Volodymyr was a powerful presence for 19 days and then in a flash his race was over. Or at least his outer one was. In those few precious days at the 3100 mile race he was able to complete 919 miles. Most certainly the last few hundred of them were particularly hard fought. He walked with a kind of personal agony, that you could not see.
Yet each day and each lap he still found a way to smile.
*translation by Lyalya*
I hadn’t seen Volodymyr in 2 weeks and in the time since, he has rested and recovered, or at least enough to be able once again visit the battleground. The place in which he endured so much and also accomplished something deep and significant as well.
“When I started to have problems, very strong pain. I was looking for ways to get out of it. Soon I understood that there was only one way out, and that was to go deep into my heart.”
“When I started to go more and more deep into my own heart, as the pain increased, I was able to go even deeper. I actually felt happier. So despite the pain I was feeling happier.”
“This inner state. This happiness I felt inside is eternal. The pain was only temporary.”
“When I was able to gain access to this inner happiness it allowed me to be able to fall asleep at night. I could see Guru. I could feel Guru. The pain was pushed into the background. It remains there.”
“Working on this pain that I had here. I am already preparing myself for next year. I will see what Guru wants me to do. The 10 day race in the Spring or this race again.”
“I really strongly believe that the state of my heart, the state of my vital, the state of my mind is good now. Then of course my body will be able to follow their example. I am a strong believer in that.”
My Supreme, my Supreme, my Supreme!
I shall never give up,
I shall never give up!
I must continue,
I must continue!
I know my Goal is ahead,
And I am destined to reach my Goal.
My Supreme, my Supreme, my Supreme!
Sri Chinmoy, My Morning Soul-Body Prayers, part 6, Agni Press, 1999
*Click below to read the rest of the report*
The board
“Look, it is not what you think. I am only here to help Yuri with his shoes. That’s it.”
Kaneenika arrives first
Dan the new guy in town spent the night guarding the camp
The van arrives
Rupantar checks the mileage
Someone has posted his picture taken in 1978. Cleaning a drain across the street.
Yuri checking the board before he sits
The big view
Flowers
Start Day 35
First steps
The weather will remain extreme until the middle of next week.
Atmavir ran 63 miles yesterday
He now has 2281 miles
He is 96 miles ahead of last year
Service road
Yuri ran the most miles yesterday 64
He now has 2268 miles
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Ashprihanal ran 63 miles
He has 2253 miles
A handball tournament is taking place on the corner. So he buys a t shirt for Atmavir and some new blue balls for him to bounce.
Having a chat with Sopan
Tree
Vasu did 53 miles
In the mornings he is painfully slow as he walks the course
He now has 2172 miles
Mid morning
Kaneenika did 51 miles
She has 2133 miles
She is still 86 miles ahead of last year
Something that hasn’t happened that often. The 2 girls coming in together.
Just a little
Surasa did 53 miles
With Vishvarupani
A good team
She has 2078 miles
By the fence
Sopan did 44 miles. He now has 1909 miles
Coming into camp
Stutisheel had 31 miles
He now has 1903 miles
Stutisheel on service road
Baladev did 54 miles
He also has 1903 miles
Angels looking over Baladev
Ananda-Lahari had 42 miles
He has 1775 miles. Putting on sun screen
Still beautiful
Everybody is reminded to drink lots of water
Bipin making ice bags
Nirjharini cutting an onion for Ashprihanal
“This is the second time I have been at the race.” Kshema is one of those people who show up at the race and then never seem to leave. A helpful presence who really enjoys the unique qualities that the race has to offer.
When she came last year she knew very little about the 3100.
“When I came it was something new and something amazing. I wanted to come again after that.”
“I feel the same this year but somehow it is even more interesting, and more pleasant.”
“When I come every morning to sing with the Enthusiasm Awakeners it fills me up for the whole day. It gives me energy.”
Click to Play:
Devarupi reads the Daily Poem
Click to Play:
Enthusiasm Awakeners have many fans
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Click to Play:
My evening descends,
And from deep within my heart,
The capacity emerges
For me to fly into the Beyond.
Sri Chinmoy, My evening descends, Agni Press, 1996
Utpal, I am amazed how do you always manage to find so appropriate aphorisms for each day’s report! So beautiful… Keep up this excellent work, please!
Gratitude and greetings to all hero-runners and all those who help and support the race in any way. Heat will loosen-up soon! Hang in there! We are with you. All the time
Thank you all for your service, for your inspiration, for your dedication!
Utpal,
We who read from afar are so very hungry for any and every race detail we can get and you are offering us a delectable meal every single day! It is an ongoing, beautiful, soulful offering and offered with such dedicated service. All my soul’s gratitude to you.
Thank you, too, for including the weather reports. I am thinking of the runners constantly on these very hot days. Such sisterly concern, compassion and pride I feel for them!
Such a feeling of a Oneness-Family rises from the 3100 Mile Race from ALL aspects. ie from EVERYBODY involved with it. It is so a remarkably strong feeling that one can experience even if not physically present!
Dear Utpal, thank you for your priceless postings!!!
Yasodhara
Dear Utpal,
Such a beautiful interview! I was overwhelmed with tears of hope when Volodymyr concluded the interview by reciting a poem close to his heart.