July 20… To Be More Inside

I asked Surasa the question that I suspect many people have been wondering.  How are you?

“If you don’t ask about my legs than I am fine.”

Surasa never stops smiling and for the past week she has more or less not stopped walking.  What is not within her reach right now seems to be the ability to run.

The pain from shinsplints has restricted her mobility but not her poise.  A solution seems painfully elusive as does now the likelihood of breaking her own world record from last year.

“It doesn’t want to leave me.  I have to kick it out.  But I don’t know how to kick it out.”  Yesterday after Mitch the chiropractor adjusted her she had a few sweet precious hours of freedom.

But the pain soon came back as did the frustration of a problem that seem not to have any solution.  Or at least a quick and easy one at this time.

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“I think the solution is to pray more.  To be more inside.”

“The character of the race now is totally different.”  Surasa describes that it is actually harder to walk now than it was earlier to run before she had the problem.  She feels that going slower takes even more energy than when she can run freely.

“It takes so much effort just to move forward.”

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“I can only say thank you, thank you to all those who are thinking about me.  It is always very very touching when I hear people say, that they pray for me.  It really touches me deeply.”

“Each ultra runner eventually has this same experience.  That an injury comes.  In this race so many are suffering.”

surasa camp-1350856*with Vishvarupani*

“I am so spoiled.  In the last few races I had no problems.  Now I have a new experience.  It is okay.”

“I think it is so important to stay positive.  No matter what happens we always have to accept all the things that come.  It is just part of the race.  So it doesn’t make sense if you complain.   You just loose energy.  It is so important to have positive thoughts.”

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My Lord,
Do give my heart the strength
To love You most intensely.
My Lord,
Do give my life the strength
To need You most sincerely.
My Lord,
Do give my legs the strength
To run most speedily.
My Lord,
Do give me the strength
To manifest You here on earth
Most unconditionally.

Sri Chinmoy, My Race-Prayers, part 2, Agni Press, 2006

*Click on Read More to see rest of the report*

*Click Below to watch Dipali’s Race Tips*

The Board

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Nobody here just yet

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“I had a really tough night.  I just need a little rest.   O, and let me know when the sandwiches come… I mean Stutisheel.”

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The van arrives

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Vasu and Ananda-Lahari

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Baladev reading the results.

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Very popular activitiy

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Rupantar making his video

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The race leader Atmavir arrives.  Today is his birthday.

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No obstacles

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Start Day 32

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The entire group slowly walks along singing to Atmavir the birthday song

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It is a gorgeous morning and will be a beautiful day to run

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Atmavir had a very good 65 miles yesterday

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He now has 2085 miles.  The Enthusiasm Awkeners sing for him and he in turn offers all the girls and all the runners flowers.

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Nirjharini and the kitchen crew have made a cake

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Once again he stops as the birthday song is sung in his honor

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The weather is about to change

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The next few days look to be hot and muggy

Screen Shot 2016-07-20 at 5.59.26 PM

Yuri also had 65 miles

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He now has 2074 miles

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Time passes

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Ashprihanal had the most miles yesterday 66

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He now has 2059 miles

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Having a laugh

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Ashprihanal is just 15 miles behind Yuri and 29 miles behind Atmavir

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Not perfect

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Vasu did 62 miles yesterday

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He has done a little more miles each day for the past week.  He now has 2011 miles

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Nobody else

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Aleksei preparing Vasu’s drink

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Coming into camp

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Kaneenika did 63 miles

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She now has 1977 miles.  She is 117 miles ahead of last year.

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Kodanda playing music in the field

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So delicate

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Surasa did 53 miles.  She now has 1933 miles.  She is still 10 miles ahead of her world record pace from last year.

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Sopan from a distance

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Sopan did 50 miles yesterday.  He now has 1778 miles

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Bold

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Baladev did 48 miles

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He now has 1756 miles

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Sushuti counting Baladev

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Coming into camp

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Stutisheel did 63 miles

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He performs a solo skit this morning

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Click to Play:

play

He now has 1762 miles

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Ananda-Lahari on the service road

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Ananda-Lahari had 44 miles.  He now has 1645 miles

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Angels

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Some false images coming through the webcam

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Uddipan updates the board

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“I am absolutely thrilled to be here.  It is amazing.  It is a dream come true.”  Hridayinee has just come to the race after traveling the long journey from New Zealand.

“I got in at 11 o’clock last night.  So this morning was my first experience of the race this year.  I have just sung with the Enthusiasm Awakeners and seen everyone.”

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“I think I will get more of a feeling for the race soon.  I think every time you are here it is different.  It is an amazing feeling.”

When asked what inspired her to come so far to be here.  “It was just a strong feeling that I wanted to be a part of the race.  I feel very much entwined with the race.  It felt as though a part of my being had already come over.  When the race began.  So that only left a part of me back home.:

“By following it every day on Perfection Journey I felt very very connected to the runners.”

“I was able to organize my outer life and come here.  But before I came it was harder and harder to stay away than it was to travel from New Zealand and come here.”

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Hridayinee has helped for many years at the 6 and 10 day race each Spring.  I ask her what the difference there is between the races.  “The 10 day race has also become a big part of my life.  I have been there for many years now.”

“But this race I think just the enormity of it.  The length of it is incredible.  It is mind blowing.  The athletes run 18 hours a day, every day for up to 52 days.  It is much more a communal feeling.  Anybody can come at any time of the day or night and support the runners.”

Click to Play:

Hridayinee

Poem of the Day

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Click to Play:

Poem Jowan

Enthusiasm Awakeners

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Click to Play:

parvati

The more you love the divinity
Inside your life,
The sooner God’s Reality
Will flower inside your heart.

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