Yesterday 54 year old Volodymyr Hlushchuk on his first day in the Self Transcendence 3100 mile ran 74 miles. He has been waiting for this opportunity for more than a decade and he is grateful and glad that it has at last arrived.
https://vimeo.com/171471278
“For many years I have been looking forward to taking part in this race.” It was back in 2004 that he had first applied but was turned down. “After that I submitted my application many many more times.”
Volodymyr gradually realized that as much as he thought he was ready each time he applied he wasn’t. “I needed to grow a little more.”
This year he says he simply surrendered and didn’t even apply. However it was not unnoticed that he did a personal best in the 10 day race just 6 weeks earlier with 643 miles. After which he was taking it easy and simply preparing himself for next years 10 day race. “Then all of a sudden they invited me to the race.”
To his surprise he suddenly felt, ” I am not ready.”
The race director told him though that he thought that he was ready. Volodymyr took this very seriously, as if his late spiritual teacher, Sri Chinmoy was requesting this of him in and through the race director. “I realized then that I must run.”
Still he was surrendered and inwardly asked for help from his late teacher asking for him to please run in and through him.
He laughs as he describes this experience now on his 2nd day. “Basically Guru is running in and through me.” Beaming with joy he adds, “I don’t know how this is happening.”
When asked what his goals might be he says that he is only trying to find happiness at every moment. “To see Guru in front of me.”
So far he feels as though he is being guided along very directly. Knowing spontaneously when to run and when to rest. “Through my soul he is showing me how to orchestrate all this.
“With this approach no matter how far Guru wants me to run I am happy. I feel good and everything is good. Therefore I have no plans in the mileage or in what place I may get.”
Translation courtesy of Lyalya
The heart needs happiness
At every moment
So it can move forward,
Dive inward
And fly upward.
The board after the first day.
Baladev arrives and later in the morning will have to leave the course and see a dentist.
Shamita and Dohai checking the mileage sheet. She did 66 miles.
Kaneenika did 75 miles.
A Baladev toe
Janos checking the boards
Nothing but the best of course.
The boys
Surasa getting organized
Taking it easy
Yuri
Shamita ready to go
Kaneenika getting a massage
Start Day 2
A beautiful day in Queens
At the start of the day Ananda-Lahari is the race leader.
In all his years of running the race it is uncertain if he has ever led before. He ran 84 miles on day one.
A tiny branch
The sun low in the sky
Atmavir was 2nd with 83 miles
Atmavir running by the Enthusiasm Awakeners
The roadside flowers
Always song and always encouragement
Vasu was 3rd with 82 miles.
He looks very comfortable.
Across the street
Nirbhasa counting this morning
Also involved in some discussion
Of all kinds
For just about anyone else Ashprihanal’s 80 miles would be great
He jokes when asked what is wrong. His answer, “everything.”
He will find the key no doubt very soon
Yuri did 80 miles as well
Yuri getting mail
Yuri taking the corner
Adesh perfroming
Click to Play:
Kaneenika did 75 miles
Niharika giving her some massage.
With one of her helpers
Shamita and Surasa
Surasa did 70 miles
Stutisheel also did 70 milles
The corner
Nirjarini arrives with the morning snack
Sopan also did 70 miles
168 st
Baladev did 68 miles
The fence
Shamita did 66 miles
Ray Krowlweiz knows the 3100 mile race very well. He spent just about his entire summer here in 2014 running the race. What is remarkable about Ray is that even when completing the distance was out of the question he stuck it out and did his best. Ray remains a great friend of the race and last night came for a visit along with his friend Sherry.
When asked if he has had enough of the race, “O God no. I am trying to figure out how you all will let me back in. I need to come back and I need to finish.”
“People say it was great that you did 2,014 miles. I feel that was a failure. I got beat by more than a thousand miles.”
“I made a lot of mistakes when I ran it, and I ran with my ego and not my heart.” He feels that the race is doable but it is essential that the ego be put away. “I have seen people bring egos here in addition to me and even if they finish it is not usually their best performance.”
Other things he would do differently. “I would like to enjoy more the camaraderie and friendships with the other runners. I would like to have that. There is so much energy in that. It is more of a community than I realized.” The race he says made him refocus on who he really was. “I learned a ton.”
When I ask Ray why Ashprihanal is so successful he says it is because he runs from his heart and is joyous with every step. “He is really the essence of what I would like to be.”
Click to Play:
Poem of the Day
Read by Ajita:
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Click to Play:
If you want to be happy,
Then at every moment listen
To the whispering child
In your heart.
I am sooo happy you are all here again. We watched you on the big Screen at the Austrian Joy Day in Gmunden, and it brought so much joy, admiration and inspiration to us all. did you hear our enthusiastic applause??
So THANK YOU ALL, runners, helpers, and everybody remotely involved – we are all helping to spread the Supreme’s Light in our own way. Thank you Utpal because really you make it all possible by allowing us to be a part of this world illumining event.
Bigalita