“Each of my races here are beautiful in there own way. If you look at my first race it was very hard for me. Perhaps even harder than this one. But if we speak just about this race I had many more things happen to me.”
“I can’t remember all the things ….It started with blisters. I had trouble with my sciatic nerve, and other problems because of that. Now I am having some trouble with my tooth. Such kind of things.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“I think we have these difficulties because it forces us to go deeper inside and find joy to make progress, and do this not just for ourselves but for all of humanity.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
Vasu says he tries not to think too much about the finish which is now just 170 miles away. But he is doing everything he can to get there as quickly as possible.
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“I am trying now to offer more gratitude for this race and for everything that has happened. Also I am happy about the finish which is not only my achievement. It is the achievement of my spiritual teacher and everybody who has been part of this race. Without everyone this finish would not be possible.”
“It was the first year I ran in the race. When I reached 2700 miles, I was passing the counting table and people were congratulating me.” Suprabha ( a fellow runner ) was also there and she also congratulated him.
Of all the support and encouragement offered at that moment Ananda-Lahari says he was basically not receptive. His response, “it’s just numbers.”
Suprabha he says was puzzled by his response. She said, “Isn’t it amazing that Sri Chinmoy comes here every day to play music.”
It was at this moment he says that he realized just how fortunate he was. The significance of his spiritual teacher making a daily appearance to encourage and inspire him and the other runners was suddenly made clear to him.
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“I was so exhausted and tired I couldn’t feel what was going on here. For me it was a lesson on how good it is to feel grateful for everything at every moment. But if I cannot do this then I have to work on it. For me it was a really good lesson.”
“The second lesson was I was really exhausted. I was really tired on the last day of the race. I will get there somehow.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
It was at this moment he says when time literally stopped. At this moment Suprabha passed and asked, “how are you?”
His response he said was just to complain about all his ailments. Suprabha said to him, “don’t think about it.” Then she just ran away.
Somehow he says he was jolted out of his misery. “I could run again and also time started running. So I am running at my fastest speed. I entered into my pain and I could just run.”
“It was a much better performance than my previous time. So in that sense it is an achievement. But my final goal is to complete 3100 miles. So in that sense (new 4,000 km Japanese record) is just a transition point, to get to the final goal.”
“At each important milestone in the race such as 3,000 km, 4,000km, and so on. People at the race do a mini celebration. Something really fun and joyful. So it made me so happy.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“So as I was nearing 4,000 km. I was looking forward to it because of the mini celebration. So it was really fun and nice.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“On the one hand, my feeling is I will be able to make 3100 miles the goal. But on the other hand you never know what may happen in the next 10 days. There might be some injury. Small troubles happen all the time, every day. At the end of the day I have to go one step at a time. Clear each little obstacle one by one, towards the goal.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“I am aware of the significance of the meaning of self-transcendence. I feel that through my running I can better achieve knowing myself. So running each day for the last 45 days has been a journey requiring me to face myself. Looking into myself. I would like to continues this journey of inner exploration for the last 7 days.”
“I feel very good. I can see the finish line now step by step, everything has turned out according to my plan.”
Wei Ming has had put on a remarkable performance of running since he took his first step here 44 days ago. He says even though there have been a few differences in a positive way but overall the whole experience for him is much as he anticipated.
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“I imagined I was going to encounter a lot of hardship, the beginning was a little bit hard but now things are better.”
Wei Ming feels that he is actually getting stronger as the race progresses.
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“I have been training to be strong physically but lately I feel my spirit strengthening as well.”
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“This could lead to the beginning of many different things. It was my lifetime dream to run here.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
Wei Ming feels he is understanding more and more the meaning and importance of self-transcendence. “After I understand it more I feel I will be able to contribute more to others.”
Though Andrea completed the 3100 mile race close to midnight last night he has chosen, as many do to run an additional 13 laps in order to make a full 5,000 kilometers.
Asked how he felt, he said, “Quite good I would say. I am really happy and satisfied.”
” I never had a clear goal at the beginning. Because you never really know your shape, and you never know how the race is going to turn out, it’s so long. But after one week or 10 days, I knew I could do better than last year.”
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“So then it was goal after goal.” He says that after 2 weeks of running, his helper Arpan, encouraged him to attempt to go for under 43 days. “Then last week we realized we could go for 3rd place overall. It was one goal after another. Luckily I got them all.”
As for why he would choose such a difficult event. “It is a drive that you feel from within. Once you do it there is this inner call.”
“Without my helpers, I would not be able to perform at that level. Definitely I could finish the race, but not in this way.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“Arpan did a great job he was motivating me for 2 days because he saw that I was very close, to go under 43 days. To get 3rd place overall. He was pushing and pushing me. Emotionally and psychologically. He was telling me you can do it. Come on let’s go. Luckily I managed not to fall apart.”
“The inner part of the race, somehow I realized that the race for me was already done. It was meant to be like this. When you struggle in the race you think it is about you, and your effort. But in the end I realized it was already meant to be like this. The inner part already knows in advance what is going to happen.”
“Since last week I have gone through different challenging times. Ultimately it is all God’s grace. We just have to be surrendered instruments and have faith that everything is being taken care of.”
“Really a big part of that is also being at times a divine warrior, and really have to bring forward all your determination, and fight against those parts of yourself that want to give up. Slow down or think that everything is too hard.”
“All of these things come forward in this race to be illumined and to be challenged. That’s what makes the race so meaningful. It gives you the capacity to see these lower parts of yourself. See your limitations and then dive within to find the capacity to overcome them.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“I was thinking that when I talk about being in the flow. I thought that you might think that it sounds like just coming here and flowing along effortlessly.”
“For me the connection to the flow often means really having to fight to bring forward the highest in yourself.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
Harita feels that though each of her races here as well as each day she runs are uniquely different the essence of transformation continues to touch the same parts of herself. At the same time every day is new and every experience is new. You can’t compare it you really have to live in the moment.
“To take whatever comes and try and make the best of it with the tools that you have and have faith that are making progress and that you are moving forward. ”
“Sometimes you feel…..o man, how long am I going to have to deal with this. Some aspect of my personality or some weakness. But we always have to know that we all really are moving forward. The process of self transformation and illumination is really a long process. A lifetime after lifetime process.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“But we have to start somewhere and keep going, and continue and never give up, and have faith that we are moving forward.”
“The nature of this race is that you are continually moving helps to remind you that the momentum is created when you keep taking step after step. Even if you are slow all those steps add up. That is so symbolic to life as well.”
“It starts with the simple things. Do one step more than you planned. Do something better than you planned. To expand. Then you will start feeling joy from this expansion. It is never comfortable, but ultimately you will feel joy from self-transcendence.”
“We all need to expand and transcend ourselves. Then you will get access to joy.”
Stutisheel describes how that even though he has participated in the race 13 times there is always something new to be learned and experienced.
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
The eternal lesson the race offers he says is that we all need to depend more upon, God’s compassion, and on God’s grace much more than others faith in you.
“The secret of attaining something unimaginable or impossible is to be as close as possible to the Supreme’s grace and the Supreme’s compassion, and God’s heart.”
“God is not planning to make it difficult for us. It is actually easy. All the obstacles we put before ourselves are usually from our own minds. We just need to be more in our hearts and to be happy.” By doing this he suggests we can start feeling things and doing things that are just unimaginable.
Though Stutisheel was able to run 58 miles yesterday his overall total of 2336 means it is nearly impossible for him to make 3100 miles before the 52 day cut off. He says that in the past when he has fallen behind he has lost all motivation to keep pushing. “I was just walking, eating, and sleeping.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“But now it is different. I am really continuing to do my best. I feel from within that I need to continue performing at my maximum. So I am moving forward.”
“I am really happy that I am ahead of my schedule, in respect to last year and I hope everything keeps turning for the better.”
“I take every day as a single battle. I never think about tomorrow, because somehow it never comes. So every day I try and give my best. Every day I try and put in the effort to do the work. I am trying to do all the necessary things that will make me happy at the end of the day. ”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
“I would definitely say it is a little half and half. I always had it as a kid and I have been working on it over the years. I try to really improve it. Willpower is a really powerful tool. If you can hammer than you should do it.”
“I have been pushing and pushing and pushing. I have no fear that something could happen. I hold the line and I know what I want so I go for it.”
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When talking about his 2 helpers Arpan and Anupam. “They are the most precious tools for this performance. They support me in every way. They care for me. They know in advance what I need. What is good for me. Which kind of food I want. So they pave the way for a better performance. I would really like to thank them.”
Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
Andrea then went on to offer appreciation to all those who have supported him. “I am really happy that I can inspire people.”
“Meditation and concentration are very powerful tools. They give the extra kick let’s say. Also faith. You have to have faith in something. This belief pushes you forward when you get in trouble. Then this faith can carry you on. It is an additional power that I think everybody needs.”
As someone who is prone to grumbling and forecasting that the sky is falling; a slow or fast lap around the course with Ananda-Lahari is one of the best antidotes I know to clinging negativity. He is literally always positive. Even today when he is almost 1,000 miles shy of the goal and only 12 days left to do it, he is happy.
He is so content in doing this impossible ordeal, that he is now running for the 17th time that I feel ashamed to complain about any of the real or imagined problems that seem to wash over me when I least expect it.
Sri Chinmoy Ultra photo
It is impossible to be glum when he and you are striding along and the smile he is wearing is so dazzling you can feel so unprepared for the cascade of cheerfulness that simply washes over you when in his presence.
Sri Chinmoy Ultra photo
I can’t complain when I run with Ananda-Lahari. I simply am required to retreat to my own heart which is a place that he seems to have taken up residence for an enormous portion of his day, and which I am told we all should do a lot more of.
Sri Chinmoy Ultra photo
I just have to smile when we are together. Sometimes not so great a smile which may more resemble an abbreviated frown under closer inspection but a smile nonetheless.
