FROM MARATHON (42 KM) TO SWIMATHON (10KM)

It was in the year 2019 that I injured my right knee. It started with me accepting a 100 day challenge run. One was required to run everyday for 100 days. The minimum distance to run was 3 km and so I thought, rather naively, that it would be easy. I ran for 100 days without much hassle. Even after the completion I continued running for another 25 days. This was when I noticed some pain in my right knee. It was surprising as it was my left knee which had always given me trouble.

After many failed attempts at running -I resigned to 'running-less' life and started looking around for alternates. Walking was one as I could do that for long distances. But the time needed for walking was not available due to job pressures. During this time, 2021, I shifted to another location where there was a swimming pool. I thought of taking up swimming. But the pool was closed for major repairs. I waited for the next year and joined the pool in 2022 somewhere in July. I started enjoying swimming and was soon able to swim for 45 minutes nonstop. At that stage I decided to keep increasing the distance. While coming out of the swimming pool one day I noticed a poster announcing of a 3 km swim event. I noted the number and started searching the net. Instead of that event, I came across another called Swim-a-thon and it pulled me instantly. The event was to take place in Oct (apox 2 month to go). It had event starting from 100 mts..1.5 km ...3 km ..5 km and 10 km swim. It was 10 km, the longest swim that fascinated me. Reminded me of my earlier days when i had started running with a 5km event and wondered if a full marathon ,42.2km, is ever achievable. But marathon always had a strong magnetic attraction and i did achieve that after about 7 years of running.

A Little bit of search told me that, roughly, 10 km swim is considered equal to running a marathon (42.2 km). However swimming was a new sport. Though I knew basic swimming but had never practiced long distances and due to paucity of pools the swimming opportunities have been sparse. Never the less i Started and soon realized that the max distance I could handle for the event will be 3 km. I took part and completed the distance in 1 hour 25 minutes . While finishing I set my aim on 10 km for the next year. I had full one year to practice. Now the problem with the pool was that the timings were only for 1 hour. Strictly speaking one got only 45 minutes per day as 15 minutes was wasted in changeover. I requested the admin if once in a while they could permit me to swim for more time. At times they cooperated but if the rush was more I had to vacate the pool in the allotted time. I changed timings and chose early morning and late nights when rush was less. I was determined to do 10 km but was in suspense about my capabilities as the max I could swim was about 2 hours and during that time I was covering about 4 km (2k per hour pace). Better sense prevailed when time came to register. I registered for 5 km . I was sure of doing well in this distance and hoped to complete in 2hrs 30 minutes . The swimming day did not start well. I consumed lot of bananas and water before the event. Whereas in practice I never had anything prior to swim. I wanted to do a non stop fast swim and was getting tense. No sooner I entered the pool I felt the urge to go to toilet. I realized my mistake but it was too late. I came out of the pool by pushing myself up from the deep end side. In the process I had a nasty fell on my chest. But I pushed myself out and rushed towards the toilet straight away banging with a glass door which was closed. Fell down again and realized my mistake. After relieving my self I rushed back and joined the race hoping to still cover the distance in 2 hr 30 minutes (cut off was 3 hours). Now a strange thing happened. i was not able to do free style. Something was holding my left hand from stretching. Now I do only free style. My breast stroke is very poor and i hardly ever do it. I though kept trying for free style but my left arm refused to take the stretch. I started doing breast stroke but even that started looking laborious. Something was seriously wrong. I knew that I will not be able to complete the swim. A strange sort of fatigue had set in and I just felt miserable . I thought of coming out but somehow hanged around stopping after every 50 meters. It was around 4 km when i ran out of 3 hour deadline. I felt relieved to be told to vacate the pool. I think i had done around 4.1km. I came out and left . Still baffled as to what went wrong. While going home I felt feverish and extremely unwell. It was only the next day that i realized that the fall on my chest had injured my left ribcage. I could not even extend or raise my left arm. I knew its going to take long time. After few days I went to pool to try out but the left hand just refused to cooperate. The pain in the left rib continued and my left arm movement remained restricted for a long time. I started going to pool after partial recovery and tried slow breast strokes. I did recover after 3-4 months and started swimming again but the left arm and the ribs could feel the remnants of the nasty fall . This was also the time I moved to my permanent house in Greater Noida (GN) after completing my flying carrier (of 40 years). In GN the first task was to search for the pool. I found one though expensive......But here also it was on maintenance and it was only available in the month of June leaving me about 4 months (Swimathon is held in oct every year). I practiced hard once gain setting 10 km as target. I tried a full 5 km in training but timings were disappointing and i fathomed that 10 km was out of my reach. Once again i registered for 5 km to get over the jinx of DNF. This time i was careful and my aim was to complete 5 km. I did that in 2 hr 45 minutes (apox) just 15 minutes inside the dead line. But i was happy. It was also evident to me that 10 km was beyond my capabilities as i was totally exhausted in 5 km in not so good a time of 2 hr 45 minutes.

The pool, next year, opened after winter break in time (around mid march). I had enough time to practice. And wondered if i should try 10 km again. This time I did some studies and found that I was training the wrong way. I used to just come and swim maximum distance everyday. The technique the experts told is different. While logging long distances and total distance for running is fine but for swimming it is not advisable to just log distances. you got to do small legs at fast pace and at correct form. Correct form is important. Water is 800 times heavier than air. Hence form is much more important in swimming compared to running. A typical 12 week program for swim-a-thon would include strengthening, sprints and one long swim per week. I picked a 12 week prog and found that I was left with only 7 weeks so i dived into 7 th week. The plan is attached. I was sure of completing the swim and also nursed (old habits die hard) the idea of completing it in at least 5 hr 30 minutes. The race day started well. But it was not easy. Right from 5 km onwards it was tiring. Finally I completed the distance in 5 hr 53 min and 16 seconds. I was happy. But the problem and the Q is what next?

BEFORE THE START