Perfection Journey
Ananda-Lahari is here for the 14th straight year
The board after 5 days
William working on his shoes. He had another superb day and moved well up the board
A waiting laundry bag
Aharan preparing an apple
The clock early
Kobi
Yolanda on the way to a perfect head stand
Long time friend and alumni of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence race showed up just before the start of day 5
Vasu extended his lead after 4 days
Yolanda always early
Aharn setting up
Nisanga will be here a few days more
Rupantar surveying the course
Alan set up some Scottish flags
This is the 6th time that Surasa has run in the Sri Chinmoy Self-Trasncendence 3100 mile race
The results after 3 days
Aharan learning the ropes of the early morning set up
Nisanga leaves in a few days
Kobi arrives
Yolanda changes the date to a 4
Ushika arrives
Kobi is here at the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence race for the 1st time. He has however much multi day running experience
A brief period of heavy rain came late last evening
A 360 view of the race
Tuesday is street cleaning day
Yolanda likes to come early
Vasu still the leader did a very good 74 miles yesterday
Yolanda changes the date from 2 to 3
Ushika like all the other runners in this years Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 mile race
Each runner should complete at least 109 laps each day or 59 miles if they want to make it to 3100 miles
Kobi and Vasu both had 83 miles
Vasu parks his bike
Yolanda tells me she wasn’t feeling well yesterday but she still managed 62 miles
Medur and Paramartha
Nisanga setting up
Getting ready
Ushika arrives
The start of this years Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Race
A lot of meeting old friends
Pranjal remembers the way here
Yolanda is Back
Suprabha there for the start
William with some friends from Sanday
A word with Bahula
Continue reading “Start…We Must Go Forward, We Must Go Upward, We Must Go Inward (June 17)”
/Volumes/Marathon Team 3/3100 Mile Race 2018/June 16/Finished/yolanda cnn-1022641.jpg
The 10 runners who will be participating in this years race
Runners arrive for 3 0’clock meeting
Sahishnu and Ananda-Lahari
Sahishnu’s speech
Sahishnu
William with his helper Alan
Yolanda
Kaneenika
Kobi and Yolanda
A last quiet moment
Pranjal
Rupantar getting ready
Rupantar’s speech
nearly there
Ananda-Lahari, Sopan, Smarana
Sopan
Vasu and Alexei
The meeting
Flower
William and Alan
Kobi
Wide
Ushika
Vasu
Yolanda
Yolanda being interviewed by CNN
The Journey’s start
is Dreamful.
The Journey’s
end is
Godful.
Guru Sri Chinmoy
Aug. 14th, 2007
Yolanda’s Finish Video
Final Laps
Empty chair
Smile Baby Smile
Nirbhasa getting a foot massage from his sister
“We can’t wait”
At long last
The smile
Victory
Daughter Tiffany
World Record
Presentation
Trophy
World class supporters Cathy Troisi and Kent Moore
Eddie and Valerie
The 10 Magnificent Runners
Balloons
Yolanda
Dear Friends of Yolanda
Pipasa
Last Lap
Finish
At Last to sit
Dad
Feet
Singers
My Own Gratitude Heart
A great story
Her story is a miraculous one. Late in the race reaching the finish line for Yolanda seemed it would be an impossible task. One, that up until not too long ago, was receding further and further beyond her grasp.
Yet today, on Day 52 it is just 60 miles away. Something, that as she confidently walks this morning, the last day of the race, knows is an achievable goal. One she has worked unbelievably hard for.
Her run this summer has not just given her impressive running resume a grand new prize, but also has rewarded her with transformative experiences and shown her surprising strengths that she had known that she had within herself. Qualities that all of us have but are seemingly only brought to the fore when we are confronted by true challenge and adversity.
“This is my last day and if I get emotional it is only because of all the love and support that I have gotten over the past 52 days. Everyone has been so amazing. They welcomed me in.”
“Most of all they believed in me. Even when I was 44 miles behind. I did a great come back. It is going to be a long emotional day.”
I remind Yolanda that in our first interview she had hoped at some point to have a powerful emotional experience. When asked if this is what she hoped for. “YES! I said I wanted to cry. I wanted to feel something special.”
“I have done over 540 marathons and ultras and I have never cried at any of them. Now I haven’t even finished. I am only on mile 3 and I am already crying. It is beautiful.”
Yolanda was incredibly confident when she started this years race but I am curious if when she was behind she had doubts about reaching the finish line. “Yes, when I got sick the 3rd time. I prayed and I talked to God. I asked him why was this happening to me. I know you never give me any more than I can handle. But I can’t handle being 44 miles in the hole. When I also have to keep doing 60 miles every day.”
“I was crying. I was really upset and I actually said that I quit. So I went to my aid station and got my phone and I was calling my husband and all the notifications just kept beeping and beeping.”
“They said, Yolanda you are my inspiration. Yolanda I walked today because of you. Yolanda you motivate me. That was God saying to me……these people need you. You can’t quit.”
“Then I just took off walking and kept doing the 62 miles every day and here I am.”
“I see a new me. I see a growth. A strength that I never ever had and I see a lot of love. It is just overwhelming all the love and joy.”
To all those who have worked hard to fulfill Yolanda’s 52 day challenge she says, “Thank you and I am so proud of everyone of you who have taken the 52 day challenge. The main thing is that you did it. We did it.”
“I did my 60 plus miles a day and you all did many miles a day and you stuck with it. 52 days of working out is amazing. You did it and I am proud of you.”
He who has inspiration
Soulful inspiration
is constantly running towards
and crying for
The Beyond
Sri Chinmoy, The outer running and the inner running, Agni Press, 1974
* This will be the last of my Daily Posts. I am very grateful to all those who have wandered over to this blog every day and even if just from time to time. The Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 mile race is impossible without the contributions, both inner and outer of so many people. But of course the primary inspiration is Sri Chinmoy himself. Who’s light and love continues to make miracles like this happen*
