Posted in race experiences on Jul 18, 2013 by Stutisheel | Comments Off on In My Heart Already, by Utpal
July 18 “It is a very serious number.” This number which is so serious for Yuri Trostenyuk is 2000 miles. In practical terms he has probably been aiming towards this number now for the past 16 days when at that time he made his first 1000. Hopefully if all goes well in just an additional 16 days more he will also be able to rack up another 1000 miles. Then all that will remain left in front of him will be that last little bump of 100 miles.
In so many ways his life long dreams are now finding form within the actual reality of his life. Coming in ways that he perhaps had not exactly imagined yet at the same time, with all his preparation and hard effort they have certainly not materialized out of thin air either. When he ran up this sidewalk moments earlier his eyes were bright with gratitude. He had hoped to actually have completed those 4 laps the previous night. But the conditions yesterday were horrific and unfortunately will continue on this way for several days to come. When asked about what it was like here for him, “Yesterday was a very serious day.” Unless you are the most experienced of ultra runners these distances simply cannot be comprehended. Certainly for even an average marathon runner there is no way of putting his accomplishment into perspective.
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Posted in race experiences on Jul 17, 2013 by Stutisheel | Comments Off on Tree Of Life, by Utpal
July 15 We don’t know for sure when it pushed forth its first deep red buds. When it unfurled its first handful of leaves and felt the sun beckoning it to reach and grow up high and full into the sky. No one has yet to decipher an exact date of when a tree, or in fact nearly all of the other glorious and mighty gifts that nature creates around and about us are born. We can speculate however that some time in the early 1970′s a tiny spindly Japanese Maple sapling was first placed into a pot in a nursery somewhere in Connecticut. With who knows how many other small trees all around, it first felt life within its roots, stem, and branches. For most certainly it was just one amongst so many, all neatly lined up in long straight rows that stretched out across a field. read all 
Posted in race experiences on Jul 14, 2013 by Alakananda | Comments Off on Become a Better Instrument, Utpal
July 14 “It is going to be very interesting. I hope we survive it.” Pranjal is talking about the weather forecast for today which is predicted to be repeated over and over again every day for the rest of the week. He describes a relentless march of metric temperatures all in the 30′s, but to most of us he means over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. In NY speak what lies ahead, not just for 12 weary runners but also the entire city and a great sizzling slice of the American east coast is simply a long heat wave. 
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Posted in race experiences on Jul 13, 2013 by Alakananda | Comments Off on Significant Places, Utpal
Just a few weeks ago was the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Over 3 days of fighting 50,000 soldiers lost their lives in this great struggle that was the turning point of the American Civil war. Latter that fall the American President, Abraham Lincoln gave a short but immortal speech at the inauguration of the cemetery that was created there as the final resting place for all those who sacrificed their lives on its hallowed ground. With both the significance of the battle, as well as those most powerful inspirational 10 lines that Lincoln spoke there, people from across the country have been making pilgrimages there for generations. It is a place in which history has indelibly etched its mark. Such locations have always been beacons to pilgrims, scholars, tourists, and the curious. 
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