June 28: To Watch Such Dedication

Sahishnu becomes animated as he speaks about the heavy rains that swept across the area last night.  He and Sandhani have long had the jobs of watching over the race during the dwindling hours of evening.   At midnight they put the race to bed and will not find their own beds for many hours after.

https://vimeo.com/132035469

To demonstrate the force of the rain and wind, he stretches out his arms and than sweeps them forward.  A gesture that conveys the full breadth and depth of the deluge that had to have made the race for much of the late night even more than the challenging experience it already is.

It was estimated that about 3 inches of rain fell in the period leading up to midnight when the race shut down for the day.

“It was miserable and still someone like Ashprihanal, Galya, and Atmavir can go over 70 miles.  It just shows you their athletic brilliance at the same time under complete control of the various elements.  It was thrilling to watch.”

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Photo by Jowan

“Also the 2 girls.  Surasa and Kaneenika they were just pushing and pushing.  They had to change their outfits every 10 or 15 laps because they were drenched to the skin even with their hi tech stuff.”

Photo by Jowan
Photo by Jowan

“It was amazing to watch such dedication.  There was nobody out.  There were no pedestrians out anywhere.  There were no crowds.”
“This is only 2 weeks in.”

Despite the heavy wind and rain last night Ashprihanal still managed to complete 77 miles yesterday.

pre-ashprihanal

With much sadness it came to pass that Grahak could no longer continue running the 3100 mile race. He stopped late Saturday morning.

His arthritic hip, which he had coaxed and bullied for 886 miles refused to take him and his dreams any further this year.  I hope to provide his thoughts on this regrettable situation soon.

pre-board

There is a misty rain this morning but the heavy showers are long past.

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The atomic clock.

pre-clock

Start Day 15

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The sun will shine only briefly today.

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Ashprihanal climbing the hill.

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He has 886 miles.

ashprihanal

Soccer is being played on the infield.  Janos signals that a goal has been scored.

ashprihanal-camp

There is nothing dry.

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Shoes trying to dry but there will be little sun until tomorrow.

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Atmavir had 70 miles yesterday.

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Atmavir made his first 1000 miles yesterday. His time was 13 days 9 hours

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Galya made 70 miles yesterday.

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He made 1000 miles in 13 days and 11 hours.

galya-wide

Just across the street.

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Yuri had 65 miles yesterday and now has 974 miles.

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Coming out of the earth.

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Vasu ran 66 miles yesterday.  He has 949 miles

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For much of the morning he has been carrying a book of Sri Chinmoy’s poems translated into Russian.

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Nature responds

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“This sidewalk is really really hard on your feet…. all 4 of them.”

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The drops waiting to fall

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Nirbhasa had 55 miles yesterday.  His total 888 miles.

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The roads are quiet on Sunday morning.

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Stutisheel had 66 miles yesterday.  He now has 885 miles.

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Coming through the trees.

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Time and time and time.

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A tree branch came down last night in the wind.

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Surasa had 64 miles yesterday.  The same as the day before when there was no rain.  She now has 844 miles.

surasa

Kaneenika had 63 miles.  3 more mile than the day before.

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Kaneenika now has 841 miles.

kaneenika-camp

Tamara is one of Kaneenika’s helpers.  I ask her about helping here at the race.

“She is so cute.  I like being with her and helping her.  She is like a child.  A child consciousness it is so nice to be with.”

I ask Tamara how is it possible to be childlike when everything about the race is so difficult.  “Yes, but it is very hard to run when you are not in a child like consciousness.”

tamara

This is the first year that Tamara has helped at the race.  “I didn’t think about being a helper.  But Kaneenika called me and she asked me to be her helper.  So I was happy to be asked.  But I would never just volunteer for such a job.  I was happy to join this.”

“It is special.  When I came before to visit the 3100 I didn’t realize how great it was.  I didn’t feel anything special about the race.  But now since I am helping I like it more.”

“It is also nice to be in the surroundings of disciples, so that we can share wonderful things between each other.”

Click to Play Interview:

tamara

Rain drops

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Ananda-Lahari ran 52 miles yesterday.  He has 779 miles.

ananda-lahariThe distance.

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Baladev ran 51 miles yesterday.  He has 768 miles.

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He recites 2 poems written by Sri Chinmoy.

Click to Play:

baladev

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Poem of the day recited by Nicolai

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Click to Play:

Poem Nicolai

Enthusiasm Awakeners

parvati

Click to Play:

Parvati

My dedication to the world
Should be a beautiful gift
And not a demanding expectation.

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8 thoughts on “June 28: To Watch Such Dedication”

  1. Grahak, I am so very sorry – how did you manage to get as far as you did with a badly injured hip. Wishing you fastest recovery with Guru’s Love and Pride.

  2. Best wishes to Grahak! We will miss his presence at the race. His mileage over 14 days under such harsh circumstances shows, how strong he is. He alone knows how many inner miles he ran.

  3. Every day your lively and lovely reports as well as others’ photographs, video blogs and especially live web cam fill my heart with tremendous inspiration. As an offering of my humble gratitude I will everyday share some of Guru’s words.

    The first quotation will be:

    A particular message of Emil Zatopek should be imprinted on the tablet of every runner’s heart: “You must be fast enough. You must have endurance. So you run fast for speed, and repeat it many times for endurance.”
    Another significant message he has offered to us: “There’s a great advantage in training under unfavourable conditions.” For when victory dawns, everything becomes sweet, illumining and fulfilling. At that time, unfavourable conditions are no longer seen as unfavourable but as necessary steps to bring to the fore the runner’s ultimate capacity.
    Sri Chinmoy, Emil Zatopek: earth’s tearing cry and Heaven’s beaming smile, Agni Press, 1980

    Follows one of numerous about self-transcendence:

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    Self-transcendence means
    Self-expansion
    In every way.
    Sri Chinmoy, Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, Part 18, Agni Press, 2000

    And finally one about happiness:

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    When I am happy,
    I am in all
    And I am for all.
    Sri Chinmoy, Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, Part 40, Agni Press, 2004

    HAPPY RUNNING TO EVERYBODY AND BEST OF LUCK TO GRAHAK THE GREAT!

  4. I have been suffering from bursitis in my hip – coming seemingly out of the blue – since almost the same day that Grahak dropped out of the race. My sympathy reaches out to him across the miles and I marvel at his mileage considering that I haven’t even been able to go to work for over a week! May he feel sweet oneness in his heart with God even as the race ended early this year.

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