“When they first told me the course was not flat I could not believe it.” Of course there a very select few who have had the opportunity like she has to circle the half mile block around Thomas Edison High school thousands and thousands of times. Not just intimately understanding differentials in elevation but also every possible aspect of the loop.
Each day a change in direction and each day a hope and a prayer to be able to make the circuit at least 109 times. As of 27 days of running Surasa has completed the loop 1,623 miles here just this year. That is not including the multiple orbits she has made in this same race over the years.
“I am happy as long as I survive. When there was extreme heat my only goal was to survive.”
“My preparation for the race I have to say is not so good.” Surasa says she does not keep track of her training. “I don’t write it down. I am running in the morning and I cannot manage more than 50 minutes. On the weekend I try to run longer, 2hours, 3 hours.”
Surasa says that training has 2 sides. When you run well you feel good but if you get tired then doubts can start to come about your fitness. “That’s life. Training is always different than the race.”
“Many times I ran barefoot on grass. I said to my feet, soon you will be running on sidewalk. You have to remember this, running on the grass.”
“I have a very nice story that shows that prayer works. The heat wave took all my energy. Then I felt that something had changed. I had the best night ever. I was sleeping through the night for the first time. A little bit longer than 3 hours. Then in the morning I felt, wow, such a good sleep.”
“It was the first day after all this heat. Then I could do the mileage. I believe I did 114 laps. Everything was good. Everything was much better. Later, on this same day. I got an email from a friend.” She was visiting a special meditation center for students of Sri Chinmoy in Germany. She told Surasa, “I was praying for you. I was sending light into your heart hoping that the light would then come down to your feet.”
“This was so amazing. It was so nice for me. It showed me that prayer works.”
Surasa’s name means, your heart is filled with boundless sweetness and affection. Therefore you are making very fast progress in the spiritual life.
The Board at the Start of Day 28…*Note the totals may not be accurate… the magic number is 1,609*
Camp early
Vajra and Kobi
Tim leaves today
Surasa arrives
Ananda-Lahari
William and Rupantar
Kaneenika
Vasu
Start Day 28
A beautiful morning
Vasu did 70 miles. His most since day 8
He now has 1883 miles
He leads Kobi by 44 miles
With Alexei
A great race
Flower
“It has been 5 minutes since anyone told me I was cute. What’s wrong?”
Kobi ran 62 miles
He has 1839 miles
With Oscar
A great athlete
Green
Sopan did 61 miles
He has 1637 miles
He is 8 miles ahead of Ushika
Flower
Ushika ran 61 miles
He now has 1629 miles. 6 miles more than Surasa
With great helper Max
Flower
Surasa ran 54 miles
She now has 1623 miles
A fresh waffle with cream
A great athlete
Flower
Kaneenika did 61 miles
She now has 1573 miles
She needs to average 61 miles a day
Flower
Smarana did 20 miles. His health issues to be explained at a later date
He has 1571 miles
He smiles and tells me he is making progress
Flower
Vajra works on Smarana
We all have supporters
William did 49 miles
He has 1560 miles
Flower
Tim leaves this afternoon
Alan remains
Ananda-Lahari did 48 miles
He now has 1513 miles
Flower
“I hate it when you are eating take out and you drop the condiment packages.”
Poem of the Day read by Max, Atul, and Daulot. 3 winners in 2 mile race
Click to Play:
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Click to Play:
The willingness of the mind
And the eagerness of the heart
Must work together
To arrive at the Goal.
Sri Chinmoy, My Christmas-New Year-Vacation Aspiration-Prayers, part 50, Agni Press, 2007
Surasa, the Great, 100% truly represents the essence of her spiritual name and is an outstandingly inspiring and humble person. As are all the runners, too. Thank you, Utpal, for your thoroughly dedicated and enlivening reports that not only deeply inspire us inwardly but even make us physically feel as part of this magical race. May all 3100 mile heroes stay healthy and happy and completely delight in the experience!