April 25….Day 9 (Going to the Source)

Mark Dorion is telling me a story from the night before.  Andrei Somov had asked him deep into the night what he got out of running the race.

“I have had very many highs and very many lows this past week.  I am trying to be steady but that is just how life sometimes confronts you.”

Mark feels that finding that balance is something every person has to confront in their own lives when face with adversity and challenge.  “There are days when nothing seems to be going your way and then you forget sometimes just how many days when things do go your own way.”

He also feels of course that ultra races are like climbing great mountains.  “It is never the same mountain twice in any way.  Not the people, not the physical feelings and not the spiritual feelings.  There is always something new.”

“I like to challenge myself.”  Ronnie Wong has had a lifetime of challenge as ultra distance runner.  At age 70 he has come back to the 6 day trying to set an age group record.  After 4 days he has 182 miles.

Ronnie says he had a surgery just this past October.  “For 6 weeks I could not run at all.”

“After my operation I wanted to see if I could run this kind of distance.  I am not completely recovered yet.”

“Right now I don’t have any pain.  This rain is okay.  I seem to work better when there it is a little wet.”  It has been 9 years since Vedisha has been here at the race.  The hard part for her she says, “is to push through your boundaries in order to reach your goals.”

“Years are flying but something happened a year ago.”  Vedisha says that she had an inflamed vein in one of her legs.  “I came out of that experience with Sri Chinmoy’s help.  Since then I just felt I have felt little hints and messages that I should do this race.”

Her message she says, “was let’s try this again.  I really didn’t want to believe it because my problem was with my leg.  So I said okay.  Let’s try. Because of this I had to have 100% faith because logically you would never do something like this after that kind of surgery.”

“It was really painful and in August I could hardly walk.  But miraculously I came out of that.  I think doing the race for me is a kind of a tribute to Sri Chinmoy and my way of saying thank you.”

As for the race so far she says you learn more from silence.  “Inside silence, and you also observe your surroundings more as well as the inner world.  Maybe it is my hallucination or imagination but being here is a very nice opportunity to observe these things that you would never do in your day to day ordinary life.”

“Now I have the time and the surroundings are provided.

Flower

*Click the Read More Button Below to see the Rest of the Post*

Budjargal continues to lead the 10 day race with 603 miles

Jesper is 3rd with 508

10 day board

Some super help with the boards today

Nataliya leads the 10 day with 453

Vinati is 2nd with 438

Guarding the course

Gundega is 3rd with 418

Board for 6 day

Ashprihanal leads with 304

“Please be careful when drinking bottled beverages.”

John is 2nd with 294

Alexsei is 3rd with 257…..Mattali has 184

Kim leads the 6 day women with 279

Getting some shoe repair

Sharani’s duck

Susan is 2nd with 265

Getting some help from helper Hridayinee

“You can’t believe that cramp…..Just a little harder please.”

Flower Ales

*Click Below to see Dipali’s Race Tips*

Yashasvati

Vasuprada

Todd is doing well but his ankle wasn’t very much to look at last night

“I am sooooooooo impressed with the runners here.”

Sumiya

Flower

Ashadeep

Albena

“It should be here.  A lunch for Robin.”

Arun

Avanayaha

Flower

Karteek and Bipin

Baltabeck

Maria with potato

A true fan of Maria’s potato peeling

Bayarsaikhan

Dipali helping other runners

Flower

“We don’t have that much in common but are friends just the same.”

Durba

Divyata

Joe

Igor

Gudrun

Kim is not sponsored by this

kitchen

“Good grief what should I put in my coffee?”

Marius

Picnic table

Dr.Mitch

Medical

Oleskandr stretching

Flower

Patanga

patricia

“Please stay hydrated and don’t put your fingers in others cups.”

Pratishruti

Priyavadin

Flower

Vinati and Petra

Uddipan moving supplies

Sergey

Rajpal

Flower

Runner

Richard doing some maintenance

“My job here is finished in 2 more days.”

Rimas checking the board

Sandro

“Please come back tomorrow.”

Sergei

Petra celebrates her 27th birthday.  She made 226 miles