The World of reality shows thrives on melodrama, intrigue, and exposes the absolute worst of our human frailties. It is however a cutthroat microcosm of how many people actually view the world. One which is shallow, superficial, and the only thing important in life, it blatantly declares, is wealth and fame.
There is supposed to be at the end of the contest one person who is the winner. Ultimately these kinds of shows offer nothing more fleeting than a pinch of glitter thrown in the dust at our feet. If this is what is truly important in life than we all are going to be loosers.
In most of its 13 previous years the 3100 has not seen much great drama unfold over the long days. There is precious little time or energy for noise and showmanship. The big things most often happen quietly within and are are not exposed to the public, who doesn’t much care what happens here anyway. Most great experiences take place within where a runner finds something to learn from and hopefully treasure and then move on to the next one. Today however was one in which the race saw its fair share of spectacle.
The last 2 days in particular have had their highs and lows of all kinds. Not least, breaking through to the front page of race life, has been the weather, which once again hit triple digits. Today 2 of the 11 runners could not stand on the starting line this morning. Stutisheel did not come this morning at all and Asprihanal stayed in his van. Yesterday Stutisheel was barely able to walk 18 grueling miles, at which point he could simply could go no further.
For 5 days he has waged an epic war with his right knee, and for now at least he has retired from the race. Dr. Mitch Proffman, who examined him today says that the pain there is officially called, “exquisite Pain.” Which simply means that even to touch it gently will create spasms. He is able to move right now only with the use of crutches. His only plan for now is to rest the knee, and allow some healing to take place. When asked what will happen next, his answer, “we will see.”
In Yesterdays 103 degree heat Asprihanal Alto ran nearly 66 miles. Who can imagine how it is possible. How could any of them stay out there at all and yet they did. Horse race tracks all along the affected heat wave area have been closed. Con Edison was gravely concerned that it might simply run out of power for the Metropolitan area. The runners here however managed to go on and go on.
This morning Asprihanal arrives but goes to his van. He had stomach problems all night and his infected toe is bothering him today. In a short while he will go to a Doctor and receive an IV. Exposure to heat may be only one of a number of elements that have collected to conspire against him.
It is possible that the infection in his toe has added to his woes and it is also possible he ate something that had quickly turned in the intense heat. He tells me the story of an infection he had in the winter 2 years ago. The Doctors treating him with antibiotics tried 3 times before they could get it right. At that time they told him they were using the strongest antibiotic they had. It was one that would kill anything in him smaller than a cat. (It may sound funnier in Finnish)
For Asprihanal and Stutisheel it is not over. True today they will not run and tomorrow will be another day. Soon enough they will find themselves once again on the long road forward. Whether this journey takes them to the end of3100 miles or simply continues on the endless road of the Divine life itself.
The clipboards on the counting table this morning bear two unfamiliar names. The faces of course are instantly recognizable. Yesterday in what was one of the highlights of the day, Pavol received the spiritual name Baladev, and Petr is now known as Atmavir.
For both of them it was a tremendous inspiration and despite the heat both ran better than the previous day.
Start Day 25
“It was nice.” After Baladev had his first break yesterday at noon he was extremely tired. When he finished his break and was preparing his feet to go back out on the course a race director came by and told him that he had just received news that he had just been given a spiritual name.
“My feeling was that I got joy.” He says that he was not completely surprised because 2 days earlier he had been given a hint that good news was soon to follow.
He recites his name and tells me that it means the Lord of strength and divine determination. He was happily surprised 
to learn that these were his inner qualities. In his first race here he was not able to make the distance and the following year when he was able to make the distance he was bothered by shinsplints. He received an album of photos and was pleased that several fellow runners had inscribed the book with their appreciation of his determination. “Determination is something for me.”
When he began running again yesterday he was in a seventh heaven of delight. He says that the 6 hours seemed to go as quickly as 20 minutes. Hi mileage was close to 60 miles yesterday. “It was an unbelievable feeling. Such a short time.”
He says that he never thought that something as precious as a spiritual name would come to him as he ran here. His only goal really is to just take part and do his very best.
Atmavir had his own share of delightful surprises yesterday both small and large. In the morning he visited a local Ayurvedic Dr.. He had been bothered with health issues from the first day here and despite running well on many days never felt quite right.
The big news for him is that the Doctor told him, “that the virus is still in my body. He gave me some pills and I should be better now. I should also be able to run now during the heat.” Earlier he had confessed that his running was only strictly taking place in the mornings and evenings and during the heat of the day he could only mostly walk.
When he returned from the Doctors visit he was then handed a note with his name and its meaning on it. He took a private moment of meditation in his van and then came out to share the news with everyone. The name Atmavir means, ‘He who has the mighty soul to attain the absolute.’
On a day in which there was record heat, he finds out he now has a prescription for a clean bill of health, and, he receives a spiritual name, it is a lot to take in. He says that receiving the spiritual name was, “like an energy wave. It really uplifts the spirit here. I am really grateful that I got it here. It was always like a prayer of mine to get my name here on this place. It has always been a significant place for me. A very sacred place. For that I am very grateful. It is the right place to get a name for me. Like on the battlefield.”
He is glad that his ability to run all day seems to have once again returned. “Those walking days were really torture for me. It is a good experience, but if you are walking it is a totally different world.” He was able to run through all of yesterdays heat and feels that adapting to it and finding his way to wellness was real progress for him. “Hopefully I will be able to run each day and increase my standard.”
He feels that when he walks and others look at him this way they cannot be inspired by him. He feels however that when he runs, no matter the what the weather is, it will also uplift others and inspire them to push a little harder.
Today will be strange day for all who run here. They will all feel the loss, hopefully temporarily, of 2 of the great ones. At the same time there is something for all to rejoice in. There is so much to be shared here, both tears and smiles, and yet the journey can and will go on.
Every day I must sing my God Songs
More and more
So that my life boat can reach the Golden Shore.
Song composed by Sri Chinmoy
Performed by Enthusiasm Awakeners.
My heart is my secret place
To treasure God.
My soul is my sacred place
To welcome mankind.
My life is my perfect place
To flower in Divinity.
Excerpt from The Golden Boat, Part 11 by Sri Chinmoy