Running Injuries: Heal with Time, Therapy and Pacing friends

Running Injuries: Heal with Time, Therapy and Pacing friends

After having had an injury-restricted run at Berlin, I was back to the physios, trying to figure out the reasons for the nagging niggles and sort them out. ADHM, my favorite performance race every year for the past 7 years, was here again. For the first time, I wasn’t going to run at my best or attempt any improvement over my previous results. An event which is blessed with a flat course, wonderful weather, a fast field and a world class organization would always tempt you to outrace yourself, but it wouldn’t be prudent at this stage to exert and worsen my recovering legs. So, I decided to run it easy, within a safe level of exertion and back off if it caused any discomfort.

Every runners’ easy pace is dream target for another. So, while I was preparing to go into this one easy, I decided to pace another runner, who would be targeting that timing. Neelam Vaid, the gritty and mentally resilient runner, had been always talking about being paced for an HM, and this one being a comeback to “shorter distances” for her after recent tough endurance efforts like the “khardungla challenge” and a mountain trek, she needed that push to increase her pace, which was tough to come by in training by herself. A sub 1h:50min target was agreed upon with much self-doubts by her, so I decided that we would take it as it comes during the race, but go for it.

Meanwhile, Priya Jacob, a much younger and faster runner whom I had seen training with sincerity and discipline and with a keen urge to improve on her previous best this ADHM, while coming back from an injury, requested if she could join for a similar target. Although I had never run with her, my judgement of her was that she was the kind of runner who would go out fast and burn out towards the later part of the race.

Now it is a bit tricky to pace two runners, with opposite skill sets, capability and racing errors, hence, the pacing requirements. The only thing common was that urge to better themselves, which was something that I could well relate to.

There was no formal pacing plan, but I decided that we would go out at a pace to reach midway in about 54min, and then maintain the pace or lose a little to finish the second half of the race in under 56min, to get into the proposed target. So, while Priya would have to be reined in to remain at that pace for the first half, or till 16k, Neelam would require to be pushed in the second half, once the need to push paces in the crunch part of the race arises.

We started well, after making our way through the crowded start from the B corral, keeping an eye on each other, especially Priya, who thankfully stuck by my side, while Neelam needed a few looks over the shoulder to keep tagging along. A few initial sections were run at faster than race pace, we had recovered the time lost in the start by the 5^th km. Thereafter, it was a steady run till the midway, after which I could sense a discomfort in Neelam, who was beginning to slide behind. The form was getting worse and breathing was labored as she was feeling a stitch which made her to slow down and even take a few walk breaks. Priya, at this stage, was running strong, a good form maintained and raring to be let loose at this stage. So around 14k, I asked her to carry on and push ahead, knowing that she had conserved enough till this point, to enable a strong finish.

The last 6k was of pushing and occasionally bullying Neelam into not giving up and towing her along. The last 2km were run strong with all her grit, for which she is well known for, leading into the finish line with the clock reading 1:52, which was slower than the target, but definitely a gratifying one for the given day.

Priya had gone on to finish in 1:48, her personal best. A job well done after a strong run by her. All her focused training and discipline bearing results.

All through the run, while my mind worked on getting these two to their targets, it was also focused on my calf, which was getting stiff, reminding me of the injury, not fully recovered, but was holding on well at these paces. It also did not let me lose control and get tempted to run faster, something that helped me regain the confidence to have run pain free for this distance.

So while these two rejoice, I am back to the physios table, with a renewed determination to recover well, and get stronger, with a mind that is enriched with a feeling of accomplishment on a day I wasn’t fit to race, but could still bring out the best in two of my friends.