“O my God Susan is doing amazing.” Hridayinee has been helping Susan Marshall for the past 2 days. She is a 32 year old runner from Christchurch New Zealand and she really is doing well. She has 163 miles and is in 3rd place in this her very first 6 day race.
https://vimeo.com/164335906
“Susan has not complained once. Anything I give her she takes. It is so easy and she is doing so well,” adds Hridayinee her enthusiastic helper.
“She hasn’t had any pain, except for the bottoms of her feet.” Susan contradicts, “I have got a bit of other.” (they both laugh)
“I did have one nice experience yesterday. I was just coming through the whole painful experience. I was sitting on a bench and there were so many people around. They were blocking the entire pathway and I was standing under this tree. The most beautiful tree on the course with pink blossoms and a little boy comes up to me and gave me a flower.”
“It was really really sweet.”
If we believe in our own
Self-transcendence-task
Then there can be
No unreachable goal.
Sri Chinmoy, No unreachable goal, Agni Press, 1994
Sri Chinmoy congratulating runners after a 24 hour race in 1980
Sandhani the night race director
JB came across the race by accident while walking in the park. He comes as often as he can to help
“Every day I come here. I am so happy I can help.”
Click to Play:
Carnation
Avanyaha by the Grand Central.
Soren taking a break
The unisphere
Just why Susan is doing so well.
Paul checking on race data
Yes it really really hurts
The night blooms
The 10 day board
Kobi leads with 566. His personal best is 692 and he has 3 days more.
Ed has 531. Sahishnu show him he is on track to break men’s American age group records.
The details
Achim has 452 miles
Achim on the back side of the course
Sarah is leading the women with 487
Girbhu and Albena enjoying a break
Albena making the turn
Manoshri is 2nd with 442
Manoshri getting some help from Mom
The 6 day board
Aidas leads with 265
Johnny is in 2nd with 261
He is on pace to break the Swedish 6 day record.
Enjoying running with Ed
Lunch break
The avenue of trees
John is 3rd with 234
Vikena is leading the women with 200
Minutes before noon
Wai
Fixing shoes
Most of the dandelions have turned to seed.
Arun
Erlinda
Her husband George working on her stats.
Andrey
Still a few beautiful dandelions
Tatiana
Sergey sharing the road.
Suparna
Many have been concerned about the condition of Georgs shoes
As it happens he is the same size as Ananda-Lahari who gave him another pair.
Then some time later running a fast lap in those new shoes with Budjargal
Georgs enjoying lunch
Georgs by the Heart Garden
Deveshu
Joe taking a warm up break
The sun comes out to help with the process.
Hoskuldur about to go off to a brief break at a hotel that his son and his partner are staying in.
A different kind of beauty
Sergey
Wai and Janos
Sandro
Kalpa
Priyavadin
Giribhu running
Richard
Dipali by for a visit
“The GPS was right. This is the highest point in the park.”
It rained heavily for a while late last night. Karnayati skirts a puddle.
Mark confesses he is having a low patch.
Working out some of the kinks in medical
Just a little snap
Remnants of the World’s Fair
Rimas
Pedrag
Lyalya gets a visit from her Dad
Nataliya
Leaves are coming
Misha
Michael Korol
Michel
Wild violets
“Pain is inevitable and suffering is optional.” It is one of Dr. Mitch Proffman’s favorite expressions. For many years he has used his skills wealth of experience as a chiropractor here at the race as well as at the 3100 miles race which takes place later in the summer.
“What that means is when the runners come in and lie down on the table. I ask them how are you doing?”
“Many of them may have run hundreds of miles and they go…..O’kay.”
“I ask is anything bothering you and they say I don’t know. A little here and a little there.”
“They are all in pain guaranteed. I have been a chiropractor for 35 years. If you run 50 to 80 miles a day for 6 to 10 days you are definitely in pain.”
“But they are choosing to transcend that. They are in pain but they are not suffering. I think this race is a metaphor. Because all day long we are subjected to various pains. But we can always choose to transcend it. To go beyond.”
“This would be a great thing if we all could do this in our regular lives. If we do this than any goal is reachable.”
Who can understand the Goal?
Nobody.
Who can realise and become the Goal?
Everybody.
Thank you Utpal so much for these wonderful posts and photos of the race. Runners are doing such a great job! There is so much beauty and divinity on their faces. These races are so special, they bring the light of the soul to the fore.
Thank you for keeping us on track!
I wanted to be on race but could not. But by your help I can keep it close to my heart and feel it’s heartbeat…
🙂