runners – Page 37 – Perfection Journey

June 21… Something Within Me

“This is my 12th race.”

As 41 year old Ananda-Lahari starts his 3rd day of running here he has so far completed 154 miles. Not very much when you consider he still has just a little less than 3000 more miles yet to go. But when all the other miles from all those other years are added up the number is staggering.

The full distance he has completed 5 times but that when added to all the other years, well it is just unbelievable.

https://vimeo.com/171615645

“For sure I wanted to do it as many times as possible. But I had no idea what it meant to do it so many times.” For Ananda-Lahari he feels as though each race is a lifetime.

What sets apart this race from all the others is that as of this morning he is leading the race. Something he doesn’t give much importance too. “If you imagine you are running a marathon and you run very well the first 100 meters. It is a nice feeling but the marathon is 42km.”

“I think when I started these races I was like a baby. Very fragile and I don’t think I could handle much. I think I have become stronger. Again life can surprise you. You never know. For sure my body is stronger.”

“One of the most important things is to have gratitude. I want this gratitude so that I can really value my life.”

“Most of us are just living. Getting up and going to work. Spending time with friends or family. It just goes on and on. Time goes on. We don’t realize until our life is almost at the end. And then when ask……what was it for?”

“This race forces us to live in the moment. Not to think of tomorrow. The race is so long and it is hard, you can’t just think of tomorrow.”

“We are all just instruments. I would like to feel this more. That it is not my effort but that it is something within me. That everything is done through me by my soul. By the divine in me.”

Those who run after happiness
Will never be happy.
Happiness is something
That has to come to the fore
From within.

Continue reading “June 21… Something Within Me”

June 20…Happiness At Every Moment

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.

Continue reading “June 20…Happiness At Every Moment”

June 19th… To See That Ordinary People Can Do Extraordinary Things

At 6 a.m. this morning the 3100 mile race started for the 20th year in a row.

For Ashprihanal his appearance here for the 14th time is something truly historic and significant. This 45 year old runner from Finland set the record here last year and could so easily have left it at that, but he did not. Last year as well he equaled Suprabha’s incredible record of running the race 13 times.

Something spoke within him. The champion enters the ring once more. His joy and delight writ large across him.

This morning he is sharing this special moment but as well with a Joy Day taking place in Austria. You can hear them cheering in the background.

Stutisheel is running the race for the 12th time. “Every day is new. Every breath is new. Every 3100 is new even if you have done it before. It is a new challenge, it is something big and I am looking forward to it.”

Stutisheel feels calm in these few minutes before the race. He says what worries he might have had all came and past earlier in the week. “But now I am pretty good. I am at peace. I am focused.”

He wears a headband that Sri Chinmoy gave to him in 2006.

Link to his website:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stutisheel-your-ultra-running-coach/

Sahishnu said before the race started, “The real reason for the race is to inspire other people in other walks of life. To get them out of their comfort zone and to try and achieve a little bit more, and to also discover other capacities inside themselves. That is the ultimate goal.”

“To see that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. You can say this about a lot of other ultra races they are a long test, but this is a long long long test. It is like running from Los Angeles to New York with a also a side trip to Trenton New Jersey.”

Why start?
Just start and see.

How to start?
Just start and feel.

When to start?
Just start and reach.

Continue reading “June 19th… To See That Ordinary People Can Do Extraordinary Things”

June 18th… You Will Be Changed For The Better

It is a warm Saturday afternoon in New York. A group of 12 runners has gathered to have some Pizza, get further instructions, and to enjoy the last few precious moments of relaxation before they embark on the hardest task imaginable, run 3100 miles.

It is a pleasant and almost tranquil hour as all the discussions and nibbling takes place. No one is rushing and no one hurries, all that will come soon enough. Also what will come soon enough is the torment of a hot and humid New York summer. Which is actually just one of the devilish ingredients that make the epic journey in front of them all that much harder, if not impossible.

Yet they all will try as hard as humanly possible and even when they have done as many laps as they think they can they will somehow do more. Find strength and courage and determination that is not at all about muscle or of mind.

Instead it comes from an inner place within themselves. A source that continues to surprise all who search there. Because what can continuously be revealed is that what we all have, what we all can do, and what we all can become is so much more.

Ashprihanal running for the 14th time.

Shoes off

A smile

The girls

Continue reading “June 18th… You Will Be Changed For The Better”

April 29th….The Finish Line

“It’s been amazing. It has been like everything.”

Gautami and her sister Manoshri have both been running the 10 day race. With just a short time now left they are running together and sharing with me some of their experiences over the past 10 days.

Gautami: “It has been a mixture of everything, everything possible…..experiences, emotions. It was great for sure.”

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Manoshri: “There were ups and downs. There were times when you felt you were just so tired of running. You don’t want to run any more and you take a rest and wake up and life is good again.”

Gautami: “For me definitely the pain tolerance improved. (laughs) I walked with shin splints for 3 days and nights. I almost overcame it. I still feel it but I have been running on it for 2 days.”

“For me it becomes a meditation when I run. It is not just a silent meditation it is dynamic meditation. You feel lots of gratitude at times. Many times I actually cried with gratitude. There is a silence you have in the mind.”

“There was one day when I had so much pain, and the wind was really blowing. I actually visualized that my body was the wind. It was a really cool experience. The pain just all went away.”

Gautami and Manoshri and Mom-1240667 — The girls received constant help from Mom

Manoshri: “You go through hard times when you almost want to give up. But you feel, I should keep going. But when you go through this you feel so much stronger. You develop qualities like will power and determination. Then you feel so much satisfaction. You feel stronger and happier. It helps you to become a better person.”

Kobi is the men’s champion in the 10 day race with a personal best of 750 miles.

He surpasses his previous best by 52 miles.

The finish line is at once
Blissful to see
But painful to reach.

Continue reading “April 29th….The Finish Line”

April 28th….It’s Like A Miracle

“I am very happy to run this race.” Last year Tatiana Arnst was here for the first time. She did however see very little of the running part of the race, for she spent hour upon hour helping others in medical, giving massages.

Now after 5 days she has completed 215 miles. But the number of miles she completes here in 6 day are secondary to something that cannot be counted. “It is a special experience. It is very very important for me, in every aspect. For my outer progress and for my inner progress. For everything.”

“I am very happy. It’s like a miracle for me.”

Nipura and her kitchen crew have done an incredible job. Take a step inside the kitchen on their last day preparing hundreds of delicious meals and snacks.

The crew comes from many different countries and not all appear in this picture. They are Maria from Hamburg, Gerda from Salzburg, Harikanta from Moscow, Madina from Kazakhstan, Surudhuni from NY, Prageeti from New Zealand, Shvastanee from New Zealand, and Kshema from Ukraine.

Miracles
Do happen
In every human life.

Continue reading “April 28th….It’s Like A Miracle”

April 27th….Life Has No Limits

“The result so far is amazing. It is going really really well.” This is 44 year old Johnny Hallenby’s first 6 day race. After 4 days he has 348 miles. He is just a few miles outside of first place but is not concerned.

He has had a plan of running exactly 87 miles a day and he is sticking to it. His success in the race is in no small measure a tribute to his partner in this adventure Ellen Westfelt. Who as we are talking dashes over to his table to get him something as he heads out onto his next lap.

https://vimeo.com/164488623

Johnny says he is most surprised that he has time that he had not anticipated. “I can make mistakes but I also have the possibility to correct them. There is some slack in the schedule.” Johnny is also very focused on breaking the Swedish record for the event which is 486 miles. At his current projected rate he should have 522 miles by noon on Friday.

He and Ellen are also aware of the course record of 540 miles which at this point is not out of the question. Johnny looks very comfortable as he walks smoothly along at his current pace. His goal of completing 87 miles for the day is now within easy reach. “I don’t have to run fast. I have to run a lot.”

Ellen says that they are both enjoying the friendship and support of the race community that is here.

Johnny believes that Swedish people are fascinated with events like this. “This is an extreme sport. You can always get inspired by people doing extreme things.”

“Ultra running in itself isn’t that big, but it is growing tremendously.” The longest race currently being held in Sweden is a 48 hour race.

When asked if he will inspire other Swedish athletes he says, “I actually want to show that you don’t have to do what everybody else does. There are no limits in what you can do. You just have to be determined. I hope I can inspire others to do that.”

As we reach the far side of the course we come up on John Geesler. Johnny asks John to say something wise. “I think it is terrible how he is showing up the old timers.” (they laugh) John is 57 and has 294 miles.

“He is doing a great job. Not just the speed but also the consistency. His plan of 87 miles a day and he is sticking to it. He is a very awesome runner and you will be seeing more of him.”

Johnny runs away and says, “I am having a nice time.”

Life has no limits.
It is the mind that creates
Life’s so-called limits.

Continue reading “April 27th….Life Has No Limits”

April 26th….No Unreachable Goal

“O my God Susan is doing amazing.” Hridayinee has been helping Susan Marshall for the past 2 days. She is a 32 year old runner from Christchurch New Zealand and she really is doing well. She has 163 miles and is in 3rd place in this her very first 6 day race.

https://vimeo.com/164335906

“Susan has not complained once. Anything I give her she takes. It is so easy and she is doing so well,” adds Hridayinee her enthusiastic helper.

“She hasn’t had any pain, except for the bottoms of her feet.” Susan contradicts, “I have got a bit of other.” (they both laugh)

“I did have one nice experience yesterday. I was just coming through the whole painful experience. I was sitting on a bench and there were so many people around. They were blocking the entire pathway and I was standing under this tree. The most beautiful tree on the course with pink blossoms and a little boy comes up to me and gave me a flower.”

“It was really really sweet.”

If we believe in our own
Self-transcendence-task
Then there can be
No unreachable goal.

Continue reading “April 26th….No Unreachable Goal”

April 25th…. Inside My Heart

“Its been very good. I have really enjoyed it.” After completing 2 days Vikena Yutz from Columbus Georgia is leading the 6 day women with 142 miles.

This will be her 4th 6 day race but the first time that she has come to Flushing Meadow for the Self-Transcendence race. “I have wanted to do this for 4 years. It just worked out that I could come this year.”

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“When I started doing multi days I read about this race and another one, and that is what inspired me to do them in the first place. To come here was very important for me for that reason.”

Vikena says that 18 time champion Dipali Cunningham was also a big reason for her coming here. “I was really sad to hear that she was sick. I was afraid that I wasn’t going to get to meet her. Because she has inspired me, and helped me without even knowing it to do what I do now.”

When I ask Vikena if numbers on the board matter to her. She says that for the most part she is running for the simple experience of participating. “I would like to have a goal that I would like to meet, but I am just trying to stay inside.”

She has a dedicated team supporting her and Vikena is also impressed with the presence of all the other runners and helpers. “Everybody is so joyful and happy here. It is a unique place and I really like that. I think it is how I envisioned it.”

I have only
One thing to do:
To stay peacefully
Inside my heart.

Continue reading “April 25th…. Inside My Heart”

April 24th…..Changed My Life

“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.

Continue reading “April 24th…..Changed My Life”