“Pushing my body through pain has sent my spirit soaring”

One of my oldest running friends (as in length of time known, most definitely not age) is the lovely Priyamvada Kowshik, who was part of the wonderful, all-women Couch-6k group that started me on my own running journey.

I saw a smashing photo of Priya on Instagram this morning, messaged her, we chatted, and here is the result.

THE most inspirational story about getting back to running after illnesses and medical complications and it is all together SUCh a fab story 🙂

Fantastic job, dear friend.

I am so, so proud of you 🙂

Here is the lovely Priya’s story, in her own words:

“Why does a 5k in 39 minutes make me so happy, you ask?

Here’s why.

I started running in 2012, after stumbling upon a Haruki Murakami book.

In “What I talk about when I talk about running”, Murakami speaks of his journey into running, and its impact on him. I read it at a difficult phase in my life, and inspired by Murakami’s commitment to running, I began jogging in the park.

But I hit a plateau pretty soon.

While some of my friends became regular runners – my colleagues, my sister who is today an avid marathoner – I remained noncommittal.

Two years ago I had an appendectomy that turned severe. Post surgery, my travelling job (I divided my time between two cities) and long hours of sitting at a desk didn’t help. I had persistent back and hip pain.

I saw several physiotherapists and orthopaedics, one even diagnosed it as chronic disc. Running would aggravate my pain so I completely stopped.

Eventually late last year I was diagnosed with a sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

My physiotherapist told me about scars having a memory and I decided to give my scar and core muscles a new memory.

Just as I was getting stronger the lockdown was enforced. Working out from home I began strength training exercises. When my back felt stronger I ventured out for a run.

Started small, run-walk-run-walk.

Then one day I switched on the app and ran and was surprised to see I’d clocked 4.8 km in 27 minutes!!

How!!?

Here I am stretching beneath beautiful laburnums at a park in Gurgaon, after a 5k run that finally felt like I’d broken past a self imposed “track” ceiling.

Pushing the body through pain I sent my spirit soaring!”

That final line is SO inspiring, Priya, but what I love even more is the idea of you deliberately setting out to give your scars and muscles some more memory 😛 ! Fab stuff!

Thanks for sharing this with us, and #keeprunning #keepinspiring

And, by the way, look what I found when I went through my old photos. Priya all ready to run the Great Delhi Run, our first ever race together, in December 2013.

Happy memories!