Injury. The dreaded word that no runner wants to hear. It’s like someone hitting pause on the movie of your life—just when the chase scene was getting good.
But here’s the truth I’ve come to accept over the past few months:
If you are injured, you are still an athlete.
You haven’t stopped being a runner. You’ve simply changed sports.
Your new sport is rehab.
This isn’t just theory. This is my story.
My Own Detour on the Marathon Path
I’ve been running for over a decade. I’ve trained hard, raced strong, and built my life around the rhythm of weekly miles. But in January this year, during a routine set of drills, I tweaked my right knee. A few days later, there was swelling. I still managed to run a race comfortably—but post-race, the knee flared up again.
Stairs became a struggle. Descents were uncomfortable. Running? I had to stop.
Since then, it’s been over 45 days without running a step.
That’s where recovery began—not just physically, but mentally.
Welcome to a Different Kind of Training
For marathoners, training is everything. But when injury strikes, the structure doesn’t disappear. It changes.
Recovery isn’t a break from being an athlete. It’s the proof that you are one.
Your long run is now patience.
Your intervals are daily rehab drills.
Your strength session is learning to trust your body again.
And your finish line? A slow, strong, confident return to the sport you love.
The Process Is the New Race
This journey has forced me to fall in love with the process again.
- Daily stretches and physiotherapy drills
- Nutrition and supplements (yes, I had Vitamin D3 and B12 insufficiencies!)
- Learning how to move better, not just more
- Cycling and strength work to stay sane and fit
Recovery may not earn you Strava kudos. But every pain-free stair climbed feels like a finish line.
Method Is Everything
Just like I wouldn’t train for a marathon without a plan, I realized recovery needs structure too.
My rehab routine now includes:
- Stationary cycling
- Glute and hamstring strengthening
- Stretching tight hip flexors and adductors
- Improving posture and core engagement
- Listening to my body (something I ignored before)
Progress is no longer about pace—it’s about form, function, and freedom from pain.
Belief Is the Most Powerful Gear
Yes, I’ve had days of doubt. Days I felt like maybe I’ll never get back to the same level again. But here’s what I’ve discovered:
- Belief keeps the fire alive.
- Belief reminds you who you are.
- Belief says, “This is not the end. It’s a recalibration.”
I’m still a runner. Even if I haven’t run for weeks.
Because the runner’s mindset never leaves you.
Comeback Stories That Fuel Me
Rishabh Pant: From Car Crash to Captain
He wasn’t supposed to walk anytime soon after his accident in 2022. But Rishabh Pant came back to the IPL in 2024—not just as a player but as a fearless leader. His recovery was his sport for over a year.
“I’m not chasing perfection. I’m chasing progress,” he said. That’s exactly how I feel.
Paula Radcliffe: Pain and Redemption
After heartbreak at the 2004 Olympics, Radcliffe bounced back to win the London Marathon in 2005. Her story is proof that champions can fall—and still rise higher.
Your Story (and Mine)
Maybe your knee is busted. Maybe you’ve been benched. But if you’re showing up—doing your stretches, logging your physio drills, saying “not today” to despair—you’re an athlete.
So am I.
Reframing the Narrative
Injury is not the end of your athletic identity.
It’s just a new phase.
And when you come back—because you will—you’ll be stronger not just in stride, but in spirit.
So here I am.
Rebuilding.
Believing.
Recovering.
Because I am still an athlete.
And right now, my sport is rehab.
