June 24, Upal: Inwardly Happy

When Kaneenika started running this morning at the 3100 mile race she was taking her first steps into uncharted territory for her. Many times she has run the 10 day race in Flushing Meadow but for her today is the start of day 11.  A new milestone in an exemplary and distinguished career of this 45 year old runner from Bratislava Slovakia.

When I approached her to speak this morning I asked if I could run a lap with her.  She laughed, “I have run many laps.” As of this morning she had run around the block 1088 times in the previous 10 days.

I first ask a typical and quite possibly a rude question.  Is she happy?  From the vantage point of the sidelines Kaneenika has been radiant every day since she started.  Her face brightened almost always by a gentle clear smile.  I add as well to that question that it has to be hard to be as happy as she appears to be.

“It is always like that during these races.”

I am curious just how different it must be for her here rather than the one mile loop in Flushing Meadow where she has run for so many Spring races.  “I have been feeling it since day 3……..or maybe from the beginning of the race.  Even though I have had experiences from the shorter races.  This is just so different.”

“I never really wanted to do this race before.  Believe it or not.  It just happened last year, that I got the inspiration.  It was quite strong.”  She admits that at first she tried to ignore the feeling.  “But then it came again.”

special-Kaneenika

Read more http://perfectionjourney.org/2015/06/24/june-24-inwardly-happy/#more-44285

This entry was posted on Wednesday, Jun 24, 2015 at 06:03 PM and is filed under race interviews. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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