“Last year I was very much a part of it.”
Sopan did not come and physically run the race here last year, but in a unique way he was a big part of Ashprihanal’s tremendous world record experience back then.
“We talked a lot every day on the phone. But then he helped me and inspired me. I felt I was part of the race.”
The strain and effort of Ashprihanal’s pursuit of a new world record was tremendous. The daily phone chats that went on for sometimes hours nearly every night was a great way for Ashprihanal to find a way to sometimes decompress.
This year they need no excuse to chat and find relief from the long hard days that seem to stretch out endlessly in front of them. The two runners have a very special bond and when you see them running side by side they carry on the kind of effortless banter that is particular to those who are the closes of friends.
This is Sopan’s 7th time at the race. Not that he needed any particular excuse to come this year but certainly the long phone conversations that often took place deep in the New York night helped them both. “It definitely inspired me. It helped my training. I could feel the energy of the race all the time with me.”
Sopan said that the moment the race was over then the energy was no longer there. “I was on my own, kind of.”
“First of all, the reason I am here is because of the spiritual experience. Last time when I did the race (2014). Physically I did not do well. But because of that I had a very profound spiritual experience. Because I could focus only on the spiritual. The physical did not matter anymore. (Sopan did not complete the distance)
“It made me appreciate more the spiritual side of the race.”
Sopan ran for the first time in 2005 and then came back again in 2006 and ran even faster. He had the unique opportunity to experience Sri Chinmoy directly encouraging and inspiring the runners. I ask him how it is for him now that Sri Chinmoy is no longer with us.
“In one way it is different and in another way it is the same. Because I often think about him and the races I have done with him. I can almost transport myself back in my mind. I feel like I am back then when Guru was here. It actually helps a lot.”
Sopan ran 59 miles yesterday and with his 10 day total of 604 mile his average is still good. Putting the finish line square in sight, but of course there is still the issue of an additional 2500 miles in order to get there.
As for goals, Sopan says, “I just take it day by day. Of course I want to do good, but to me it doesn’t matter.”
“Either way it is okay. If I run good it is okay for me. If I am not able to run good it is also okay for me.”
“Of course I would like to finish but that is not everything.”
An inner experience is the seeker’s
conscious awareness of his Immortality.
An inner experience is the seeker’s
conscious expansion of his Infinity.
An inner experience is the seeker’s
conscious fulfillment of his Eternity.
Sri Chinmoy, Fifty Freedom-Boats to one Golden Shore, part 1, Agni Press, 1974
Dohai notices that Shamita’s total going into day 11 needs to be adjusted
Shamita arrives with Sanjay’s camera crew
Volodymyr is currently only walking due to his back problems.
It is Janos’s birthday today
The crew is busy
Baladev drops off his laundry
Kaneenika getting ready
Start Day 11
Due to an oversight Surasa was not picked up. She arrived shortly afterwards. It did not go unnoticed.
A beautiful morning at the race
Once again Vasu is the only one to complete 70 miles
He has 737 miles
A gold star effort
Atmavir ran 68 miles
Sahishnu handing out emails.
“Honestly I have been on this raw food diet for a few weeks now but all I ever think about are donuts. hmmmmm donuts.”
Finding light
Yuri also ran 68 miles
He has 701 miles and is 15 miles behind Atmavir
By the playground
Ashprihanal ran 65 miles
He has 682 miles
Surasa continues to do very well. She did 66 miles and has 648 miles
Service road
Kaneenika did 64 miles
She has 631 miles
Some leaves are down
Shamita did 63 miles
A different kind of shoe
She has 620 miles
She is doing very well
Counting
Ananda-Lahari did 51 miles
He has 611 miles
Drying shoes
Sopan
His inscription in concrete from 2 years ago
By the fence
Stutisheel did 65 miles and has 579 miles.
168st
Cups
Baladev did 57 miles and has 576 miles
It is still damp this morning
Quite a few come and circle the block
volodymyr did 38 miles and has 559 miles
This morning Parvati, Tajini, and Patricia started planting flowers
Colors
“When I saw the runners for the first time (2 nights ago), I was really humbled by their dedication. Their absolute single mindedness. Their ability to stay on course knowing that had been staying out there so long.”
Danny says his first connection happened a few years ago when a friend of his entered the race. “I called him up almost every day. I felt it was like I was calling an astronaut who was on the moon. It was such an incredible force that I was feeling when I was talking to him. It was inspiring to me.”
“It is hard to describe. It is not something that I think about it is just something that is. It just blows me away. It is something that I can’t comprehend.”
“You just know that when you come here that it is unique. You will never experience this any place else in the world.”
“The only way that I can attribute that is to the fact that Sri Chinmoy used to personally come to the race and inspire the runners. He obviously still does. The feeling is absolutely unique. You will never feel this anywhere else.”
Click to Play:
Poem of the Day
Click to Play:
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Click to Play:
In the spiritual life we need experience, we need confidence, we need assurance.
Experience is the discovery of infinite Life within us.
Confidence is the supreme mastery of our soul over darkness and night.
Assurance is our inseparable oneness with the Light of the Supreme.
Night we were. Light we are. Delight we shall be.
Sopan’s interview, and this blog today, is amazing Thanks so much!
I am going to run 3 marathons this weekend in Oregon. I will take Sopan’s words with me.