“If the 3100 mile race is at one end of the race spectrum the 2 mile race is at the other end. At the beginning.”
I spoke with Nirbhasa just after he finished running in the Self Transcendence 2 mile race on Saturday. He was in the top 3 and so for his achievement he was presented a banana. And as he said, the 2 mile race, which may take up to 18 minutes, can in any way compare to the 3100.
A race that as of today has just completed 28 days. The total distance covered by all the runners in that time is 19,427 miles.
At this same point last year Nirbhasa had completed 1667 miles. He has had first hand experience in every way with the 3100 and now that a few runners are struggling I ask him if he ever felt overwhelmed by it all.
“You definitely don’t do a race like this without really going up against it. In terms of tiredness, in terms of injuries that fall across your way.”
“It is kind of interesting now because a lot of runners in this race have got different injuries and different conditions. Fortunately for most of them they have done the race many times before. You can see that they really understand that most important thing in minimizing their injury, and also trying to keep up as many miles as possible is to stay happy.”
“To stay in a good consciousness and to be cheerful.”
“Somehow when you are happy you just carry less weight around the course. You are lighter and you are somehow able to move more easily.”
Nirbhasa then tells a story about 2 disciples of the great Indian Spiritual Master Rama Krishna, who were able to not be trapped by ignorance by using 2 quite different methods. One, Vivekananda could expand his consciousness and break the bonds constricting him. The other Nag Mahasaya was so humble that he, “would get smaller and smaller and then simply slipped through the net.”
“For the 3100 mile runners that is what we kind of have to do. When we are confronted with all of these problems. You really have to become very cheerful and light of mind. Slip through the problems that way.”
“It is amazing when you see some of the runners experiencing problems at the moment. How they are able to still keep up a reasonable level of mileage. It certainly slows them down it certainly means lost miles. But if they weren’t happy it would be infinitely infinitely worse.”
Be kind, be all sympathy,
For each and every human being
Is forced to fight against himself.
The Board
5:43, all quiet
The van arrives
Vasu drops his laundry
Misha yawns
Stutisheel and Atandra working on shoes
Baladev on his bike
The girls
Rupantar checking the counting book
Today’s sponsor
Start Day 29
Early morning overcast skies
Atmavir did 64 miles
He now has 1929 miles and is 104 miles ahead of last year
In the clover
Yuri had 65 miles
He now has 1879 miles. He has just put ice on his head
Purple
Ashprihanal did the most of anyone with 70 miles
He now has 1865 miles
A different view
“What sandwich. Do I look like a sandwich thief.”
Bigger than you think
Aleksei keeping a journal
Just a little
Vasu is improving a little bit each day as his blister heals. He did 54 miles
He has 1828 miles
Mushrooms
Aleksei picks and washes grass to put on Vasu’s feet.
Kaneenika did 64 miles
She now has 1787 miles
She is 109 miles ahead of last year.
This is the end of 4 weeks of running.
How to relieve stress
Counting
Surasa did 54 miles
She now has 1778 miles. Putting a wet sponge in her hat.
She is gradually getting over her shinsplints.
Colors
Misha learning music
The fence
Sopan did 61 miles. A number he must now do at least every day.
He now has 1632 miles
The Enthusiasm Awakeners will have their anniversary on the 27th
By the curb
Baladev did 60 miles. He now has 1603 miles
Past the garden
Sponge bucket
Stutisheel did 31 miles
He now has 1561 miles. This evening he was running well.
Between
Ananda-Lahari did 47 miles. He has 1507 miles
Coming through camp
“This is my first time at the race.” Tamara has been coming regularly to the race this year
“I am very happy here. I get energized here. I want to share my happiness with the runners so that they can grow wings. So that the distance can pass under their feet with lightness.”
“Of course I have heard about the race before. I have followed the race a lot. We are their biggest fans, of course.”
“When hear of the runners success we feel that we are doing also well.”
“We send the runners positive thoughts and vibrations so that they can have victory over themselves.”
Click to Play: *translation by Lyalya*
Sahishnu and his weekly report.
Click to Play:
Across the road
Antana reads the Daily Poem
Click to Play:
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Click to Play:
Do not wait until you have
A perfect consciousness!
It is always better
To serve God
And to do something good
For humanity
Immediately.
Sri Chinmoy, Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, Part 164, Agni Press, 1991
Thank you so much. I’ve absolutely loved following the Race each day here. Now I can’t stay away anymore! In the morning I’m jumping on a plane or 3 and heading over from New Zealand to New York to be of a little service to the divine hero runners. So see you all soon after nearly 30 hours travel! 🙂 Gratitude
Thank you for giving us this oneness experience in self-transcendence. We learn so much that is invaluable for all of us, how to divinely go the distance, cheerfully. Smiles and gratitude!
Thank you so much Utpal! For 4 weeks you have been bringing us news, loads of inspiration and also beauty and joy! I very much enjoy the music you choose for your interviews too. Amazing job! Thank you 🙂