“I guess I am starting to.” This is how Harita answered my question about whether or not she can now see the finish line. It is now day 51 and Harita has just 108 miles more to run. When she soon reaches 3000 miles she will be on what Suprabha once called, the bell lap.
“It seems pretty definite now, by the way the past 50 days have gone that I am going to finish, but every lap is a miracle. I am still really praying that nothing goes wrong. I definitely feel that I can see the finish line.”
“Each day is completely different. Every day has so many ups and downs in it. Some days over all are a little easier than others. But most days are pretty tough in many different ways. Physically, mentally, or emotionally, so I definitely don’t think it gets easier.”
“In a way having the finish line coming closer is challenging because you keep thinking of finishing but you find every lap is full of new surprises, new challenges, and new experiences.”
“In a way the race is just one big blur. Because there is so much intensity the whole time. You are so focused in the moment and then you move on to the next moment. The past moment is in the background.”
“Overall there have been a lot of experiences. Overall for me is the spiritual experience. And really the opportunity to really see the power of the inner life and the power of our souls, of prayer and meditation. The more that we can make that a reality in our lives then everything else flows from there.”
“Never in my life have I ever been able to just pray to God and God is right there for me. Sri Chinmoy always talks about crying and having your heart’s cry and I have always seen that as a theory. But in this race I can just cry like a child. You really feel that the Supreme is really right there for you. That is a precious and powerful experience that I have had.”
“The real experience I have had of the true oneness of our world family. This is my body, my mind, my heart, and my soul doing this but everybody is helping in so many ways. The people who write messages or who have supported us or who have come out to the race, and the other runners. It is such a significant part of my whole experience.”
“That is the way that life is. We may think we are running the Race of Life by ourselves but we are not. We depend on each other and we need each other, and we influence each other, inspire each other and give each other encouragement. We would never be able to do anything by ourselves. That for me has been a really beautiful experience.”
“One of the things I wanted to say on the practical reality is that out here on the course there are people from all different religions and all different walks of life.”
“Tough, rough, swearing people and spiritual people, and a lot of sports people and just regular people who come and walk around.”
“There is a lot of Muslim women who come out and walk around and lot of them are wearing the full burka. A few of us have noticed that over the course of te race that a significant number of women who were in the beginning who were coming out walking. The would always wave and smile and some of them have gradually become more friendly over time.”
“We have noticed that a significant number of these women have started to run. Which is really amazing because it is not htat common to see. You really feel that they must be getting something from this race.”
“This one little woman who may be in here 60’s or 70’s has been out here every single day. She as been here for many years. She always looks so serious so I took it upon myself as a challenge to make here smile.”
“After about 2 weeks she stared smiling at me and waving. Then yesterday I saw her in front of me. She was wearing sandals and is tiny and she was kind of running. I thought, O my God, you are running, and I told her…you are running!”
“I said, please, please, run with me. So she did it and ran with me for about 30 seconds. I felt that was such a sweet experience. Of how we are altogether in this world and we can go beyond so many barriers and experience this oneness with each other in this race in so many sweet ways.”
A most exquisite sweetness
I feel and become
When I think of my own
High, higher and highest experiences.
Sri Chinmoy, Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, part 244, Agni Press, 1998
The Board at the start of Day 51
The balloons
Suhasini and Sweta
Clock
Yuri
Alan
Harita arrives
Smarana
The numbers look good
Ananda-Lahari
The boys
Rupantar
Picking shoes
Start of Day 51
A cool day with a little rain
Harita did 62 miles 113 laps
Always calm
She now has 2992 miles
3000 on the board
Taking a break
Ashadeep
Telling jokes
With Sweta
A magnificent race
Flower
Yolanda did 60 miles 110 laps
She now has 2978 miles
With coach Renae
Diva
Flower
Smarana did 64 miles 118 laps
He now has 2785 miles
With Horst
Flower
Andrey did a phenomenal 70 miles 128 laps
He now has 2678 miles
Changing shoes
close to camp
flower
Sergey did 45 miles 82 laps
He now has 2615 miles
Flower
Nidhruvi did 53 miles 97 laps
She now has 2615 miles
With Mareike
Telling jokes
One more day
flower
Ananda-Lahari did 43 miles 80 laps
He now has 2488 miles
Flower
Swamiji
Nirbhasa, Keith, and Louise tell a joke
“This kind of seating is incredibly bad for my lower back”
Vasu doing an interview on Russian radio
Click to Play:
Poem
Vajra
Yesterday was a big day for Surudhuni and Sumanas. 10 years ago they received their spiritual names
Kamaneeya with a picture
2 finishes tomorrow
A bit of green
Mareike
Sahishnu has his eggs
On the phone
Peace rocks
Stutisheel at Lake Zurich swim
Completed the race in 9 hours and 53 minutes. Third in his age group
The birthday girl with Dad
Flower
Nirjharini performs an interview today
Click to Play:
Her subject matter
“I like baseball sure, but what is better than a granola bar before the game.”
Ashadeep reads the Daily Prayer
Click to Play:
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Click to Play:
In his inner life
A seeker wins the race
By virtue of his faith.
In his outer life
A seeker wins the race
By virtue of his surrender.
Sri Chinmoy, Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, part 27, Agni Press, 1984
Thank you Harita for a great interview.
And thank you Nirjharini for the other great interview 🙂
…and a lot of readers would quietly and gratefully agree with Laura’s and Sharani’s words, but sometimes (and the race being just about over) one is prompted ‘from within’ to express their gratitude outwardly as well – so thank you very very much!
Another 3100 mile race is coming to an end and with it an unimaginable progress-step for the runners, the helpers, even for everyone who was part of it from afar and offering inner support. Nirbhasa’s experience of self-giving. Harita’s experience on praying and crying to God at every moment. Is there anything more beautiful in life? If we could just all be able to focus with dire intensity in our day to day life, every seconds of our lives… For us – experiencing the race from afar – our gratitude goes to Utpal, the sleepless reporter and supplier of endless precious moments of every single day of the race!!!! May I express my deepest, deepest gratitude to all the runners, the race-directors and all helpers who made and make this most special race possible!! Thank you so very, very much!!!
I guess we can never say thank you or gratitude too many times specially when it is a daily occurrence, like here
this summer’s videos are all unbelievable – full of the most beautiful insights and answers to what this race represents, all gratitude to Utpal for his untiring contribution.