Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race

Archived – click Post Title to view all. Sometime late this morning Nidhruvi will be the 9th of the 10 runners to pass the 1,000 mile mark.  For most of us this would be an achievement of a lifetime but for Nidhruvi it is just one very early milestone on the way to achieving the ultimate goal of 3100 miles.  As it is still only day 19, and with 33 more potential days to recover missing miles ahead.  It is still way too early to say that the ultimate goal for her cannot be reached. Something much more interesting is happening for Nidhruvi here than can be observed on lap sheets and score boards.  She tells me that before she even came a Doctor in Austria did not have much hope that her knees would do her bidding.  He recommended that she wear heavy knee supports.  Ones that may have relieved stress but would have most certainly been uncomfortable and encumbered her running. As she talks about different maladies that have made her acquaintance over the past 19 days she is not gloomy whatsoever.  These crippling problems she has learned to somehow to not be a prisoner to them.  Recognize that yes, they are there, but then let go.  To remove the strangle hold of fear and doubt from the equation.  Let the Supreme do his job in and through her, and on her part be an instrument. I ask Nidhruvi if she is having problems today.  “No not really.  It is always up and down.  There are always some challenges…

Archived – click Post Title to view all. Late this morning Andrey Andreev will complete 1000 miles here at the Self Transcendence race.  It is an incredible achievement since prior to this moment the furthest he has ever run before is 627 miles.  The people in camp will bring out a box of small brass bells which will be rung vigorously.  There will be shouts of appreciation, photos will be taken, but Andrey cannot stop for long.  He still has a long long way left to go. All the runners are under the watch of a fearsome schedule, particularly those who have dropped below the rate they need to finish.  For them they have the arduous additional responsibility of gaining back miles in order to reach the goal.  Andrey started out needing to do 109 laps a day.  Now because of some low mileage days he needs 111 laps which he was able to do yesterday. When we speak this morning he tells me he feels amazing.  When we talked last he mentioned that he was working on staying happy more.  I asked how that was working out for him.  “Hmmmmm, maybe not completely.” “I am trying to be happy by sleeping more (jokes).  I am keeping my eye on my miles in order to beat the deadline.  This doesn’t allow me to be completely happy because so far I am a little behind the deadline.” “I like everything about the race.  I like the place itself.” “Although I don’t know exactly all the rules of the game, I still like to play…

Archived – click Post Title to view all. Yolanda is a perfect example of a person you need to spend more time with to understand them just a little better.  From a first impression you cannot help but be impressed with how much effort she puts into her race attire.   Now, in the 17th day of the race there have thus far been no repeats and when asked whether she has 52 outfits for each day of the race she is a little vague.  But I can gather from our talk that at least 30 days will likely pass and none will be repeated.   When you search even just a little beyond her outer appearance you cannot help but be impressed with her inner strength and beauty.  Here the inner person, is for me at least, much more appealing and interesting.  Beauty beyond all the well color coordinated outfits. Her intensity and steadfast dedication to this impossible event is spectacularly beautiful and inspiring. Not being anywhere near a trained psychologist I suspect that what Yolanda has in amazing quantities is simply grit. Which defined by Wikipedia says is, ‘ a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual’s passion for a particular long-term goal or end state, coupled with a powerful motivation to achieve their respective objective. “Day 17, 962 miles.”  Yolanda is keeping incredible focus, as really all the runners do, on her progress.  She has a cushion at this point but there is still a long way to go.  Late this afternoon she will make 1,000 miles and I ask her if she paid any…