“It was a special day for the whole universe not just for us.”
Yesterday in an almost storybook fashion Ashprihanal finished the 3100 mile race setting a world record in the process. For all of us who could attend it was a beautiful and historic experience. It really did feel that something of major significance took place. That it was not just a brief glow on this shabby patch of concrete but in some ways that a bright beacon shone forth to spread light over the whole world as well.
*Click On Picture Below to go to Drop Box………Wait a moment and click on OPEN in top right corner to play Day 42*
Now of course the other runners no longer have that phenomenal burst of energy, that was the 44 year old man from Finland, with them any longer. He no longer blazes his way around and around the block pulling the tired and disheartened along with him.
“Yesterday I felt as though he finished the 3100 miles in one day. Yesterday when he had just a few laps to go it felt to me as though he had just started that morning. It was amazing. It was really smooth right from the first day. He was passing me many times. But it was as though he wasn’t even there.”
“He was really inspiring. It was amazing. You can’t imagine what it is like running 76 miles a day. It is beyond the physical world. He can do it again next year very easily.”
“He ran so easily and I am dying every day and every hour and he was like flying. It was not running it was flying. When people call him the flying Finn it is really true.”
When the race is over. “I will not be sad, but I will miss everything. I had a really really hard race. It was my hardest. But on the other side it is my best race. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Every day is like a new day for Baladev he says. “We do not live in the past. It is hard to understand because, it is a natural feeling. We are just running this moment. This is the reason we are missing the race when it is finished. Because we live in the one lap, or sometimes just a few meters.”
“I wish everybody could experience this.” Baladev feels that what he experiences is real spirituality in many of the ways that Sri Chinmoy expressed in his philosophy. It is hard to believe.” He feels that most often people who watch the race don’t understand this. They think the runners are just running and not much else is happening.
“A few people have a real understanding of what is going on here. In the future more people will have this feeling about the race.”
Click to Play Interview:
The remnants of yesterdays celebration remain.
It will be warmer today with more humidity. Conditions that Yuri does not like. 
Stutisheel prepares.
Kaneenika checks the lap sheets.
Drinking early.
Start Day 42
Worshiping the sun once more
This is the last day of real pressure for Galya. He has run over 70 miles every day since day one.
He ran 72 miles yesterday and needs to do it for just one more day. His total is 2956 miles. When he finishes the 3100 miles it would be the same as running from his home in Mariupol Ukraine to deep into Mongolia
Tomorrow he will be the 2nd finisher of the 3100 mile race.
The early sun
Parvati directing a temporary detour
Vasu ran 76 miles yesterday. His most since day 1.
His total now is 2860. He is a phenomenal 208 miles ahead of last year.
The flowers growing along the strip.
Yuri ran 65 miles yesterday. He now has 2768 miles.
He is not enjoying the heat today. I tell him imagine Siberia, he says no, it is like Sahara.
Atmavir had 68 miles yesterday.
He now has 2590 miles.
Atmavir has just 510 more miles.
The fountain.
It is Saturday and the 2 mile race is going on. Snehashila enjoying from across the street.
Ashprihanal decides to run the race and is stopped by Rupantar because there is a call for him from Finnish television
Enjoying his first day off.
“I am carbo loading because I am flying to Florida this fall. I have a great reservation with Delta.”
Surasa is also closing in on a new woman’s record. She ran 66 miles yesterday.
She has 2562 miles. Her average is 62.50 miles. Suprabha’s record is 62.49 miles a day.
The daily prayer being translated into Russian.
Stutisheel had 64 miles yesterday.
He now has 2477 miles.
He is 4 miles ahead of Kaneenika
Kusumita running the 2 mile race.
Kaneenika had 60 miles yesterday. Her total is 2473 miles.
Passing beneath the old tree.
Nirbhasa had 62 miles yesterday. His brother Sadanand is now helping him.
He now has 2466 miles
Rabbits hiding in the grass.
Ananda-Lahari had 55 miles yesterday. He now has 2141 miles.
Coming down the service road hill.
Databir tells 2 stories about driving Sri Chinmoy to the 3100 mile race.
“Guru had 4 or 5 boys who drive him during the 3100 mile race. Guru would come 3 times and sometimes 4 times a day to the race. I usually drove Guru 5:30 to 7:30 in that slot. Depending when Guru called.”
“Guru wanted to go very slowly 3 times around the course. He would bless the runners, mediate on the runners. There is a really sweet story about Ashprihanal. The former world champion Madhupran, I think he had already broken the record. He came one more time to do the race.”
“Because of an injury he wasn’t going to win this one. He had been walking for days. He already had the world record I believe. Guru stopped. He rolled down the window when he came beside him. He asked Madhupran to come and see him. So Madhupran came over to the window of the car and Guru said, what a hero you are. In spite of the pain and in spite of his problems that he walked for 10 days.”
“He could have dropped out but he stayed in the race. When Guru told him he was a true hero he started to cry.”
The next story.
“Ashprihanal had already won the race. Ashprihanal wasn’t happy because he felt that Guru wasn’t happy enough. I said what are you talking about Ashprihanal. What do you mean that Guru is not happy. You won the race. I said, Guru is so proud of you. So he says, I did not smile enough. I go, what do you mean. You were fine. Don’t worry.”
“So I went to Guru and I said, Ashprihanal doesn’t feel happy because he feels he didn’t smile enough when you drove around the course. Guru said, no, no, no. Tell Ashprihanal that I am so proud of him. I am so proud of him tell him that.”
“So I told Ashprihanal how proud of him Guru was.”
Click to Play Interview:
Daily Prayer read by Sadanand
Click to Play:
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Click to Play:
Inspiration
I need
To run my Race.
Aspiration
I need
To win my Race.
Realisation
I need
To feel God’s Grace.
Hi Utpal
thank you
More stories by Databir, please! They are the funniest and best in the world.
When these runners supremely transcend, their faces radiate the Supreme’s blessings so powerfully – you feel like you are looking at Guru, or one of the Supreme’s emanations. What a humbling privilege to behold.