FEATURED RUNNER - CHANDRIKA RAO

Imagine this: A car hits a water tanker.

Result: Head injury. Multiple fractures on left hand. A dashboard injury – severe damage to right hip and knee.
2.5 months in hospital – 3 years of physiotherapy – 4 years of recovery time later – 41 year old Dr. Chandrika Rao laughs and she says she feels ‘restless’ if she doesn’t do her customary two 5 k runs each week!

We caught up with her to find out what keeps her ticking and found that old rules apply – mind wins over matter.

‘I wasn’t really a runner before,’ she says, speaking of her college days, ‘but I was always athletically inclined, being captain of my college Kho Kho team’. Being married to Bhaskar Rao, whom many of you will know and recognise on the RFL circuits, didn’t incite her into running either!

It was only later, after her horrific accident that running came up on the agenda.
Although Dr. Chandrika was undergoing physiotherapy, she says she was off exercise of any kind for close to 4 years. She remembers trying to go for a walk in Lalbagh and feeling faint and breathless after a short stretch.

“I now laugh when I think of it” she says, vouching that when it comes to exercise of any kind, age and physical condition is never a deterrent –“ its all in your mind”, she says.

It was only when accident injuries, despite the physio, started giving her constant knee pain, cramps and discomfort, that she started giving regular exercise a serious thought.

Encouraged by both Bhaskar Rao and her brother who was a regular runner with Jayanagar Jaguars, she decided to give running a shot.

With their encouragement, she started a run-walk routine. ‘You don’t have to run every minute of the way’ is the advice Chandrika has for all beginners. Soon, she was able to manage a walk-run distance of 5k.

Her milestone run came with the 2007 Kaveri Trail Marathon where she did a distance of 10k. “It was a landmark for me – and I did it” she smiles. “I enjoyed the euphoria of the event, people’s encouragement. Also, I realised I was able to overtake younger, fitter runners!”

Post the KTM, many other runs came thick and fast – Valentine run, Midnight Marathon, Sunfeast World 10k, and to her surprise, Dr. Chandrika discovered that the stiffness in her hip and her knee pain had completely disappeared. ‘Now I can’t remember where my hip joint is’ she says!

She now visits the gym weekly and runs a minimum of two times a week, doing a distance of 5k.

A mother, a wife, a doctor, a teacher of medical law, medical consultant, a runner and more importantly, a survivor, Dr. Chandrika signs off saying “ In life, mental barrier is bigger than physical.”

We’ll take your word for it, doc!

Happy running.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Aditi Rao on October 27, 2009 at 8:54pm

You all are the ones that nudge me forward.

Vidya said:

It indeed pepped up! Must confess that I did not know what kept you going. Wow Chandrika, you are really inspiring!

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Permalink Reply by Aditi Rao on October 27, 2009 at 8:57pm

Thanks for all the encouragement.Chandrika Rao.

Ramesh Palani said:

wow...this is really gr8 n inspiring...

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Permalink Reply by Aditi Rao on October 27, 2009 at 8:58pm

Thanks,I will keep running,Chandrika Rao

kishore kumar .D said:

Hats of to you Dr.chandrika ,it is very very inspiring. keep running and enjoy running.

regards,
kishore kumar

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Permalink Reply by Aditi Rao on October 27, 2009 at 9:00pm

Hi,Smitha, I am running for the ultra,12.5 for sure.

Smitha Murthy said:

Wow, Chandrika! I had no idea!! We gym together and have run together and this just blows my mind. Thanx for sharing and it is real inspiration to sign up for the half next! Wanna come?

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Permalink Reply by Aditi Rao on October 27, 2009 at 9:04pm

Hello Srinath,It is true that you have to drive away all the negative thoughts. In my case my orthopedicians,Dr.Sundaresh and Dr.Naresh Shetty fro Ramaiah hospital actually did it,always encouraging me to do any exercise I wished to. They gave me enough medical evidence to prove that exercise heps blood circulation in the tissues and repairs them faster. I beleive a combination of the right doctor, the right gym and right attitude helps a lot. Chandrika.

Srinath.R.N. said:

Being a doctor, it is easy to get carried away with the suggestion of fellow doctors as you always start seeing the logic! Here is an incredible courage and never say die attitude which not only helped the individual to recover but a lesson for others to drive out the demons!
Regards.
Srinath

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Permalink Reply by Aditi Rao on October 27, 2009 at 9:07pm

I am honoured.Thanks for motivating me more. I am from mumbai ,from KEM hospital. Enjoy the good things in Mumbai. Chandrika Rao.

Sundaresan said:

FULL MARKS MADAM!!!!!!
TOMMORROW WILL BE AN EXTRA KM RUN IN YOUR NAME!!!!
BY THE WAY MADAM I AM AN ARMYMAN PRESENTLY IN MUMBAI.
REST... YOU CAN SEE MY PROFILE. THANX FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT MOTIVATOR.
SUNDARESAN