We are all asked, at special moments in our lives, to reach deep within and to bring forth, something more of ourselves. We are continually journeying to new heights in life, whether they be just one step up or even to reach the top of our own personal Everest.
Our achievements may go unnoticed by the world at large but there is an innate awareness inside ourselves that always recognizes, that in all of our positive efforts, in each of our extraordinary acts of Self Transcendence, we are making ourselves better people. There may be more to this as well. Perhaps, in our self offering we are making this world of ours better as well.
At noon today In Fushing Meadow Park 80 brave souls were able to sit and to rest for the first time in days. On the superficial level the course of their lives was exactly the same. They circled a weaving concrete path that ambulated here and there in and around Meadow lake. Cars hurtling by on the Grand Central Parkway probably took little notice of the often scruffy characters parading along. If the cars took the same course each day they may have begun to wonder at this spectacle repeating itself day in and day out. When they drive by tomorrow it will be all long gone.
Their journeys here are now over. They will rest and sleep more easily now. The aches and pains accumulated over hundreds of miles of running will heal. Some will be able to say with confidence that they have set new personal records in the world of multi day racing. Two will be able to say much more. Pam Reed will be able to say she has now achieved an American record. Dipali Cunningham will be able to say she has achieved not only a new personal record but a world record as well.
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68 year old Bigalita Egger had made an improbable journey here. No real distance running background at all really. Unless of course you count the puny 26 miles distance of a marathon. She will return to the certainly sunnier climes of Culver City CA and know that over 10 days she ran 357 miles. A distance most people she will meet will not e
ven begin to comprehend. She will know all to well the price she paid but more importantly this transcendent achievement will be able to speak volumes to her mind and heart for the rest of her days on earth.
Kushali 421 miles
Rageshri 244
Radi Milev say, “there were very many good runners.” This 60 year old from Bulgaria was of course himself one of the finest. With 629 miles over 10 days he was just 4miles out of 3rd place. Yuri Trostenyuk in third place is 45 years old. His daughter Daniella has been helping him the entire time and if there was an award for constant cheerfulness she may well have been elgible for first prize. He says, “He is waiting for next year so that he can come again.”
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Brian Marshall 54 from Johannesburg South Africa walked his way into a new record. With 436 miles he has traveled more than 86 miles further than he has before. He is amazed at the many changes that have taken place on the course over the 10 days he was on it. He says, “the whole season has changed.” His wife Brenda has been his biggest supporter during the race. He tells me,” I came here with negativity and I am leaving with positivity.”
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Andrey Somov 343 first multi day
Andrey Andreyev 555 35 miles better than last year
Arun Bhardwaj 418 miles
One in a Billion
Dipali’s last few laps were not without some drama. She was helped by several girls but Harita Davies has been her main supporter. When Dipali tied her record I spoke with Harita and she says that Dipali told her that this race was “the hardest thing she has ever done.” As a student of spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy she found strength and inspiration in the example of his own life of Self Transcendence.
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69 year old Joe Cleary will be able to go back to Georgetown Ontario with 228 miles. Which is about half the distance to Buffalo. Cheryl is thinking of running a 24 hour race in the fall.
67 year old Pete Stringer Osterville Ma ran 318 miles.
Darren Worts 38, running his first 6 day race won it with 420 miles. It is an emotional time for Darren and his whole family. His dad can only say, “it was amazing.”
Sarah Barnett ran 684 miles.
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68 year old Klaus Schultz Berlin Germany ran 320 miles for 10 days.
Kaneenika Janakova 38 Bratislava Slovakia won the 10 day women with a personal best of 707
Mark Dorion 49 El Paso Texas ran 353 and had surprise arrival of his wife and kids inspire him over the last few days.
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Elena Sidorenkova in her first multi day ran 596 miles. Pratishrutti Kisamoutdinova ran 482
Vladimir Razumovsky ran 133 miles further than he has before…629 Igor Mudryk ran 179 miles further than he has before……..712
Veaceslav Dodonu 33 Switzerland ran 253 miles in his first multi day
Baridhi Yonchev 28 Bulgaria ran 276 miles in his first multi cay
Andy Cable 43 Monroe Ct 262 miles. He says, “something more than running takes place here.”
Chanakhya Jakovic 55 Jamaica NY, says,”he learned a lot and shared a lot.” Ran 270 miles
Michel Gouin 48, Drummondville Quebec ran 538 miles. His support team was one of the finest. It included his wife Chantelle and son Tommy who helped others all the time.
Karnayati Morison 62 Ottawa Canada ran 513 miles.
Mike Brooks raised $10,000 for Camp Sunshine by running 491 miles here.
Mykhaylo Ukrainskyl 36 Berdyansk Ukraine ran 540 miles 59 miles further than he has ever done. His wife Luba helped not only him but the entire race by volunteering to cook.
Tatjana Jauk 38 Slovenia ran 470 miles.
Vlastimil Dvoracek 49 Nad Orlici Czech Republic ran 375 miles
Viddyut Balmer 28 San Francisco CA ran 324 miles.
Georges Boisse is a consul with the Canadian Consulate General. He says seeing all the runners, ” I am carrying with me quite an experience, of courage and persisence. Something I didn’t know existed.” His wife says, “What impresses me is their capacity to go beyond their limits. They are balanced and happy and share this happiness with us.”
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Pam Reed says, “It is amazing what we can do. I couldn’t believe that we could still do that. The name of the race is so appropriate”
Tim Kourounis a distance great
For those of us who watched this story unfold from near or from afar, we can never know the highs and lows and the experiences in between that took place in the bodies, minds, and hearts of these champions. They each will come away with an undeniable experience of Self Transcendence. It may be new numbers that can be seen clearly on paper and then again maybe it will not. Within each, a new inner plateau has been scaled, from which they can look back and see that they have transformed some small part of themselves or even their entire beings. This wonderful world we all share together has become better because of this.
There was a time when I stumbled and stumbled,
But now I only climb and climb beyond
And far beyond my Goal’s endless Beyond,
And yet my Captain commands: “Go on, go on!”
Excerpt from My Flute by Sri Chinmoy.
It is not so difficult to say something, but it is so difficult to assimilate amd believe all this little wonders and miracles that happened in so many lives… to see Bigalita so happy and poised, Dipali with Gopi happier than the happiest… And yet my Captain commands: “Go on, go on!”
‘The hardest thing’ is when you look at the board and see the 777 from Madhupran and the 707 from Kaneenika, these two numbers speak for themselves.
My colleges here at Style magazine are writing a story on UltraRunning, Pam Reed to be more specific. Would it be ok, if we used one of her images that are posted here on this website? We would be able to credit the photographer.