Dr Sudip Chakraborty
I just came from last Sunday’s 25km run in Kolkata, it was an amazing experience. I never thought Kolkata can organize a massive run with such organizing ability. It was managed wonderfully.
Race started in a very chilly morning and the warm ups started by Yuvraj Singh & Neha Dhupia, only added to the building excitement.
Squeezing my way through more than 12000 runners, I started to find my pace. The route covered major spots like Victoria, Sethu Bridge, Eden gardens, Maidan, Assembly, Golf course etc. So city sight seeing without any traffic on race route made the day special.
Kolkattans were sporty enough to line up throughout the course and kept on cheering. Every 2km, there were bottled water, Energy drinks, orange and salt, which made sure cramps were kept at bay. It was thoughtful enough by the organisers to keep mobile toilets in the route.
I was cruising at 10kmph speed just behind a pacer who targeted a finish in 2.30 hrs. I was soaking the atmosphere and then suddenly twisted my ankle in a manhole. Stood up and continued my run without bothering much. After 15km, it stared biting me and it appeared my shoes will burst up due to progressively increasing swelling in left ankle.
Help was there. Volunteers with painkiller spray tried their best to spray on the injured part. But as time went on, every step was jarring and it was difficult to say which part was aching more. After 21 km, I was crawling. And to hurt my ego even senior citzens well past 65 years started going ahead of me. Now that was rubbing salt to the wound. Now even standing for a water break was giving me dizziness and I thought I would collapse. So I kept on nonstop with even a shove or nudge by somebody would have toppled me.
Medical team that lined up the whole course with ambulances insisted to quit. I knew quitting will be more painful and I haven’t come 1200km from Port Blair to quit.
I kept on refusing their persistent request to quit though one part of me was shouting to stop the torture. My 21km took 2.30 hrs but the remaining 4 km took 45 min. I dragged on and on finally completed 25 km at 3.14 hrs.
Immediately I was taken to recovery area where a team of physiotherapist gave me good stretching. And then came the finisher medal.
It was truly earned. And that’s the best part of running long distances. The road will test everybody equally irrespective of your status, colour, education or nationality. It will strip you to the bone and make you realize what you are made of. Are you made of pulp inside or a nut that doesn’t cracks easily notwithstanding the pressure applied?
