Today was the tenth day on the trot of running since my injury concerns. When @Sundar called in to excuse himself owing to his daughter’s health, I was tempted to take a break. As it finally turned out, maybe, I should have!
Started at 4:11 AM. All was well till the first loop of the Island ground was completed. I noticed an axle broken down vehicle on the flag staff road. The signs were all there! I got a catch on my right ankle which I ignored and limped on compensating with my left foot. After two loops when I was returning, while trying to weave through a group of walkers, I lost my concentration. There is a place where the slabs are uneven on the pavement. Possibly because of the right ankle not fully contributing or the lapse of concentration in watching the surface due to the walkers, I hit the left sole (where it meets the fingers) on the raised slab. My sole was stunned for a moment. I continued to run.
After a while, when the numbness wore off, I could sense a wetness and pain in my left leg. I somehow walked to the Lighthouse in the hope of finding some runners from whom I could request a lift up to my house. No luck, they all must be in the taper phase for the TWCM on the coming Sunday. The thought of trudging back the 6+ kilometers with a bleeding foot was daunting. I gave a ring to Srikumar since I remember him having mentioned that he stays nearby. There was no response. I also thought of asking my daughter to come in the car to pick me up. I was not sure if she could take it out of the garage since it was not parked in reverse.
As I was trudging back, I saw the sign ‘Way to Lighthouse MRTS station’. Now, why did not suggest to myself? I got on to a MRTS local to Fort station, changed over to the Tambaram line and was in Nungambakkam by 7:45 AM. Did have my moment of fame in the Tambaram line local, the boy who took the seat in front of me, kept smiling at me. I avoided his eyes as I thought he was mocking my dress/bald head! He then asked me if I ran. When I said yes, he asked if I ran TWCM last time. I said Yes again! He said then ‘I know you, you run 42 KM everyday’. He is Haroon, who is doing D-Pharm at SRM and has run HM in the last TWCM. He is now recovering from a shoulder injury after a bike accident. I commiserated and shared my tale of woe before train reached my stop. The Vitamin C helped me limp back home.
More than the injury (I knew it was bad!), I was scared about reaction of wife and later the Doctor! I will have to explain to the Doctor why I run barefoot (should I seek Milind’s help!). After a thorough wash, the angry break of over two inches looked scary to me also. Wife was quite understanding. We did a initial dressing with Dettol and medical tape.
Now for the Doctor! I was somewhat reassured to see a young lady Doctor, who examined the wound. She started on why I should not run barefoot. I told her I have run in trails also, this injury was due to my carelessness and barefoot running is not bad per se. For effect, I invited her to read my blogs. She then came to the dressing room and delivered the verdict, stitches it shall be!
I must narrate my previous experience with the dreaded word ‘stitches’. When I was in my middle school, (Srinagesh, my brother, would remember this incident!), I had got a cut on my chin. The sister at the health unit had declared stitches it shall be. I had pleaded strongly for a simple dressing with Tincture iodine to be rebuffed much to the merriment of my brother. This has been repeated to me many times over. The Sister had said ‘ Am I the Doctor or are you?’. I had seriously contemplated medicine after 12th, but, my fear of the sight of blood and an improperly anesthetized frog (which jumped on me during dissection!), the medical profession lost a brilliant Doctor. What is Medical fraternity’s loss I am sure is IR’s gain(?).
Today my request for exemption from stitches was met with an obdurate smile. She bargained for one stitch and got two in. But, for posterity let it be recorded that in the presence of few of my staff who wanted to see me in action, I was brave and I have the Doctor, dresser and the Pharmacists certificate for it. Another tragedy (they never come alone, do they!), I have to take a course of antibiotics for healing the wound. What would I do to build up my B-12 levels on Vegan diet after the antibiotics has had a poweplay session with my gut bacteria. Will consult Dr. Venkatraman Pichumani after the course of antibiotics are over!
Hubli Passenger shall thus be grounded for next 10 days as per the smiling assassins (read Doctor’s) assessment. I also achieved a PB of 130/90 for BP after the stitching episode, the Doctor says this cannot go in to the record books as it was achieved while in pain!
So much for a 20K run between 4:11 AM to 6:18 AM.
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