Day 5… Dare to Do (June 20) – Perfection Journey

“Yes for sure, I am happy and grateful, to be here again.”

On face value, Ushika’s response to my question, how he was doing, would seem unremarkable. Yet when weighed against his herculean efforts over the past 4 soggy days, and not forgetting his completion of the race in 50 days last summer, it is in truth a remarkable answer.

Over the past 4 days he has accumulated 246 miles, a mere blip, in comparison to the arduous task of completing the additional 2,854 miles that still lies dauntingly in front of him. He is unequivocal about his eagerness to run here again this summer. “If I go deep within, it was already clear to me during last years race.”

“Outwardly I was waiting to see how my body would recover before I applied again. My recovery after the race was good. I even did the August marathon after last years race. That was good but then I went downhill considerably.”

“It was a difficult time for me. Not just my body, it was difficult on all levels. I am definitely planning for a different recovery after this race.”

When asked what he emphasizes in preparing for the race he feels that for him that any preparation is mostly to make his mind more confident. “You can’t train for a race like this. But it is still good to do training anyway.”

Ushika says that Rupantar summed up his feeling for the race at the runner’s lunch. “If God exists, this race is the proof.”

He feels that setting a goal for himself here is futile. But setting an inner goal is quite a different story. “Last year I was focusing on gratitude. This year my focus is on devotion.”