Day 47…Of Paramount Importance (August 1)

“I have to say I am so happy that my heart won over my mind. To come here and run this year, my mind would never have made the choice. My heart made the choice instead.”

In both 2016 and 2017 Smarana had very challenging experiences at the 3100. Despite completing the distance 7 years in a row from 2002 to 2008 and taking a long break this great Austrian runner could not reach the finish line 2 years in a row. It had to be disheartening because in so many ways he is so well equipped physically and had so much experience. It just didn’t seem to make any sense that he didn’t do it, and also, what made even less sense was to come back to try it once again this year.

Yet as of this morning he is just 300 miles from the goal. Smarana says, “it feels really good. But there is still 300 miles to go. I have a good cushion so it doesn’t pose any pressure on me. Still, until you cross the finish line you have to be really focused.”

“You never know what comes. Yesterday in the evening. I pushed a little bit, and I fell. All it takes is one bad one and your race is over. So until the finish line you have to keep your focus, and keep it together.”

“So far it has been an amazing journey. I have collected a bag full of experiences, that I will be happy to take out when I get home, and relive, and enjoy again.”

Smarana confesses that a lack of confidence was something that he has been working on since day one here. “It has been working pretty good so far. The race helped me tremendously to work on it. You learn so much how to deal with it. It is really amazing that I could be part of this journey here.”

Smarana looks back at the last 2 races as stepping stones. In his earlier 7 races he was stronger and more confident. He felt that there was a strong force from Sri Chinmoy that helped him to accomplish them. But in the last of that series in 2008 he had some serious issues. “I kind of burned out.”

Almost from the beginning of the race in 2016, he was thinking, “it is hot I want to go home. My mind just wanted to escape. It didn’t want anymore pressure. I feel these 2 races were still stepping stones to get back into it. To rid myself of the dramatic experience I had previously in 2008.”

“It looks like I have been through it and I now definitely have a lot of confidence.”