“It’s been amazing. It has been like everything.”
Gautami and her sister Manoshri have both been running the 10 day race. With just a short time now left they are running together and sharing with me some of their experiences over the past 10 days.
Gautami: “It has been a mixture of everything, everything possible…..experiences, emotions. It was great for sure.”
https://vimeo.com/164782913
Manoshri: “There were ups and downs. There were times when you felt you were just so tired of running. You don’t want to run any more and you take a rest and wake up and life is good again.”
Gautami: “For me definitely the pain tolerance improved. (laughs) I walked with shin splints for 3 days and nights. I almost overcame it. I still feel it but I have been running on it for 2 days.”
“For me it becomes a meditation when I run. It is not just a silent meditation it is dynamic meditation. You feel lots of gratitude at times. Many times I actually cried with gratitude. There is a silence you have in the mind.”
“There was one day when I had so much pain, and the wind was really blowing. I actually visualized that my body was the wind. It was a really cool experience. The pain just all went away.”
Manoshri: “You go through hard times when you almost want to give up. But you feel, I should keep going. But when you go through this you feel so much stronger. You develop qualities like will power and determination. Then you feel so much satisfaction. You feel stronger and happier. It helps you to become a better person.”
Kobi is the men’s champion in the 10 day race with a personal best of 750 miles.
He surpasses his previous best by 52 miles.
The finish line is at once
Blissful to see
But painful to reach.
Sri Chinmoy, Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, Part 01, Agni Press, 1998
Ed was 2nd with 717 miles. After he finished running for the day he went out to encourage the other runners.
Interview with Ed:
Soren was 3rd with 693
Sarah was the 10 day women’s champion with 672.
Interview with Arun:
Interview with Sarah:
Yolanda was 2nd
In her first 10 day race she has set an American record for it and for 1000km.
Interview with Yolanda:
The final laps for Rimas and Aidas
Aidas won the men’s 6 day
He ran 517 miles.
Johnny sets a Swedish record with 490 miles. The previous mark was 486.2
The final hours of the race were heroic and aided greatly by Ellen
Interview with Johnny:
Vikena is the the women’s 6 day champion
Dipali gives her the winners trophy
Susan is 2nd
Ananda-Lahari
Celebration
Achim, Gabby and Kobi
Andrey Somov
Andrey joke:
Volodymyr
Tear down of the village starts right away
Anna
Waiting for the shower
Richard
Interview with Richard:
Ushika and Sergey
Tatiana
Victor
by the lake
Vasuprada
Avanayaha
Budjargal the Mongolian champion with a new personal best of 601
David with a left lean
Catching up
An early finisher
Suparna
Sergey
At last a stretch
Sergey
Around the Heart Garden
Deveshu
First time
Erlinda setting a new Canadian record.
Interview with Erlinda:
Marius
Kodanda
Kodanda Playing:
Albena helping Giribhu
Old shoes
Something a little prettier
Georgs
Hoskuldur ran a great race.
Ratuja
Pedrag getting in his last laps
Interview with Pedrag:
Pushparani
Misha and Yuri
Medical keeps working
Michel
A great first time performance 323
Oyungerel
Nearly over
John
The last meal
Kalpa
Kumar
live streaming
Relaxing
Maria
Mark is the last finisher
Sahishnu’s speech
Click to Play:
There is no finish line
In the perfection-race.
Perfection is an eternal run.
Thank you Utpal!
Dear Utpal,
I have loved reading, watching and listening to your race reports.
Thank you for keeping the race alive and available to us all around the world.
Well done!
Congratulations to all the runners, helpers and organizers!!!
Thank you Utpal for wonderful reports and videos! I love the music in your videos 🙂
Looking forward to 3100 race!!!
People , events, and things come into our lives for a season, reason, or a lifetime. I hope the disciples , runners, Guru and everyone associated with this Mount Everest of Queens( 6&10 day race) will stay in my life forever!
The pure bliss and happiness of being a small part of this is fantastic !
The joy of reading and watching ( due to Utpals heroic and brilliant efforts) this mind altering, numbing, boggling , unbelievable , and supreme experience unfold in real time is both fascinating and exhilarating!!
Yes, thank you Utpal and everyone who participated in this transformative, transcending and joyful annual event.. In one of Guru’s poems he speaks about-bartering our body’s dust for our soul’s plenitude — unquote — that is the feeling, plenitude of everything. What a feast! Congratulations to all, and thank you, thank you!
Congratulations to all runners. And congratulation to the report-maker and inspiration-maker Utpal. Thank you for keeping us informed.
Great coverage Utpal. Thank you for your time, enthusiasm and dedication. Its a priviledge to hear the thoughts of the runners in the midst of their epic challenges.
Thank you very, very much, Utpal, for your daily blogs and progress-reports! It brings back so many memories! It’s such a special race!! Thank you, thank you, all runners and helpers!!
Utpal I’ve just made the 30 hour flight journey back home to New Zealand after helping Susan in her first 6 day race instead of helping Dipali in what would’ve been her 19th 6 day race. I’ve loved re living all the precious moments of the race by reading all your 10 days of journal entries here.Thank you so much for your insightful comments and interviews. What an incredible experience for all involved. Gratitude and Joy.