All the runners who come to run the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race have to have exceptional capacities and skills. It is a super-humanly difficult and challenging physical ordeal but as well there is an exceptional battle to be endured here mentally. If there is anyone who seems to have the exceptional ability to confront the battlefield of the 3100 mile race with both strength and boundless positivity it is Harita.
Her cheerful disposition and tireless resilience has once again served her well in this her second time entering the race. As for her decision to come back and run after spending last year working on the Peace Run, “This time I had a pretty clear feeling that it was probably the right thing for me to do.”
She says that she spent much of last year with Peace run events and activities, and says, “it was probably a pretty good idea to have a year off. It has taken me a year to recover.”
Harita when asked about her positivity confesses that it is something she has to work at. “You definitely have to really work at it for sure. I don’t usually wake up that excited about having to run for 18 hours.”
“People tell me that I have a cheerful attitude generally. That is something that you have to practice in your regular life all the time. You can’t just not do it and come out here and feel happy all of the time. I think it is a big part of your regular life. Always try and look at the bright side of life.”
“Just look for the things to be grateful for. There are so so many things in our life to be grateful for. Our lives are blessed in so many ways. The more you can focus on that then the easier it is to feel happy.”
Harita has had a slow start but over the past few days has been running stronger and accumulating the necessary laps. “Definitely my body feels stronger. I can run better, but even if you have a good day it is still a huge challenge. It is a long day and your mind always looks at the whole thing as completely unachievable. You have to really not focus on your mind.”
“It may sound simple but it is so powerful to really try to break down the race into days and break down the days into moments. Sri Chinmoy said imagine you are like a child running in your garden. That is a lot to be really able to put into practice though, but it is a worthwhile endeavor.”
“The whole race is an inner experience. Something I wanted to do this time differently from last time is not to put so much mental pressure on myself. Last time was the first time I had done it. It was so hard not to be constantly calculating the miles. Even though you should live in the moment, there in the back of my mind I was constantly calculating.”
“I had 3 days near the beginning of the race when I couldn’t really run at all, I could just walk. I was really very grateful because I was able to stay cheerful and not worry about it, and not be mental about it. I took it more like a flow and so that is one of my goals going into this race is to be less mental and just have faith that it is all in God’s hands and be in the flow.”
The board at the start of Day 9
Vajra leaving
Camp early
Counting boards
Garima making a list of things to buy
Vajra
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Race Photos
Ashprihanal has foot problems
Foot
Smarana comes
Harita
Todor’s tea
Ananda-Lahari and Vasu
Todor
Vajra has some tape
Start Day 9
Another perfect day
Vasu has 559 miles
He ran 58 miles yesterday
Vajra working on him early
He is 19 miles ahead of Ashprihanal
Flower
Ashprihanal has 540 miles
He ran 65 miles yesterday
He is 11 miles ahead of Nirbhasa
Flower
Nirbhasa has 529 miles
He ran 63 miles yesterday
With Yahva
Flower
Smarana has 519 miles
He ran 61 miles yesterday
Performing a joke with Ushika
He is 3 miles ahead of Ananda-Lahari
Flower
Ananda-Lahari has 516 miles
He ran 59 miles yesterday
Ananda-Lahari
Ananda-Lahari
Flower
Ushika has 480 miles
He ran 59 miles yesterday
He is 16 miles ahead of Todor
With Max
Ushika
Flower
Todor has 464 miles
He ran 60 miles yesterday
With his helper
He is 2 miles ahead of Harita
Flower
Harita has 462 miles
She ran 62 miles yesterday
With Anita
Running well
Flower
Go Peace
“Yes, it is true that watching the runners makes me speechless, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still sing.”
Yahva with the daily poem
Nirjharini
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Every day there is only
One thing to learn:
How to be honestly happy.
Sri Chinmoy, Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, part 70, Agni Press, 1983
What a blessing it is to have this daily view through a telescope crafted by you that allows people from any physical distance to feel as if they are right there in the heart of the race as much as on the days when perhaps we actually visit it in person. This year I sang with Enthusiasm Awakeners day 1 and day 2 of the race and it was evident just how much effort, organization, inspiration and aspiration it takes to be even peripherally involved alongside the hero runners. And every drop in the ocean traces back to the example and inspiration from the race’s founder himself, Sri Chinmoy.
Another great report. Todor looks like he cannot wait for the start 😀
What an inspiration to see you all… “The determination in your heroic effort…”
We can see and experience Transcendence every day, we can feel it through every heroic effort by runners, and the assistance from the helpers, singers, organisers, etc…
A symphony of harmony this 3100 is!
The world is a better place because of this race.
Gratitude Harita, for such invaluable lessons.
The joy, the serenity, the unique message of this race transpires at every level!
Gratitude to all, Gratitude to Guru Sri Chinmoy.
Go, go, Harita, you are such an inspiration to all of us!
Thank you so much Utpal for all the reports. It feels like I am there. My heart is definitely there.