Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race

Archived – click Post Title to view all. Day  47, 8:30 pm. We’ve got one good news and one not so good. In the evening, Ashprihanal finished. For the last few days, today as well, he had been walking. Only on the last lap he trotted a little with the 3100 flag and crossed the finish line with the result 46 days + 12:06:08. In spite of all his walking, it’s still nis 3rd best time and his 11th finish. Only Suprabha has more finishes – 13. He looked a little sad, but he said that his happiest moments had taken place here when after a finish he was sitting next to Sri Chinmoy. After the finish, he was taken directly to our restaurant Oneness-Fountain-Heart where they are having a special program dedicated to Thomas Jefferson. The sad news is Surasa got an injury today. She was running at her regular pace which we are all used to. But around 1pm Pranjal said that she could hardly make it to the camp. She stayed in the van for half hour or a hour and only then did we find out that something had happened to her calf muscle.  In 30 minutes Gaurish, the chiropractor, arrived and tried to fix her. He said that the muscle was swollen and she couldn’t even walk. She had tried to walk a lap and made only a fourth of it, when Bipin transported her back. She stopped running at 1pm and was hanging in there to see Ashprihanal’s finish. Then she was taken…

Author Utpal 27 July This morning Igor makes a small joke with Sarvagata. This marvelous young runner, from Vinnitsa Ukraine, is is looking at the daily lap sheet report and points out to his friend, “you only made 99 laps yesterday.” It is just part and parcel of the quiet and gentle humor that is Igor. Sarvagata of course had no reason to run even one additional lap yesterday. For on that day he completed his journey. In the process setting a record for first time runners of the 3100. Read more

Author: Utpal 26 July Sarvagata’s sister, Sarvadhara is with her brother on this his final few hours here at the race. This morning he will simply continue to do what he has done now for so many long days. At the end of this day though, he needs go no further, and what is more, he will also be the champion. He has but 55 miles more to go now, so small a gap it is almost as though his foot is already poised to step at last across the finish line. Just a few laps more, when compared to all the suffering and joy he has experienced and endured now for 44 days. Using an American expression, I tell her that what he has left to do now is but a ‘piece of cake.’ I ask her if there might be a better expression in Ukrainian. She says his race is like a, ‘Gift from Heaven.’ Her expression is much better. Read more

Author: Utpal 24 July They are the quiet heroes. They are but 10 and yet though so small in number, these runners are a veritable army rising up to challenge impossibility. If you look for champions who wear capes and wave magic wands they will not impress you at all. For their foes are not diabolical wizards but things that can subdue us all, like weather and weariness. When our most crushing enemy is a simple lack of faith in ourselves they demonstrate each day, by simply lacing up their shoes that all ignorance can be defeated. You just have to try. Read more