Though Andrea completed the 3100 mile race close to midnight last night he has chosen, as many do to run an additional 13 laps in order to make a full 5,000 kilometers.
Asked how he felt, he said, “Quite good I would say. I am really happy and satisfied.”
” I never had a clear goal at the beginning. Because you never really know your shape, and you never know how the race is going to turn out, it’s so long. But after one week or 10 days, I knew I could do better than last year.”
“So then it was goal after goal.” He says that after 2 weeks of running, his helper Arpan, encouraged him to attempt to go for under 43 days. “Then last week we realized we could go for 3rd place overall. It was one goal after another. Luckily I got them all.”
As for why he would choose such a difficult event. “It is a drive that you feel from within. Once you do it there is this inner call.”
“Without my helpers, I would not be able to perform at that level. Definitely I could finish the race, but not in this way.”
“Arpan did a great job he was motivating me for 2 days because he saw that I was very close, to go under 43 days. To get 3rd place overall. He was pushing and pushing me. Emotionally and psychologically. He was telling me you can do it. Come on let’s go. Luckily I managed not to fall apart.”
“The inner part of the race, somehow I realized that the race for me was already done. It was meant to be like this. When you struggle in the race you think it is about you, and your effort. But in the end I realized it was already meant to be like this. The inner part already knows in advance what is going to happen.”
Sahishnu talks about Andrea’s achievement in the race.
The board at the start of day 44
clock
Camp
Decorations
Nina and Takasumi
Nisanga and Niriha
Vasu and Stutisheel
Wei Ming
Harita
Andrea’s last morning
Start day 44
Wei Ming did 65 miles
He now has 2621 miles
He will finish Saturday night
chalk artists
With Vasu
Flower
Calculating Wei Ming’s finish
Anjali updates the board
Vasu did 62 miles
He now has 2683 miles
Flower
It’s a good day
Vanuraja
Harita did 62 miles
She now has 2627 miles
With Antana
Flower
Sahishnu
Mail time
Takasumi ran 61 miles
He now has 2570 miles
With Nina
Flower
Andrea’s official time
I
Stutisheel ran 31 miles
He now has 2427 miles
Flower
Italian publication with Andrea story
Ananda-Lahari ran 46 miles
He has 2354 miles
Flower
Gives more.
The inner joy
Receives more.
The inner joy
Becomes more.
What a saga—-all the participants are creating this amazing saga— and we get to be there, thanks to Utpal and Jowan and all the reporters on SCMT!!!! Gratitude!
Congratulations to Andrea, the great champion!
Thank you again, Utpal, for this invaluable service to bring the race and the runners and their experiences to us – and the wolrd!
and Jowan’s photos as well – sorry, I forgot!