After the
2014 Jan SCMM PB something did not go right. Perhaps I overdid the pace or it
might be heel landing on Bare feet. Towards march I started having heel pain.
More pronounced in the right foot a bit of niggle on the left. My Buddy Umesh
was going through something similar and he attended physiotherapy sessions.
The Heel
pain played on my mind. Perhaps it was Wrong after all to run bare foot. Jeetu /
Nitin mentioned that my posture needs correction. I tried to ensure front foot
(toe landing) and the pain worsened. After which I started running in Decathlon
walking shoes that have thin sole.
The pain
did not subside. Early morning it was at worst. I discontinued from running. It’s MY pain and
no advice is going to make things right.
The stubborn mind of a mule speaketh. The runner became a painter and I started sketching in frenzy. As soon as the artist takes over, I tend to become unorganized at exercise. This time the artist took over all my senses. The sketches became better than before. My wife Ila was deeply concerned. She asked me to keep a check on myself, medical examinations but the artist was violent now. Any distraction and Mr Hyde took over. I wanted to be submerged in art. I ignored my meals as I was deep into my sketches. I ate because I must and Ila was checking on me.
The stubborn mind of a mule speaketh. The runner became a painter and I started sketching in frenzy. As soon as the artist takes over, I tend to become unorganized at exercise. This time the artist took over all my senses. The sketches became better than before. My wife Ila was deeply concerned. She asked me to keep a check on myself, medical examinations but the artist was violent now. Any distraction and Mr Hyde took over. I wanted to be submerged in art. I ignored my meals as I was deep into my sketches. I ate because I must and Ila was checking on me.
Sketching
had become a passion and my goal was to complete one sketch at night and one
before work. My wife has supported my crazy pursuits to excel in any field and
she must have been through lot of pain.
We still
went to the racecourse to do our weekend runs. I would try to find excuses to
remain at home and paint. I did not utilize the monsoons to improve my running.
The sketching was important to me to maintain work life balance. It has been a
key player to reduce work fatigue and be better at work. Afterall we need to
work hard and better as it brings home the bucks.
Nitin
Mentioned about the Pune running event in October. To keep a goal I enlisted
for the event. Do I need to pay for running a simple 21kkm has always been a
question for me. But we pay to “celebrate” and the last years run “felt good”. Then I also set another goal i.e. to do a
full marathon in Chennai in Dec. Then another one to run SCMM in Jan.
I was now
going against all the rules for ultimate “free running” that I set for myself.
I realized that I got to pay to keep the horse on track. (And a wild one indeed.)
Enough of painting horses and my key marathon rolemodels.
My weekend
runs at the racecourse (now with shoes) restarted. My pace had gone for a toss.
And a 10km run would leave me with knots in the calf and these were causing me
the heel pain. Painful roller massages helped to relieve the knots and pain in
heel got lesser.
I invested
in Sketchers mid foot landing shoes. The arch support was needed for the
wounded. The shoe becomes a “plaster” that is needed after injury. The freedom
of BF was lost but if I needed to run I needed this padding. Running in thinner
sole shoes brought back the heel pain.
Master
Jeetu had mentioned that for barefoot running, the posture needs to be right.
It would bring pain otherwise. I have no choice other than running with shoes
as the posture needs correction first. If the ankle is weak it will always impact
my heel and the end result is Plantar Fasciitis. (Hopefully I am in my first
phase of this ailment.)
It’s
perhaps because I do not pay attention to warm-ups or post run stretches. So
runners who are ignorant might take this as an advice. It’s not BF or shod
issue. Injury can hit when least expected.
It’s just that you did not pay enough attention
when required; Or when you try to overdo your natural pace without much of exercise.
I was a bit
better prepared when I landed in the BMCC ground on 12 Oct. But I had not
stretched beyond 9km weekend run. At the best I was barely able to maintain my
old pace.
21km was so
easy last year with a PB and it’s a too long race this year. Would it bring
back the heel pain? Even a 10 km run needs to be supplemented with a warm-cold
foot bath that reduces pain.
I met my
old buddies, Muthu, Rafiq etc. After warmup we went to the start line.
6AM the
race is flagged off. I wear no watch and I do not carry a mobile this time.
There is nothing that gives me alerts on my pace. I plan to give it best at all
junctures in this race. Its important to keep a check on the body and adapt to what
keeps it supple.
Umesh is
running with me. My crazy friend has cycled 160kms just the day before. Now he
is going strong. His recovery has been stronger than mine and he is again
proving himself as a strong endurance athlete. ‘I ought to focus on myself. Not
at what Umesh can do.’ Comparisons are false if the baseline is wrong. I need
to do the best for my body as we need to run strong in Chennai.
‘Parag!
Look up’.. I shift my gaze to the sky and a remote controlled helicopter is
whirring above us taking pictures. Technology put to a good use.
I see an energetic
girl push through the crowds. It’s Ankita from Free runners. Great improvement
and I can barely keep up with her even at my best.
I keep
changing my pace uphill and downhill to get the best efficiency. Running with
shoes is good for me esp at down slope where my ankles take an impact otherwise.
Uphill is much better without shoes. My thoughts are occasionally disturbed by
my friends who are either volunteering or running. A lot of people overtake me
but I stick to my pace.
At every booth
I stop and gulp water / electrolyte. A young chap snatches a glass from behind
me as I wait in a queue. What manners. I
know that his glass will not end in the dustbin and I win my bet.
I cannot
throw my trash on the road. I run with empty bottles to discard it at the next
waterbooth. Why cannot others do this simple thing? Why put additional strain
on volunteers? We speak about Swacch Bharat!
The 10km turnaround.
I pat my Chennai Marathon Buddy, Mayuresh.
Leg Muscles
are getting taut there is someone with a spray but I decide against it. I
choose the electrolyte instead. Ankita is pacing another friend from Free
runners. (I realize later that She has reduced pace to make sure that she
assists her friend for her firs 21km. What comradeship. You see this only in
Marathons)
The last
uphill slope is a pain but I choose not to walk or look towards the top of the
slope. Posture is imp. I swing the arms. ‘This is just a 21km. If I don’t feel good
at end of it, 42 km at Chennai will be tough.’
I remember last
year’s event where my leg muscles got balled up running downhill. I am cautious
this time. End line appears and I jog to the finis.
Slow jog to
pick my medal and I meet another Veteran. Dr Sandip Doshi is a fit gentleman.
He cross trains doing long cycle rides and runs. We have met only on FB. Both peer at each
other , a flicker of recognition and we shake hands. It’s his 3rd 21
km in 3 weeks. And he is lot older than me. Such people keep me inspired to do
better.
I take my
medal and walk back to meet Umesh. A banana and then an apple peps me up.
Umesh must
have done it in close to 2 hrs. What a strong lad. I take his leave as I want
to ease my limbs.
At home the
hot immersion relaxes the ankle pain. I doze away, wake up at 12 and we have a
nice family meal at Wadeshwar.
The pain is
bearable but it is not a painless run as in past. The stiff muscles did not
allow me the racecourse run at the evening and the wild horse got back to his
watercolor pad.
What shall
happen in Chennai will be seen in Chennai. Why worry?
