Archive for the ‘race interviews’ Category

July 21, Utpal: Can’t Do This By Yourself

July 21, 2015
I start off my conversation this morning with Nirbhasa, by dealing with the painfully obvious subject matter of the abrasions to his face.  Which since it occurred 4 days ago is now old news.  He is looking much much better each day since he took a tumble last Friday.
He says it never worried him falling but was more concerned about the loss of time.  “I never really thought it was all over.  Up here (everything above his legs), there is no part of my body that I need to run with.  Including the brain. (laughs) nirbhasa-good Read more http://perfectionjourney.org/2015/07/21/july-21-cant-do-this-by-yourself/#more-45981

July 20, Utpal: This Race is so Sacred

July 20, 2015

Archived – click Post Title to view all. “I come every day because I can only be inspired by this race.” Dipali probably does a lot of things really well.  The only thing I ever see her do most days though is run.  For hours her light strides prowl here and there around the Queens neighborhood in which she lives. There may be some strict trajectory to her flights each day but most often she seems to flit here and there. She will suddenly pop up unexpectedly on some road you are walking when you least expect it.  The light cadence of her shoes dancing across the sidewalk.  A perpetual smile beaming beneath a large  pair of sunglasses. When the 3100 mile race is going on of course her orbits more frequently mesh into the cycle of the runners.  She loves the race very much but it has never called her to it.  Her race is Flushing Meadow and the yearly 6 day race. “Right now I am truly inspired by Ashprihanal’s performance.  I saw him last year start the 10 day race.  And I thought, that boy is on some special record, which he did.  He was doing 83 miles a day.” “This year I saw his first lap.  I have never seen Ashprihanal go out so fast on lap one.  I thought, he is after the record here.  Intuitively I felt it.” “To break down what he is doing, he is running an average of 76.58 miles a day.  From day one I have seen every record go of his predecessor…

July 19, Utpal: One of the Best Things I Ever Did

July 19, 2015

Archived – click Post Title to view all.  Every runner who comes to participate in the 3100 mile race has to have a deep inner feeling and conviction that it is the right thing to do.  It also goes without asking that they also need to be incredibly fit and well trained.  Over 19 summers many runners have come, and each has had their own unique inspiration.  One that was strong enough to shake them loose from a comfortable life back home into doing something that is the hardest thing in the world to do. Grahak’s story of how he came to be here for the first time is particularly special.  It also shows just how much Sri Chinmoy knew and cared for both the inner and outer aspects of each of his students. “In 2005 I had just finished a one mile race in Qingdao (Christmas trip in China).  I got second, which was pretty rare for me.  I was in the function room of the hotel.  Sri Chinmoy was handing out the awards, and he said to me.   Have you run our longest race?”  Confused a bit he replied that he had done the race and come in second. “Than he asked me again in the lobby of the hotel, the same question.  Than it started to inspire me, or hit home, exactly what he was asking.  After that it took me a year or 2 to get up the courage and I applied to do the race. “It was definitely insightful by Sri Chinmoy because I had been thinking…

July 18, Utpal: My First Home

July 18, 2015
 “I know my body.  Sometimes you have to surrender to Mother Nature and sometimes I am running well.”
«Я знаю своё тело. Временами я бегаю хорошо, но временами вы должны просто сдаться на милость Матушке Природе».
For the last 2 days this 37 year old Czech runner has been running very well.  Yesterday he ran 71 miles and at this moment in the morning there is nobody faster on the course.  His pace is so smooth and flowing it would be nearly impossible to guess that he has been here doing this very same thing for the past 34 days.  In the process also amassing 2187 miles. This is Atmavir’s 8th race and it seems that the lessons you learn running 3100 mile race never end.  No matter how many miles you have run.   No matter how many years you  have dedicated yourself to its baffling wonders.  How to cope with bad days and also how to cope with days when you switch to autopilot and let the mysterious inner force within carry you almost effortlessly along. “Right now I am one lap faster than Ashprihanal.  In the afternoon it could change.  So I don’t mind.  If I am running I enjoy it, and if I am not running, I try to be a happy walker.  But I have to say that I am a really miserable walker.  Only Stutisheel is slower than me.” atmavirContinue

July 17, Utpal: Something In My Heart Very Very Nice

July 17, 2015
 “I would like to tell a story.  It happens every day.  Around 8pm when I am tired.  I have no energy to run, and I cry.” It is at this moment almost like clockwork that Databir’s blue van pulls up.  It is the one he used to drive Sri Chinmoy with for many years.  When Vasu sees the van he will stand beside it devotedly and meditate for a short while.

“I get some peace, joy and I offer my gratitude to Sri Chinmoy.  After that I get some more energy, and I can run faster, faster, and faster.” There are times in most of our day to day lives when it appears that our world increasingly becomes more complex and confusing.  There is a part of us inside that yearns for peace, sweetness, and simplicity.  But despite our best intentions, not to take the tangled path we quite often do, and end up in a place where peace is even further away. Since 2012 Vasu has been coming to the 3100 mile race each year and been using the hard half mile loop to strip away the extraneous parts of himself that do not give him joy or fulfillment.  His life here is all about simplicity, devotion, and an incredible amount of dedicated hard work. vasu-sun2Continue

July 16, Utpal: To Smile Is Very Important

July 16, 2015
“Kodanda who is my dear, dearer, dearest friend, he proved that God exists.”

Earlier in the morning I asked Ananda-Lahari if he had any stories he might like to share.  I thought he might recall some memorable experience from the many years he has run the race.  Never once thinking he would come up with proof of the existence of the almighty. “On one hand it was really funny and on the other it was really touching.  It is a really nice story for me. One day Kodanda was riding his bicycle next to me during the race a few years ago.  He was holding in his hand a piece of watermelon.  He was looking at it and saying, if this is not proof that God exists than what else.” “How can such a thing be created from dirt.  Look at its beauty.  You could feel and you could see that these were not just words.  He was really feeling and appreciating this creation of God that came from dirt.” sun-ananda-lahari Continue

July 15, Utpal: On My Way Home

July 15, 2015
 “I am not a morning person.  For me the morning is really hard.  It is unusual that I have started running faster so early.  But maybe my blisters are finally trying to disappear.”
When I last spoke with Kaneenika it was 10 days and 600 miles ago and she has not only cleared the half way mark since then, she is also doing very well indeed. Consistently she has been getting 60 miles each day and than quite often a little bit more.  “If there is time and I have the strength I always like to do more.  Otherwise 60 miles, I am really grateful for that.  Last night was the first night that I stayed until it was almost 12.  Because I wanted to do the 60 miles and I had a really bad afternoon, because of the rain.” She finished her day 31 with 1860 miles on the board. “It is still far to go, and at the same time it is so hopeful.  I am getting closer.  It is definitely going down the hill now.”  When she reached the half way point she said, “now I am on my way home.” sun-kaneenika Continue

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