When most of us are asked, what our idea of heaven and hell are, our impressions of them can change as quickly as grass shifting in a breeze. Most, but perhaps not all, would like to see heaven as a place with all beauty and light and perhaps precious little to do. Hell therefore would then be obligated to be on the other dark extreme of the spectrum.
The truth is that most of us, if we really examined our notions of Heaven and Hell, might just be a little disappointed once we arrived at the proverbial Pearly Gate and found all our wishes granted. Heaven, where we hoped for peace and tranquility might just be a little boring and the other alternative might start to appear to have some more merit. Excluding of course brimstone, fire, and dancing demons.
When most of us look at those who run here, we can appreciate and admire their efforts but few would want to be inside those pounding shoes. If we were obligated to spend two months out here and be forced to do it, then logically it could easily be described as a kind of hell, and why not. The runners of course have a different perspective. Not every day are they dinning on ambrosia nor are they forced to eat stinging nettles. The highs of course far surpass the lows, if not then all would have exited with speed to comforting homes in quiet countries long ago. And yet they come back as well, again and again.
The best moment may not even be crossing the finish line after weeks and months of struggle. It may not be to return home and recover and dream of precious moments when they ran through hot days and still nights here. Instead heaven may exist in those singular moments of the present, when they know with utmost 
certainty that they are doing the right thing by being here and pushing themselves to their limits and beyond. That they are listening to the call of their inner pilot who is asking them to go beyond and still further beyond. This is the elixir that all of us wish to drink.
We do not have to come here and do what they do but we all need to listen within and act upon the call of our inner voices. To not be swayed by the siren cries of inertia and doubt. There is some task in front of us all that we need to do, and we can do it. And even if we fail, our sincere effort will be its own reward, and mark a moment when our own personal heaven was within our heart’s reach. Hell is that we just didn’t even try.
He is sometimes known as the 14th runner. Swami Paramesh Ananda is a neighbor and friend of the race. He can often be often found running around the course early in the morning, sometimes even before the setup crew has arrived. He was away the last few weeks and seems happy to be back and once again circling the sacred loop. He does not say much and most of the time it appears as though he is deep within his own meditation. Other runners will zip by but he makes a very purposeful point of running only around the loop. His respect for the runners and the course are unmistakable.
