you forget any personal ambition and put your partner’s well-being above your own.” It is no wonder they have a large collection of photos crossing the marathon finish line hand-in-hand with triumphant smiles.
Martin’s story is filled with extraordinary achievements, but his tenacity to literally and figuratively get back up and continue onward impresses me the most. It’s not just his friends and myself who are inspired; Martin is often interviewed and written about throughout news outlets in Austria, motivating others to push their boundaries. His unwavering determination and spirit serve as a great reminder that we can thrive and have an active life filled with adventures despite living with MS.
