Charles Dickens once wrote in his story, A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way -“
There are moments at the 3100 when if you examine what is taking place here from a purely mental point of view you will never ever comprehend the significance of the events taking place on this little block and in the lives of those who have come here to run.
Yesterday Asprihanal had his worst day in 9 years and perhaps set a new all time low for race mileage when he ran just 14 miles for the day. He was sick with numerous complaints and had to eventually leave the course and see a Doctor. Today he has returned, and though weak, he has decided to forge ahead. All are sympathetic to his situation but know that much bigger forces are at play when it comes to the runners and all the myriad of experiences they must endure. No matter how close we watch we cannot ever understand. We can however realize that what takes place here is incredibly significant in the lives of those who have taken it upon themselves to do it. They endure and push on when most might think it is impossible. Our thoughts can not go very far. Only our hearts can ever hope to trace briefly their steps and journey where we have never been before.
Early this morning a runner asked me to take a picture of the moon. I take pride at trying to see and take in as much as possible when I am here but I had failed to notice it. When I looked up I was surprised. It is not often one can enjoy the moon when the sun shines so bright.
Look up and appreciate
The purity and divinity
Of the moon
And then fly beyond the moon
With your aspiration-cry.
Do not hesitate!
Excerpt from Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, Part 91 by Sri Chinmoy.
Grahak arrives this morning with real confidence. He has had his own physical problems lately but they did not slow him down from being able to run nearly 72 miles yesterday and he starts the day with a big 2000 miles on the board. His original blister problem seems to be solved but a second one has shown up nearby. Most like Petr know their timing for the start is crucial.
And yes Diganta is always a little late but he has never ever shown up without his bike. He sheepishly admits to forgetting a key and therefore could not unlock his bike this morning.
Meanwhile the race director checks the race funds which shrink in proportion to the ever increasing mileage of the runners.
When Asprihanal arrives this morning he is already in a joking mood. He tells Rupantar to tell me that the reason he had such a bad day yesterday was because he was lazy. His answer of course is absurd but he tells it in such an off hand and self deprecating way you have to admire him. In the 8 years he has completed the race and including the 2,000 miles he has so far run here he could have run around the world at the equator with more than a 1,000 miles to spare. Other than Suprabha, in terms of distance experience, no one else here has even come close to challenging his achievements in multi day running.
To see him on the course for even a brief while is to see something incredible. He is almost always in constant motion, and not just his legs, but his arms as well. His face is a constantly changing canvas of expressions that probably show little of what is happening within. He flies high, he dives deep. One moment he is the epitome of concentration and effort and in the next, he is free of the earth altogether, and seems to be rising up to the moon perhaps. So that it may enjoy watching him run as much as those on the earth below.
He is unusually talkative this morning and it is clear that he wants to share what happened to him yesterday. He tells me that he appeared at the start yesterday but had to then go immediately to the van because he felt faint. His situation today though is quite different. “Now I feel like I can move without no problem, and that is all I need. I don’t need to be sprinting around, I need to be moving around.”
He had diarrhea and a headache for most of the day and felt weak. He went to a local ayurvedic Doctor who was able to treat him. He feels that it was something to do with his stomach. It is quite a new experience for him and he admits, it was the first time for something like this to happen to him during the race. He says, “this was my record day in 8 1/2 years my lowest mileage. Now I am good. It is just part of the race and part of life. You always have ups and downs in life. Other runners as well have these things. It is bound to happen some day.”
He has been taking his medicine and it seems to be working. “Now I am feeling perfect. If I feel like this then I am happy.” He admits to feeling a bit weak and says he was only able to eat 2 bananas yesterday.
I ask him about an experience he had with Grahak the previous week when he was not having a good day. At the time he spontaneously asked Grahak to do a skit for Parvati’s singers, With this request immediately his attitude and being changed. He says, “It was probably a mind thing. A blockage that blocks the body. Sometimes we are tired and cannot run and then something funny happens or something nice happens and we can run better.” He confesses, “I don’t know how it works, but that day it worked. I got a lot of joy and that day I could run better. The main thing is to stay here and be happy.”
Today he feels that once he has eaten a bit more he will start to feel stronger. With real confidence, “I am glad I am back in the race.” Asprihanal interview
Many have tried to help Asprihanal with his problem and some have speculated that his dietary habits could use some adjustment and lean a little more towards a healthier diet. It is said he drinks a lot of Coke and eats sweets which makes him acidic. Niriha has brought a healthy green drink which is claimed to be nearly all alkaline.
Then, in the curious, if not miraculous way that these things always seem to take place, Grahak has caught up with Asprihanal and they are soon preparing for a new skit. Someone is asked to volunteer and cut across the course and pick up some cherries. A quick show of hands and it is decided that I should volunteer to act as the groups designated cherry picker.
To describe what actually happened in the skit is difficult. Let us say it involved the miraculous appearance of whole cherries with stems in the mouths of 2 runners. And yes it required child-like joy, simplicity, and sweetness. To judge by the reaction of Parvati and her singing group it was a big hit as usual.
The words to the song of the day.
Many fail at times
In the life-examination.
But even among the failures,
Why must you be the worst?
You can be the very best!
Excerpt from Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, Part 164 by Sri Chinmoy.