July 15: On My Way Home

“I am not a morning person.  For me the morning is really hard.  It is unusual that I have started running faster so early.  But maybe my blisters are finally trying to disappear.”

When I last spoke with Kaneenika it was 10 days and 600 miles ago and she has not only cleared the half way mark since then, she is also doing very well indeed.

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Consistently she has been getting 60 miles each day and than quite often a little bit more.  “If there is time and I have the strength I always like to do more.  Otherwise 60 miles, I am really grateful for that.  Last night was the first night that I stayed until it was almost 12.  Because I wanted to do the 60 miles and I had a really bad afternoon, because of the rain.”

She finished her day 31 with 1860 miles on the board. “It is still far to go, and at the same time it is so hopeful.  I am getting closer.  It is definitely going down the hill now.”  When she reached the half way point she said, “now I am on my way home.”

sun-kaneenika

It is easy to tell that Kaneenika’s world is very much living in the moment.  Not hinged or attached to all the usual complexities that clamor at most of us for our attention.  She says she has lows and highs but they all seem to pass by without rippling the calmness that seems to keep her buoyant on the sometimes turbulent sea of running so hard and for so long.

“I tried to learn some songs.  So I asked a friend to make me a card with Sri Chinmoy’s songs.  Some of them I knew but I couldn’t remember the melodies.  I was trying so hard.”

kaneenika-wide

“I am trying not to let the mind lead me.  As soon as you allow the mind to rule your life.  You don’t get anywhere.  You have to follow your heart and than you are safe.”

“When I was little I would get sick very often.  I wasn’t really into sports for that reason.  It wasn’t until I came to the center that I started running.  I regularly built up my running from 2 miles to the marathon and than 6 hour race.  The inspiration was coming from inside.”

“It was at the first 6 day race and I was finishing and Sri Chinmoy came to the race.  He asked me how many miles did I do.  So I told him it was 364 miles.  He said, very good, very good…… but you can do more.  You can definitely do more.”

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“It was the point when I finished the 6 day race I thought, this is a nice experience, but I don’t think I want to do this any more. So I think Sri Chinmoy was definitely trying to encourage me to continue.”

Click to Play Interview:

Kaneenika

It will be a foggy morning followed by a humid day.

pre-yuri

Janos updates the numbers on the board.

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Kaneenika getting ready to start her day.

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Start Day 32

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This morning work begins early on paving the road.

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Ashprihanal ran 75 miles yesterday

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He now has 2380 miles.  Which is 32 miles over the record pace.

ashprihanal

Doing something very very special.

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Grahak keeping him supplemented.

ashprihanal-camp

A last breath of life, before new lives continue.

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Galya once again had 71 miles.  His total is 2238 miles. His average is 72.19 miles per day

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Vasu also had 70 miles yesterday.

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He now has 2149 miles.

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One side to the other.

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Yuri had 65 miles yesterday and now has 2112 miles

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The raindrops remain.

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Atmavir trying his best.  He had 53 miles yesterday. His total is 2014 miles.

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A little beauty

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Surasa had 63 miles yesterday and now has 1922 miles.

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Very consistent.

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No standing still for anybody on the block today.

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Stutisheel had a very tough day yesterday with 27 miles.  He now has 1854 miles.

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Beyond the Japanese  Maple

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Paving goes on as does Nirbhasa.  He had 60 miles yesterday.

camp-nirbhasa

Nirbhasa had 1852 miles.

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Trying to grow

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Baladev did 55 miles yesterday. He now has 1682 miles.

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Ananda-Lahari did 45 miles.  He now has 1668 miles.

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Not over yet.

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I came last night.

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The sun has gone but not the light.

night-helpers

Ashprihanal changing shoes.

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“Sri Chinmoy always said that, even if you are not a runner, you should always take his running races very seriously.”  I saw Jayashri at the race this morning before she headed off to work and once again she has come this evening.  She feels that Sri Chinmoy was very clear that,  not only do the runners receive the benefit of visitors cheering and supporting them but also so do the visitors.

“I come to the race every day because it inspires me.  My job is very stressful and when I come and see what the runners are doing.  It puts my life into perspective.”

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“I do not think that there is anything that is comparable to what they are doing.  When I come out here it dwarfs my problems.  When you see that they are totally relying on Guru’s grace at every moment, every second, of every day.  It inspires me to try and do that in my day.  When I come here in the morning I feel that I see Guru’s miracle in action.  In each and every runner.  It is just amazing to see this miracle unfold.”

“My brother climbed Mount Everest in 2012.  I remember when we were talking about it.  He had a very strong experience of Guru being with him the whole way.  When I asked him about the 3100 mile race he said, Jayashri.  You have no idea.”

“Climbing Mount Everest is like a walk in the park compared to the 3100 mile race.  That really blew my mind.  Because it is not a joke to be a mountaineer and it is not a joke to climb Mount Everest.  It is cold.  You can get hypothermia and people die on the mountain every year.”

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“For him, he just felt that the 3100 was completely different and a much bigger challenge, than Mount Everest could ever be.”

“The way that I see the energy here is I feel that it is a river.  When I see the runners running on the course I feel that they are in Guru’s river that is flowing.  It is really a powerful force.  You can actually see when outside runners come and also run on the course.  They get this powerful energy is flowing constantly here.”

Click to Play Interview:

Jayashri

Mahatapa reads the Daily Prayer

prayer-mahatapa

Click to Play:

Mahatapa

Enthusiasm Awakeners

parvati

Click to Play:

parvati

God is my Way;
   Therefore
        I like him.

God is my Home;
   Therefore
        I need Him.

God is my Room;
   Therefore
        I love Him.

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3 thoughts on “July 15: On My Way Home”

  1. Thank you very much. Kaneenika, my spirit is running with you all the way Home. 🙂

  2. Like this thousand little hairs on this last flower picture so is Guru helping each runner lovingly and in incredible subtle way.

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