Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race

Utpal’s blog from June 29, 2010

She has been to the race many times before.  Today however Niharika is returning to her home in Finland.  She is here this morning cheering for fellow Finn, Asprihanal and of course all the other runners.  She is smiling and calling out to them as they pass by but it is clear that she looks just a little bit sad, because soon she will have to leave to catch her flight. Read more

Right after the 6 am start, while walking, all the runners sang a Happy Birthday song for Atmavir. It must be very special to have a birthday at the 3100 mile race. We gave him a T-shirt with Sri Chinmoy’s drawings of soul-birds. Everybody was wearing green party hats :) Atmavir is having a good day. We are expecting a birthday cake later in the day, too. Dharbasana has been struggling with hamstring problems and is reduced to walking. He’s tried every possible remedy and massage but nothing seems to help… Although he says it’s not getting worse. As we say here at the race, “The race gives problems, the race takes them back”. As usual, the Enthusiasm  singers come to the race every morning at 6.40am. It’s a group of girl singers who perform exclusively English songs by Sri Chinmoy. They are my favorite group performing at the race. Today I was sitting behind them and felt breathtaking beauty of those melodies and songs. Their morning performance is the most soulful part of the day. It reminds us of the times when Sri Chinmoy visited the race. Tomorrow we have another birthday boy. On the 39^th day of the race Galya Balatsky is turning 39.