Mitch steps off the course with a look of contentment. “I just did one of my morning laps and it was truly beautiful and amazing.” For the past 9 mornings this has been one of the things he looks forward to most. He never knows just who he will run with when he jogs over from his home on the other side of the Grand Central, but inevitably he matches stride with someone, and gets to learn their story.
“It is auspicious that I am here now.” Of course Mitch hasn’t just come here just to run a mile or two. Mitch, or perhaps better expressed under the present circumstances, Dr. Mitch Proffman. He is a chiropractor who has been helping the runners of the Self Transcendence races for many years.
He remembers how he ran his first marathon in 1993. It turns out it was the New York city marathon and he noticed that there were many disciples of Sri Chinmoy also in that race. He couldn’t help but notice the aphorism on the back of the shirts the disciples were wearing.
The determination in your heroic effort
Will permeate your mind and heart
Even after your success or failure
Is long forgotten.
Sri Chinmoy, Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, Part 98, Agni Press, 1983
“During races and long runs it is difficult to memorize anything, but I wrote it down and it became my mantra. I think what it means in truth…I am a chiropractor and I work the subtle substance of the soul.” Mitch believes that his efforts as a Doctor is try and release the blocked energy within the human body.
“What that does and why I love adjusting and doing healing work, with the disciples, is that they are pretty much in the present moment.”
“We can only be here now… we can’t be anywhere else. That is why I love taking care of disciples and that is why I always will. Sri Chinmoy said that the past is dust. And many times we try to live in the past. But the only true present time is now.”
“There are 7 billion people on the planet. It is amazing that I was put here at this point to take care of these 80 plus runners. Who all have amazing healthy souls. That is the truth. Nobody on the planet understands what these events are like.” He says that the distance each runner completes day is mind boggling. “It is truly a miracle.”
He says that when the race is over tomorrow there will be some sadness for him. He says the power and beauty of the race experience and living in the moment will be over. “I was meditating this morning and what came to me. This may not be the life you wanted. But it is the life you have.”
He believes that not just for the runners but for all who help and identify with these kind of Self Transcendence events helps to keep them in the moment and to be present.
He says he has discussed this event with his office patients and they have no way of grasping the magnitude of running 2 marathons a day or as well the whole self transcendence concept.
“I am very grateful that I was able to be here now with the runners and the disciples and to give my service. This is my yoga.”
Click to Play Interview:
Aidas has had the biggest mileage over the past 4 days of the 10 day race. He leads overall with 591 miles. For much of the morning he ran with Rimas. Rimas is 3rd in the 6 day.
Rimas
Tomorrow at noon will be the last time you can run under the banner. Adrian has 395 miles
Everybody gets a little tired of running……and flying.
Baladev in 2nd with 578
Some parts of the camp have already started to come down. The refrigerators have been removed from the kitchen.
Georgs has 476 miles
Chris Mak and Sarah heading down the stretch
Don Winkley has 295 miles after 5 days and looks like he will surpass his world age group record of 319
The presence of Ed Rousseau has been a big reason Don has been able to push so hard.
Getting the picture
Waiting for a smile
Andrey and Misha
A lot of green
Anna
Andrey with some leg work
Sanjay says there isn’t anything much left of his hamstrings.
Budjargal
Magnolias in their prime as well as Georgs
Good times still being had.
George Biondic
Subtlty
Erlinda waiting for George
Fred Davis found a little too much distraction and perhaps comfort stretching out in his warm van on a cold windy night.
Tree buds
Gautami wrapped up
Harita having a good race.
Little things
Giribhu
Bits of blue
Gudrun
Heading for home
There is barely 24 hours to go before the 10 day race will be over. Going into her final day Shamita has 570 miles and is currently in 2nd place.
A year ago she was also running this race and got sick. Her illness was so bad she had to leave not only the track but the park itself. She had one solid night of rest and awoke with a clear and unmistakable goal. She had to return to the race and complete the 10 days.
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She says it was a dramatic moment but not unlike any and all things that take place here. Everything that you receive and learn here you can take out and use for the rest of your life.
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She says that here at every moment something can and does happen. She says this very nature of the race helps her to continue to develop the quality of surrender.
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She tries to flow she says along the course as if following a trail of light energy. You just have to enter into it and everything else will be done.
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“I feel like I am doing the right thing, I am happy if I can stay with this……Whatever God wants.”
Click to Play Interview:
Big Yellow
John Geesler is 9 miles behind Dipali with a 5 day total of 574. He has gone to his truck to pull out his last bag of very yummy hand made energy bars.
Kalpa
Off to one side
Karnayati and Sergei
One of the cooks guarding the kitchen
Mark Dorion
A little sideline maintenance
Mark McCaslin who tied with John with the most miles of 69 on day 5
Checking the board.
Michel
Barely there
Michael Korol and family who may take the afternoon off to teach school. He is 4th with 298 miles
All the great meals nearly over
Time for one last of Maria’s great strudels.
A poem
A safe place
Medical still a busy place.
Stretching it out.
Nicolai and Volodymyr
Overlooked
Ratuja
Waiting
Sun dried
Wai with 271 miles for 5 days.
Vasuprada followed by an Ed Rousseau with a list.
Getting ready
Vera
Taking it easy
Ushika in 3rd with 556
Sylvie
The world and beyond
Sarah leading with 576
It is never easy
Sanjay and Atmavir
Golfer
Runners
Shirley hits her first 200 miles
Milan
Sunny day
Ladies
Near and far
Steven Battle
Kumar Limbu is a contestant in the 10 day race, but after 9 days he has only managed to run 276. But the numbers don’t tell very much of just how remarkable Kumar is and perhaps as well, just how brave and strong he really is.
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Unlike any other runner here Kumar is still keeping down his full time restaurant job which is about 20 miles away. Every morning he leaves the race about 10 and then comes back about the same time each evening. Somewhere in and around all this working and running he is somehow managing to catch a few hours of sleep if he can.
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Kumar has an easy laugh and as much as he enjoys running he likes to smile. But Kumar also has another issue to contend with that nobody else here can can quite comprehend the magnitude of. His country of Nepal has just suffered a catastrophic earthquake just a few days ago.
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Kumar says his family is fine, but there is a private look he has when you ask him this that shows that there is still a lot of hurt there. We talk briefly before he goes off to work. He will be back tonight and run as far as he can. It is the last night of the race. The closing ceremony will be just after noon but probably he won’t be there. He has some other important things to do instead.
Click to Play Interview:
A sharp turn that of direction that needs to be made
Each man is a miracle of miracles.
Our souls know it.
Our hearts and our minds
Also will one day realise it.
What a gift to hear the stories of these unique, heroic people! I am very grateful to everyone who is participating in this cosmic play — and we get to be there too, thanks to the reports. Thanks Utpal, thanks everyone. Indeed sad to see it end, but it will be resonating in the universe. Gratitude, and victory to Sri Chinmoy, our inspirer and creator of this amazing event.
Utpal once again a great and enjoyable sharing of the experience of the races. Luckily I have experienced them personally in the past. It is wonderful to experience them again through these words and images.