Day 38… Today’s Inner Progress (July 23 )

41 years ago Arpan came up with a great idea to celebrate his birthday.   One which he planned to perpetuate every year.  He called it an ageathon and the formula was simply to run the same number of miles as your age on that day no matter what.

As an athletic and very fit 26 year old looking at running 26 miles was not a big ask.  Remarkably 4 decades on and the tradition has continued but with some minor slight bending of the rules.  Still athletic he plans to do the amount at a 24 hour race on the weekend.

This morning on his special day he came early to the 3100 to start his day with something close to his heart, and it is by the way a race he entered on 2 occasions.  “I am enjoying the race and being here on my special day.”

“The good thing about this race, whether running it or helping is that everybody can participate.”  Arpan describes a sense of oneness that exists between all those who immerse themselves into the powerful orbit of the race.  “There is a sense of family.  There is a sense of helping each other.  This race really embodies that, both in spirit and in action.”

“There is a mental and spiritual aspect to the race, that you have to really embody.  It is kind of like a meditation where there is a calming of the mind.  Instead, try and feel the joy that comes from the heart.  That will help you face challenges.”

Arpan says we always have to overcome doubts but turning inward towards our own heart gives us the power to overcome them.  “Sri Chinmoy wanted people to be happy here.  You can do that.  I have tried it.”

“Sri Chinmoy loved this race.  He was here every day when he was in town.  He would wave to the runners and then the car would stop and he would hand out prasad to the runners.”

He then tells a story about how we was running the race in 2004 and Sri Chinmoy came by while he was running with Stutisheel.  When he went to get his prasad, “Sri Chinmoy wished me happy birthday.  It is your birthday today.  I am very proud of you.  He said a few other things and he was very sweet.”

“After Sri Chinmoy drove off Stutisheel had tears in his eyes and said, What else could you want on your birthday?”

As it turns out he had a harmless desire to also have some clouds and some possible thunder and lightning.  “Within a lap there were these clouds coming over us and I heard thunder and lightning in the distance.   It didn’t even rain.  It was just like a prayer being answered, and we both started laughing.”

“There are really a lot of ways you can really be happy here and get joy.  It is really an amazing experience that you can’t forget.  It is a very powerful meditation and spiritual lesson for life.”

The Board at the start of Day 38

Camp early

Clipboards

Ashprihanal

Anupam puts up the race cams

Aharan pouring drinks

Yogurt in the motor home

Rupantar does his report

Garima checks Nirbhasa’s feet

Harita

Start of Day 38

Ashprihanal has 2464 miles

He ran 69 miles

Changing shoes

He is 60 miles ahead of Nirbhasa

Flower

Dumping water from the awning

Nirbhasa has 2404 miles

He ran 50 miles.  A day of recovery from the heat

Flower

Inky dinky spider

Vasu has 2317 miles

He ran 62 miles

He is 2 miles ahead of Ananda-Lahari

Flower

Sumanas

Nikolai

Ananda-Lahari has 2315 miles

He ran 62 miles

He is 43 miles ahead of Smarana

Green

Aharan

Smarana has 2272 miles

He did 52 miles

He is 25 miles ahead of Harita

Green

Discussing medical

Harita has 2247 miles

She ran 60 miles

She is 42 miles ahead of the magic number

Flower

Updating the board

Todor has 2203 miles

The rain stops

He did 48 miles.  He is 2 miles behind the magic number

Day 38

Flower

Drying shoes

Ushika has 1943 miles

He did 45 miles

With Max

Getting mail

Sandro’s offering of the day

Flower

Rupantar checking in

Never too many cooks

Daily Poem held by Arpan

Enthusiasm Awakeners