Part III: A sense of calm..

Day 21: It was the longest run of our training yet-- 20 miles! I could still feel pain at the back of my knee while walking, hence running was not an option. It was a big day for Abhi though! So I decided to accompany him and bike my way along on the Minuteman Trail while he completed his 20-mile run. It is interesting that although walking was painful, biking actually felt quite good since it does not involve the same muscles and repetitive impact. It was great to cheer Abhi and the other runners and I was able to get some cardiovascular exercise too in the bargain! Getting out actually felt better than staying home. At the same time it was difficult to sit out yet another run. Typically a few weeks before any marathon, athletes enter what is called a ‘taper period’. That means you do shorter runs at an easy effort with the intent of not over-exerting your body and resting it to be strong for race day.  So in a couple of weeks, our group was about to begin this period—this meant that peak training time was NOW … or never. Everybody in our group was sorry to hear about my injury and hopeful that I recuperate soon.

Meanwhile, as a last ditch effort, our coach recommended another physical therapist. I decided to give it a shot. So on Day 25, I was at his office bright and early at 7 a.m. I was very apprehensive – after having visited a couple of doctors and PT’s in the past few weeks, there was a weird sense of deja vu and a fear of getting lost in circles again. To my pleasant surprise though, things turned out quite differently! After some quick questions and evaluation, the therapist was very confidently able to diagnose that my problem seemed to be ‘popliteus tendonitis’ – an inflammation in the popliteus tendon that runs at the back of the knee. The symptoms he described for the condition fit in quite well with my own and I was relieved that finally there seemed to be a definitive diagnosis. Now, the important question was recovery and time-frame. He said we could be ‘cautiously optimistic’ about running. But first it was important to treat the injury—that meant no running and only simple exercises that he prescribed. To speed up the healing he affixed a patch filled with anti-inflammatory medication that uses a micro electric current to "drive" charged molecules through the skin and into the tissues. As I have now learned the process is better known as ‘iontophoresis’ and is a common therapy tool. I felt really good that day—it was as if the pain had absolutely disappeared!! However, as the effect of the medication wore on, the pain was back by evening – though lesser in intensity! This was a promising sign.

It’s now been 2 days since then. I have to meet the therapist for sessions throughout next week. I am still not sure how my knee will feel once I start running – though I want to be optimistic! These past weeks have been chaotic—I have realized how frustrating it can be to not be able to do something that you thought you almost did. I have also been humbled by the sheer reality of circumstances that present themselves, and the importance of finding a silver lining in bleak times. Through the well-wishes of family and friends I have found the ability to remain positive. I will still try to train for the full marathon (if time allows), will aim for the half-marathon if that doesn’t work out, and will try my best to raise funds for AID and ASHA even if I can’t run. It is because I have realized in this process that it is not simply about running – it is about finishing what I started – about making this journey worthwhile. If by something I can do-- like running or reaching out to my friends and colleagues-- I can help two hard-working organizations find solutions to some of India’s overwhelming problems, it is totally worth the effort. So if you are reading this, please visit my fundraising page for TEAM AID-ASHA at http://2009.teamaidasha.org/Runner.aspx?Num=20088826 and donate any amount that suits you. Your donation will be so important in bringing about grassroots change in India  – and the gesture will raise my spirits to heal fast and run hard!