I am not sure how long ago I first started keeping my fingers crossed and mumbling little prayers, hoping that Ananda-Lahari not only completes the full distance but also sets a new record for himself in the process. It has also occurred to me that there are likely others whose twiddling fingers are as agitated as my own and whose lips are continuously quivering.
The odd thing of course is that the runner in question isn’t the least concerned about our worries for him. He is not worried at all. When asked if he can feel the finish line’s call yet he says he doesn’t even know how far away it is. “It is only today. I know I have to focus on one day.”
Ananda-Lahari is a world class smiler and I ask him if he ever has to work at it. “Yes I have to. Especially when my stomach is messed up and I am not smiling. Then I know, even if I force myself to smile then it will get better. It is not a fake smile. You just start smiling. Focus on I want to smile. I want to be happy.”
Ananda-Lahari is not completely unaware of how close he is to setting a personal record. “I just can’t influence if I will make the record or not. But it is nice to hear that I can do it.” He feels he simply has to continue on and do his very best every day.
“I didn’t know how many times I would come to the race. I just wanted to come as many times as possible.”
“I would say in general, on days I feel weak, then everything slows me down.” He says it can be heat, rain, or humidity if he is weak then he will be affected. “Once you feel strong then nothing slows you down.”
“I guess every moment is a mediation here. But consciously of course it isn’t. I talk, I eat, and there are times when I am not focused. But I guess every step here is meditation in action.”
The Board at the Start of Day 44
Camp early
Clocks
Ashprihanal
Aharan getting ice
Harita
Table
Max early
Smarana
Harita
Ushika
The boys
Start Day 44
The weather
Not comfortable
Ashprihanal has 2826 miles
He ran 64 miles yesterday
He leads Nirbhasa by 76 miles
Flower
Suprabha doing a job she really likes, filling ice bags
Nirbhasa has 2750 miles
He did 60 miles
He leads Vasu by 51 miles
Flower
Jadranka
Vasu has 2699 miles
He did 64 miles
Making 2700
With Nikolai
He is 16 miles ahead of Ananda-Lahari
Flower
Max
Ananda-Lahari has 2683 miles
Making 2700
He made 63 miles
Flower
Renata
Smarana has 2616 miles
He ran 54 miles yesterday
He is 5 miles ahead of Harita
Flower
Aharan
Harita has 2611 miles
She ran 59 miles yesterday
With Launa
She is 49 miles ahead of the magic number
Flower
Cooks at 10
Todor has 2566 miles…..4 ahead of the magic number
He ran 56 miles yesterday
Todor making 2600
Doing well
Flower
Sahishnu and Suprabha
Ushika has 2270 miles
He ran 54 miles
Doing his best
Flower
3100 mile t shirts
Swamiji
Flower
Bipin
“Now don’t come again without peanuts, cashews, almonds, and……macadamia nuts.”
Utpal Interviewed by Nirjharini
Poem of the Day held by Suprabha
God’s
Compassion-Eye
Strengthens
My heart.
Sri Chinmoy
July 29th, 2006
Enthusiasm Awakeners
I happily welcome
My sweet days.
I bravely welcome
My bitter days.
Sri Chinmoy, My Early Morning Prayer-Journeys, part 1, Agni Press, 2005
Gratitude for the nice inside Interview of Utpal by Nirjharini the great! Utpal stay healthy, fit and inspired for many more years to come! You simply have to, no way out
Utpal, you have to be ready every new day, a new day begins and you have to accept the truth of oneness, there is no other way than to accept this, your work right away, but yes the new day has come and you breath a sigh of relief, the day has come. You would revolve through the Universe and proclaim your oneness with the runners. You could lie on your back on the grass in a meadow, chewing on a straw and you would surely do you work. Thank you Utpal.
It’s beyond comprehension for a non techy that you spend so much time for creating this blog every day, that we read and watch in say 30 minutes. And you are not getting paid for doing it. That is very special! You should get an award for at least 10 years of selfless service for the whole world. But you may not get anything in return in terms of nuts or other breakfast from the animal world around! 🙂
I am also very happy for Ananda-Lahara that he is able to finish the race this year. He is the best example of a person not to give up!
Wow a fascinating look behind the magical wizard’s (Utpal’s )curtain!
He is always the invisible ( now with this wonderful interview, very visible )
, voice , consciousness, and now with drones the heavenly participant in the race!
He may not be physically on the course for the 18 hours a day, but like the runners his work on the race behind the scenes are just as many hours and a true labor of love , heart and soul!
God speed to the # 9 runner Utpal!
Utpal, huge thanks and gratitude to you for your marvelous storytelling and your detailed, inspiring daily coverage of the race! It almost feels like I’m watching it all unfold in person! May your energy, joy and creativity continue to percolate…
Thank you Utpal and Nirjharini for the interview of Utpal!!))
That is a great look inside and an experience look. That is amazing big job you do so fast, just in one day, every day! Grace! Talent! OMG
Runner Number 9, Utpal — I like that! Every day your dauntless efforts bring us right into the heart of the 3100. We experience these amazing souls who have accepted the life-altering challenge. We watch for each new day, and get fired up with the race spirit all summer long. Words can hardly tell how much it means to us. May you live long and prosper! Your humility shines in the heart-sky.
The new T-Shirt 3100 is very promising, soon the end arrives when we see it first.
Thanks for including yourself being interviewed! It is so nice to have a glimpse behind the scenes into this magnifying glass bringing the race’s details into sharper focus. And I always feel that I learn something worth contemplating further whenever Ananda-Lahari is interviewed here. Sri Chinmoy has a talk called Inner Obedience that includes the concept that one can achieve a state where the “prince of gloom” has no access. I imagine that he has indeed joined that realm through all these years of doing the race with such steady cheerfulness.
I agree that Ananda-Lahari is having an outstanding year. Amazing to watch.