“My main goal in coming here is to get inspiration.” This is Arun Bardwaj’s 3rd appearance here at the Self Transcendence race in New York.
https://vimeo.com/164025938
“On my first time here, from the very beginning I was feeling happy. I had nothing in my mind. No worries. I am feeling in my best physical condition this time.” Currently Arun is tied for 5 th place with 81 miles after 24 hours.
“No Fear.” Arun is appears confident in what he is doing. He says that in Indian scriptures it is written that we should not have fear. “When God says don’t be afraid. Why should we be afraid?”
“Definitely these kind of events inspire me. I am inspired by the great runners in the race. Ultra running has totally changed my life. My way of thinking and everything.”
“I feel lucky and privileged that God has put me into this field of ultra running. I must say that everyone should at least do once in their lifetimes a 6 day race.”
Take up the challenge To change your life Once and for all.
The 6 day race is less than an hour old. I spend a few minutes running lightly with David Luljak who has not been to the race in 7 years and also with Wai Law who ran his first 6 day race here last year.
They are getting acquainted and of course realize that in the many miles ahead they will probably learn a lot about all the other competitors but perhaps even more about themselves.
I ask what kind of things they have discovered so far, and they both laugh and say that at one time they both lived in Long Island.
David tells me about one of his favorite poems written by Sri Chinmoy. “He said to somebody during the 3100 mile race. When this person was having a particularly bad time.”
Perfect happiness Is Enthusiasm minus expectation.
“I thought that was a good thing to keep in mind. I love this race, and if I don’t expect too much than I won’t feel disappointed. And hopefully enjoy all the great things I think about constantly whenever I run these races.”
The 10 day race of course goes on while the 6 day is about to start. Richard Takata celebrates getting to 200 miles.
Albena is doing her 2nd 6 day race.
Sri Chinmoy at the start of the first 7 day race. October 14th 1988
Whenever we do small things With great love, God gives us the most Powerful and blessingful Smile.
“You always hope for a little better than what you are doing.” Sarah always has the bar set for herself very high, and for good reason. She has won the 10 race here 3 times and is one of the best women’s multi day runner in the world.
“I wish I had put in a little more training. But I have no complaints.”
At the end of 3 days Sarah has 213 miles, just 2 off the 215 completed by Manoshri.
https://vimeo.com/163882327
“You always come with a lot of enthusiasm but you tend to forget just how hard it is. You definitely have these really tough moments.”
“I just love the friendship out on the course. I think it is this shared experience. I keep thinking that every year. You could never do this on your own. It is the fact that we are altogether doing it.”
“Every day I am setting a new target and every day I am failing.” (laughs) “But what can you do. That is when the surrender part comes in I guess.”
“My plan was to achieve 192 miles, but I got a little carried away.” Kobi is a just little modest about his achievement at the 10 day race as he describes his results after the first 48 hours of the race.
A few minutes earlier, just before noon he completed 200 miles. He jokes that in the days ahead according to his plan he had no more round numbers to achieve. Though the number 700 seems very tempting to those of us who have watched his strong performance the past 2 days.
https://vimeo.com/163760539
The above film also has an interview with Soren who completed 135 miles. He has had some stomach issues but feels good today.
“I am very surprised it has been very nice to meet this hospitality. It is an extremely good race with all this support and everybody smiling,” said Soren.
“One hour at a time, one day at a time, one lap at a time. Enjoy the journey. Find your highest capacity. We hope to give as much as we can to help you get through this.”…..Part of pre race speech by Sahishnu.
https://vimeo.com/163476918
Each and every Heart-dream of mine Has the capacity To take the highest flight And the longest journey.
“I have come every year since 2007, so this is my 10th year.”
Of all the runners attending the race Fred Davis 111 may be the one who has attended more of these events back to back than anyone else.
He confesses that over the years he has never felt that he has performed as well as he is capable of doing. His personal best over 10 days he set in 2010 when he did 505 miles. Still at age 68 he is tirelessly enthusiastic. Fred has completed 325 ultras over the past 34 years.
Fred says that the thing he likes most about the 6 and 10 day race here in Flushing Meadow is the contributions of all those who help and the other runners who like himself enjoy attending.
Sitting with Fred as we speak is a newcomer to the 10 day race Yolanda Holder. She has previously completed 6 day races where her best performance has been 403 miles in the Across the Years race in Arizona. She says that Fred has been very helpful. “He has been telling me to take it easy. Don’t go out too fast, because we have 4 extra days.”
Fred who has come here from his home in Cleveland even picked Yolanda up at the airport. “He is wonderful. He is a blessing.”
Admitting to some pre race jitters she says her left foot has been bothering her but says that Fred tells her it is all in her head. “I am very nervous because I haven’t gone past 6 days, 403 miles. I don’t know what is going to happen. Normally this is kind of normal for me. I am kind of anxious.”
When asked what brought her here to the East coast from her home in Corona California. “I like a challenge. The race director invited me. He has been following me in my 6 day race in Arizona. He was amazed that I can power walk.”
“This is challenging. Even doing 6 days is challenging. 10 days…..we will see.”
As for a goal. “I do see a number. I want to break the American Women’s record which is 510. So I definitely see 511.” The previous mark was set in 1997 at the race here in Flushing Meadow.
Yolanda says that she has developed several plans in order to be able to do this. “I have it on a little card because when you get tired sometimes you can’t add and you can’t think. You can’t think properly when you are doing 6 day races. So I wrote down every day what number I should be on.”
I tell her that Fred is the master of the pre race charts. “I have one this year but it is a little different,” he says. “Before I used to break it down into 24 hours. This time I have broken it down into 18 hours. If I get behind I have 6 hours left. My goal this year is to just stay out here. But as you know sometimes I can disappear for a whole day.”
“This year I am not so much worried about mileage. My goal is to be on my feet 18 hours a day.”
Yolanda says, “he has a goal and I am going to keep on him.”
“If I am on my feet for 18 hours I can do at least 54 miles a day. Right now my minimum goal is 540 miles.”
Just a few hours ago the Self Transcendence race, a grand multi day festival of running, of sport, and perhaps of life itself came to an end. For 18 years now, during the often gentle and sometimes challenging Spring weather in New York, some version of it has taken place on a winding one mile loop.
It is both mysterious, difficult, wonderful, and transformative. Of course the runners themselves usually have the best description of what draws them here. Which usually starts with the typical goal of trying to cover as many miles as possible.
But that is just the first step of a much longer and more profound journey. What usually occurs to each who takes part is something that is not so predictable or calculable. Something that is not so easily described in the brochure, but which quickly becomes clearly evident to all those who run and take part. That something, which is even more powerful, and can and usually does take place within each and every runner. Something not visible or illustrated by the numbers accumulating on the board beside their names.
Over the course of the race I have listened to many remarkable stories and seen miracles take place place, both large and small. Things that also usually take place in the every day world around us but somehow get lost in the clutter and confusion of day to day life.
Here at the race it is a much simpler kind of experience. Thinking and worrying are not to a runners greater advantage. Come prepared yes, but also, at least for the time that you are here, experience the great and wonderful adventure of your own life’s transformation.
Wai Law is a perfect kind of story of what the race represents. “I experienced a lot of things that I have never experienced before. It is like a roller coast ride both emotionally and physically.”
I suggest to Wai that even though this is his first multi day race he must have known that this would be a factor. “Yes but it was way beyond what I could imagine.”
He says the roller coaster ride was a good thing. “I get to know myself better.”
I ask Wai, who got 330 miles and came in 8th whether or not having a self reflective experience as well had to be a real bonus.
“Yesterday I was near a break down point. I was ready to give up. I was running a fever. I had pains every where and they seemed like they were not going away.”
“I stopped for a moment and thought…..maybe I should just give up. But instead I gathered myself and went into the medical tent and spent 2 hours there to cool off and let my fever run down. I came out like a new person.”
I ask Wai, that under normal circumstances he was going against traditional logic of what one should do when faced with that kind of medical and physical condition.
“There is unlimited power inside a person. It just depends on whether or not you want to dig deep and find it.”
I ask Wai what he may have learned from all of this that he might use later on in his life.
“Never give up. Try and dig deep and see what is within yourself. Go beyond what is in front of you.”
Mitch steps off the course with a look of contentment. “I just did one of my morning laps and it was truly beautiful and amazing.” For the past 9 mornings this has been one of the things he looks forward to most. He never knows just who he will run with when he jogs over from his home on the other side of the Grand Central, but inevitably he matches stride with someone, and gets to learn their story.
“It is auspicious that I am here now.” Of course Mitch hasn’t just come here just to run a mile or two. Mitch, or perhaps better expressed under the present circumstances, Dr. Mitch Proffman. He is a chiropractor who has been helping the runners of the Self Transcendence races for many years.
He remembers how he ran his first marathon in 1993. It turns out it was the New York city marathon and he noticed that there were many disciples of Sri Chinmoy also in that race. He couldn’t help but notice the aphorism on the back of the shirts the disciples were wearing.
The determination in your heroic effort Will permeate your mind and heart Even after your success or failure Is long forgotten.
“During races and long runs it is difficult to memorize anything, but I wrote it down and it became my mantra. I think what it means in truth…I am a chiropractor and I work the subtle substance of the soul.” Mitch believes that his efforts as a Doctor is try and release the blocked energy within the human body.
“What that does and why I love adjusting and doing healing work, with the disciples, is that they are pretty much in the present moment.”
“We can only be here now… we can’t be anywhere else. That is why I love taking care of disciples and that is why I always will. Sri Chinmoy said that the past is dust. And many times we try to live in the past. But the only true present time is now.”
“There are 7 billion people on the planet. It is amazing that I was put here at this point to take care of these 80 plus runners. Who all have amazing healthy souls. That is the truth. Nobody on the planet understands what these events are like.” He says that the distance each runner completes day is mind boggling. “It is truly a miracle.”
He says that when the race is over tomorrow there will be some sadness for him. He says the power and beauty of the race experience and living in the moment will be over. “I was meditating this morning and what came to me. This may not be the life you wanted. But it is the life you have.”
He believes that not just for the runners but for all who help and identify with these kind of Self Transcendence events helps to keep them in the moment and to be present.
He says he has discussed this event with his office patients and they have no way of grasping the magnitude of running 2 marathons a day or as well the whole self transcendence concept.
“I am very grateful that I was able to be here now with the runners and the disciples and to give my service. This is my yoga.”
