Athletics | Diabolical illness torments Sara Lappalai: “It can’t go on like this”

Runner Sara Lappalainen is considering ending his career.

Lappalainen, 33, has suffered from health problems since 2022. He does not want to give a more precise diagnosis, but the root cause of the problems is an intestinal parasite called dientamoeba fragilis, obtained from a competition trip to Poland or Spain.

“The parasite triggered the disease and the problems started,” says Lappalainen.

One could conclude that Lappalainen (née Kuivisto) suffers from some chronic intestinal disease.

During the three years, the problems have remained the same. At worst, you feel powerless and unmotivated, but on the other hand, your mood swings unpredictably. It is reflected in the results.

For example, at the end of July in Porvoo, Lappalainen ran 1,000 meters SE in 2:36.15. A week and a half later, 1,500 meters did not go to Paris at the Olympics at all.

“The change in living conditions makes this brutal,” says Lappalainen.

Trouble has of course been examined at the doctor’s office, but middle distance running is such a brutal sport that it is difficult to find a solution.

Lappalainen has strained his body for years with hard training. When something goes wrong in a body tuned to its peak, the effect can be big in sports, even if normal life goes relatively well.

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I’ve gone because of the drugs, and life has been far from nice.

Lappalainen would have liked to continue his competitive season after the Olympics, but simply couldn’t, even though there was an attempt. In fact, running as a whole is pretty much down right now.

“There are days when I can run 300 meters and then that’s it. When feeling so bad, it’s hard to try to train and compete in a sport where you have to give everything of yourself to the track.”

Harsh words from a woman who three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics ran Finnish records in both the 800 meters (1.59.41) and 1,500 meters (4.02.35).

“When the run doesn’t go, I get even more stressed.”

It worsens the symptoms of the disease. The squirrel wheel is ready.

Someone has to change.

“This cannot continue like this. The whole summer has been persistence. I’ve gone because of the drugs, and life has been far from nice. I’m exhausted physically and mentally,” says Lappalainen.

“You have to be able to enjoy sports. If sport is playing with health and twisting it, it doesn’t come from nowhere.”

Next weekend, he will run the 4×400 meters WC relay in the Borgå Achilles shirt, after which his career could be over in the worst case.

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This cannot go on like this. The whole summer has been persistence.

No further plans have been made for the time after the weekend – at least not yet.

Lappalainen doesn’t want to lock anything related to the continuation yet, because he is not mentally himself after the difficult years.

“I have given everything of myself to the sport. When you keep getting a wet rag on your face, it’s unmotivating. It’s been dark. The love affair with running has faded when I have had to keep going, even though my health has disagreed about it. I don’t really feel like running at the moment,” he says.

“I don’t want to lock in a decision on continuation or termination, because the decision is connected to my condition. In this emotional state, I don’t want to make a decision that I will never compete again. If running felt really nice, I might feel differently.”

Lapp in the midst of his sports difficulties, he has been working a lot so that he has had something else to think about. He works both in the family’s catering company and in the hosting industry.

In addition, he has held group coaching sessions on running technique under his own business name.

A new sports passion has been found in road cycling, which is Lappalainen’s husband I was species.

For some reason, cycling is kinder to the disease. While cycling, Lappalainen’s feeling has not gotten as bad as when running.

“Olli and I have pedaled together a lot and found it to be a really nice joint thing for us. I’m already familiar with the sport, I got my first road bike at the same time I started athletics,” says Lappalainen.

“Maybe I can be seen on the cycling side next summer if I don’t run. Sports won’t disappear from my life, that’s for sure.”