There are now but 5 champions left upon the great stage of the 3100 mile race. 6 others have already completed the grand mission that was set out for them here to do. Now they, like us, are but spectators to this magnificent impossibility adventure, swiftly drawing down to a close on this the final day.
Today these runners will perform their final acts. They will take all the steps and turns that they can and that they must do in order to achieve their absolute best. Something that they have not neglected over other days but now upon this the very last, each and every moment here is so sweet and and yet so fleeting. It will lead them, either to a glorious finish line, or they will simply tread on until the unyielding hands of time simply forbid that they step forward any further.
All here will perform what they can and what they must before the curtain falls at midnight and sweeps to a close this the 14th running of the Self-Transcendence 3100 mile race.
Today Dharbhasana will defy both his skeptics and his own self doubt. He will prove that as powerful as pain and injury are the heart is infinitely stronger. The sweet inspiration that whispered softly to him to come and challenge impossibility will now roar in delight that he has found victory by simply letting victory itself carry him there.
Surasa last night reached a goal on an unyielding day that reluctantly gave her 2700 miles. For many days she knew already that the grander vision would not be realized. At least not here and now. She will run on today simply because their is time left and she came here but to run. As long and as hard as she possibly could.
Both Baladev and Ananda-Lahari have seen their journey end here before they could reach the ultimate finish line. Today grace has not favored them with this honor for reasons we will never know. But they have been blessed in other ways that are secret and sacred only to them. Divinity does not neglect those like them who ran so hard for so long. We may not see how they were blessed. We are only able to be aware of their indomitable courage to go on and on. That if we ever forget what it is, “to never give up,” than we only have to look at the sacrifice and courage that they continually offered up here for 52 days.
Purna-Samarpan has found his satisfaction in a different goal. He starts the final day with just 25 miles more to go in order to reach 2700 miles. It is not the goal that he first set out to reach but it is what has been offered to him. In about 6 hours later he will accept it with grace and with gratitude. picture by Alakananda
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Here it is, the last day.” For a story of adventure drama none has been written here at the race quite like Dharbhasana’s. As surprising as it is to those who have watched, it is no less surprising to all the various members of the extended Lynn family as well. They have all found a joyous oneness in his journey. But with pause and introspection it is clear that within this victory was already accomplished, he just had to find the faith and courage to accomplish it.
10 days ago he admits with his hamstring injury the goal seemed unreachable. It required something like an unbelievable effort of 66 miles a day to be able to do it. “I knew I had the capacity to knock out that kind of mileage in a day. I just didn’t know how many days I could hold it for. The strength definitely has to start coming from within more and more rather than from the physical sense. So if I had to limp around any longer I don’t know how possible it might have been. I had to make my move when I made it.”
“Yeah, I am kind of amazed that I chopped it down from 66.7(miles a day), 65, 64, 63, 63, till here we are 50.”
He is clear as to where the credit has to go. “When I look at it that way it is not my achievement. I really got that sense yesterday. You know every day seemed so long and so much effort, you have to invoke every spiritual quality at your disposal. From cheerfulness, enthusiasm, eagerness, to determination, will power, gratitude, joy, surrender, humility, simplicity, sincerity, all these qualities you really have to engage and grow into. Try and become those qualities and all the different life experiences that present themselves to you.”
“So from the perspective of the spiritual nature, yesterday I really came to the conclusion, that all those days that had gone by I hadn’t lived them. It wasn’t me myself and I. It is not my achievement. I am all gratitude. It is all grace, all grace, all grace. And that 1% of personal effort of living out those spiritual qualities, who am I to claim possession of them as well. They are not mine.”
“I feel that on the starting line I was just the willingness and eagerness to take the first steps and make the journey. The rest was done for me.”
I ask what it is like having his family with him as well all this time. “For me because I am a family man it has been an absolute huge role. There is no way I could do anything I have done without their support. I completely had the easy path. I just had to circle the block, and try and remain cheerful and happy. Nandana has had the Supreme self sacrifice job of being the greatest handler and server and constantly taking care of all my food. She is up the same time I am, at 5 o’clock preparing all the food. Although I am skinny I am eating a lot of food out here.” He adds also taking care of their daughter Shakti.
“The encouragement and support, you know when you are out here running you offer so much inspiration to others. And it is there inspiration that turns around and feeds you to keep going. It is a reciprocal thing, and having the support and encouragement coming back at you from family and friends, and everybody around the world. It picks you up and takes you to another level.”
One of the things he did to inspire himself to reach deeper in order to make his goal was to picture that he was running in a 6 day race near the end. He completed a remarkable 405 miles in that time.
“At this point I feel like the entire soul of New Zealand will be pleased. It is the achievement of New Zealand. I am so deeply grateful to everyone in the Sri Chinmoy center back home in New Zealand all their support love and encouragement. It is just huge. It definitely doesn’t feel like it has been just mine, Nandana’s and Shakti’s efforts to finish this race. It is the collective consciousness of everybody. It is a beautiful thing.”
“It is only on the result of my inner experience. The inner achievement of my prayer and meditation life encouraged by Sri Chinmoy that any of this is possible. Certainly I am completely 100% inspired by everything that Sri Chinmoy represents, and there is no way I would even have got to the starting line. Everything that I have, Everything that I am, everything that this race is all goes back to Sri Chinmoy, and for that I am deeply grateful. I wouldn’t be a runner if it wasn’t for Sri Chinmoy.”
Complete Dharbhasana interview
“I am really happy that I stayed until the end. It is like a victory for me this year.” He starts the day with 2800 miles and will run until midnight. He hopes to come back again next year.
“It is the duty of every runner to stay until the end. Not to give up. For me it was a really good year. It was tough. But I am sure I feel more love and more devotion.”
The Enthusiasm Awakeners salute Baladev
Yesterday Surasa ran more miles in one day than she had in weeks. By completing 57 miles she made her goal with a day to spare. She was able to do it because she simply found the energy. “If you have the motivation the energy is there.”
Earlier Galya had inspired her by saying, “you can do it today.” There was no big celebration, and when she was finished it was nearly midnight so she left.
As for today she says, “I want to run until the last second.” She continues on because she says the race does not end until then. To feel satisfied with what you have and what you are you must give your very best.
She will pass the Enthusiasm Awakeners one more time. As she does, she scatters rose petals at their feet in gratitude.
To her helpers who have supported her so long, she is all gratitude and more.
Alas, Every day I do
so many things deliberately wrong.
It is hard to believe
that God still loves me
and needs me.
Poem of the day by Sri Chinmoy
Aug. 3rd, 2007
In just a few hours more Purna-Samarpan will finish 2700 miles. His parents are here to see their son celebrate a remarkable achievement. “I am very very grateful really. It is all God’s grace I have to say. It is unbelievable. It is so far, and for the past month this was my goal, to run 2700.”
“I knew if I could stick with my miles, and do a little bit more I would be able to reach it. It was a great second half of the race. I am totally happy and totally grateful. I am also happy that I only have 41 laps to go.”
He says his folks are only familiar with the metric system and so he had to convert his mileage into kilometers. “I told my Dad it was 3,430 kilometers.” He described that this mileage would be several trips up and down the length of Germany. He says his folks have really like the atmosphere at the race. “They are very happy and they are very proud.”
As for if he is coming back to try again he says, “If it goes all right it should be possible. But that is totally up to the Supreme.”
Poem of the Day and Purna-Samarpan
“Finishing 6th and becoming the 1st New Zealander in history to run 3100 miles. Finishing in a time of 51 days, 13 hours, 17 minutes, and 32 seconds. Which is 60.134 miles per day, or 96.77 kilometers a day. He is now ranked 24th on the list of all time list of 27 finishers. And this is the 101st performance of 3100 miles. Congratulations.”
Sahishnu
World Harmony Run
comes from the
World Peace Family.
World Harmony Run
earth’s self-transcendence jubilee.
Song of the Day composed by Sri Chinmoy
Performed by Enthusiasm Awakeners
It is so easy to make God happy.
Just show your willingness-mind
And eagerness-heart.
Excerpt from Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, Part 8 by Sri Chinmoy
Congratulations Dharbhasana from all of New Zealand! And thank you so much Utpal for helping us feel like we are there at the Race too. These journal entries and interviews are priceless. What a journey everyone has had! Gratitude. 🙂
What happened? The 3100 mile is over and you think you don’t have to write anymore? It is what you should be doing! Onwards and upwards!! Art thou lame? Pick up thy pen and walk!