runners – Page 38 – Perfection Journey

April 23rd…. Enjoy All The Great Things

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.

Sri Chinmoy, The God of the mind [songbook]

“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.

Continue reading “April 23rd…. Enjoy All The Great Things”

April 22nd… When I Share My Happiness

“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.”

Richard rushes in to make his 3 day total 168

When I share
My happiness,
I multiply it.

Continue reading “April 22nd… When I Share My Happiness”

April 21st….Everybody Smiling

“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.

Ed is in 2nd place with 181 miles

I smiled in my mind.
Everybody ridiculed me.

I smile in my heart.
Nobody ignores me.

I shall smile in my soul.
All will love me.

Continue reading “April 21st….Everybody Smiling”

April 20th….Everything Must Change

At 12 noon today the first 24 hours was completed, and so Day 2 began.

https://vimeo.com/163630874

Yolanda is very happy with her 24 hour total

Completing that first 24 hours is a big step for all the runners.

Everything must change,
But it has to start
From deep within.

Continue reading “April 20th….Everything Must Change”

April 19th…..The Longest Journey

“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.

Continue reading “April 19th…..The Longest Journey”

The Day Before….April 18th

“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.”

Link to Yolanda’s website:

http://www.yolandaholder.com/#!about/c66t

“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.”

Click to Play:

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Continue reading “The Day Before….April 18th”

Set Up for the 6 & 10 Day Race…April 17th

Manoshri and her sister Gautami are back at the race for their 2nd year. Helping them both this year just as she did last year is their Mom.

https://vimeo.com/163189554

For now it is mostly just the tents of the 10 day runners which are going up.

Where the reason-cloud ends
My journey begins.
Where the doubt-poison ends
My goal begins.

The crew has been working for 4 days now setting up the village.

Continue reading “Set Up for the 6 & 10 Day Race…April 17th”

Eternal Friends, Eternal Rivals, Eternal Brothers

“You are not going to play this ever again.”

Bhashwar jokes as he watches an old film of himself and Sakhshat competing in a 400 meter race that took place back in 1980. It is the first time that either of them has seen it. In this event Sakhshat is the clear winner. At the time Sakhshat was 30 years old and Bhashwar 34.

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I am showing the film to them on my lap top. Of course I don’t want to embarrass either of these 2 incredible athletes. Both are gifted runners, who competed against each other many many times over the years. Not just in the Sri Chinmoy annual sports day but also in Masters competitions.

I have filmed and videoed many of their Sri Chinmoy centre competitions. What is remarkable about the particular race that I am showing both of them now is that this 400 meter race is the very first time that they competed against each other.

The two friends sit side by side as they relive an intense brief experience that took place 36 years ago. The screen is small and the reflection glows brightly in their faces. Their eyes stare transfixed upon an event that signaled the very beginning of a unique and significant phase in both their lives. Something that inspired them both, not just physically but also most definitely spiritually as well.

As Bhashwar watches their first 400 meter race he is enthralled. He repeats the word “wow”, again and again. Sakhshat leads the race from start to finish, he is silent.

Sakhshat: “I think Guru wanted me to have a good experience.” He laughs, “I lost all the rest of them, except one or two.”

The film continues and shows a few other races.

Sakhsaht: “Look at Guru.”

Bhashwar: “He is into this stuff.”

Clearly as you watch even this short piece of film it is abundantly clear just how enthusiastic Guru was about sports day. I have filmed him competing in a number of events. He looks most enthused though when he is standing at the finish line and holding his own stop watch, and timing some of the faster disciple races.

Click to Play Interview Part 1:

Part 1

Continue reading “Eternal Friends, Eternal Rivals, Eternal Brothers”

Run and Become

Click above to Play:

Sri Chinmoy was unique among spiritual Masters in demonstrating that sports can play a vital role in the life of a spiritual seeker. Himself a life long athlete, Sri Chinmoy encouraged his students to take seriously both the challenges of the inner life, and the opportunities for self-transcendence offered by participation in sport.

Run and become.
Become and run.
Run to succeed in the outer world.
Become to proceed in the inner world.

The Self-Transcendence Ultra Classic….Ottawa 35 Years On

There is not very much about the very first Self-Transcendence 24 hour race held in Ottawa that anyone now associated with organizing the race can still remember. The kind of exact records and details associated with nearly every current day race have somehow slipped away. It was after all 35 years ago. A time when hard drives were what you did when you got in your car and went from Halifax to Vancouver.

No one today even knows which track it was held on, or the exact date in May when a brave band of runners appeared on starting line of a 400 meter track to do something that the world had rarely seen before. The little that we do know however is still pretty impressive. Starting in May of 1981 the Ottawa race has an unbroken streak, except for one year, that now stretches back 35 years. It just may be the longest continually held 24 hour race in the world.

For the past few years the race, which now also accommodates a 6 and 12 hour event, has been held in the Louis Riel dome. 49 participants came to take part this year on September 26. The winner of the race will be the Canadian 24 hour champion.

One thing that makes the research a little easier on the history of this race is that the indisputable fact that the great Canadian/Scottish Al Howie was one of the runners that first year. He not only won but he also set Canadian and North American records at the same time. His distance for the 2nd race in 1982 was even greater. He ran an astonishing 150 miles and 233 yards (241.726 KM) which pushed the record out even further. He was so intent on improving himself when he came again, that in the 3rd race in 1983, he ran all the way from Winnipeg to Ottawa as part of his training.

Al Howie, an icon of endurance events would run a lot of miles and engrave some serious running history at the event for its first 5 years, and for a lot of other years afterwards in ultra races all around the world.

What becomes clear when you attempt to gaze backwards across the many years, is that something so unique and challenging 35 years ago is now dwarfed in comparison to some of the huge distance races that are being held elsewhere. Multi day running, though still not commonplace, is no longer shocking when brought up around most runners today.

Picture taken In New York — Picture of Sri Chinmoy and Al Howie taken after a race in New York

Sri Chinmoy, the founder of the marathon team saw early on that distance running would become much more common all around the world. That people would use the challenge of long races to test a runners capacity in every way. He first asked the members of the group in Ottawa to put on their first 24 hour race in May of 1981.

Long-distance running gives us a real feeling of accomplishment. We can run 100 metres forty times during the year and not feel the same sense of accomplishment as when we run one marathon. But speed and endurance are both important, especially in the spiritual life. If one has only speed, then one cannot ultimately succeed; we need endurance because the goal is quite far. Again, if one has only stamina and no speed, then it will take forever to reach the goal. Only if someone has both qualities will he be able to make very good progress in his spiritual life and achieve something really great in life.

Continue reading “The Self-Transcendence Ultra Classic….Ottawa 35 Years On”