Pranab Roy, set to represent India in Asian Trail Masters in Thailand, despite his spinal injury, runs for four hours dailyTrail blazer

Life throws a curve ball every now and then, testing man and his limits. Ultra-marathon runner Pranab Roy went through a similar fate when in April he met with an accident on his way back home from work in Bengaluru. The motorbike accident left him with a spinal injury and he was partially paralysed and doctors declared that he would only be able to walk with crutches and would not be able to run. Pranab had represented India and became the only Indian to complete the 70km non-stop trail running in the Asian Trail Masters in Indonesia in 2018. After that horrific turn of events, Pranab says, “In July, I was referred to PGIMER Chandigarh, for further treatment, and my company (IDP) transferred me to their branch here, which, however, I had to leave because of my medical condition.”

Now to everyone’s surprise, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) selected him for the next Asian Trail Masters in Thailand in March 2020. Talking about his miraculous recovery from spinal injury to run for the country in such a short span, Pranab says, “Doctors were surprised to see my recovery and in last four months, I was moved to the field to practise. I was determined to get back to ultra-marathon running.”

To stay motivated and focused during his hospitalisation, Pranab says, “I slept with a first pair of trail shoes that I wore during the Asian Trail Masters in Indonesia. I kept it on the bed beside the pillow to keep reminding myself of my dreams.”

Talking about his initial days, Pranab informs, “I developed passion for trail running during my school days and in 2015 I joined the National Adventure Foundation for a run in Darjeeling” There was no looking back for the marathon runner after he received the Guinness World Records citation for completing the toughest terrain in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, the Satara Hill Marathon. Currently he holds the 628 position in the world ranking in trail running as per Asian Trail Master records. He says, “I get up at 3:30 am for four hours of practise in the Rose Garden daily.” On December 29, he is going for 12 hours non-stop running at an AFI ultra marathon running. “I believe that everyone has the ability to master one’s own destiny,” adds Pranab. —Sheetal