Now is when you have to Enjoy Yourself

The mileage board tells the tale this morning. Seven names now have those glorious coveted numerals besides them. Just five runners, have many miles and adventures more to go.

The staging area does look bare, and in an unusual site, the race director can actually sit down for a moment. He doesn't very often. Everything is put together so much quicker, when the numbers are so low. It takes less time to prepare for 5 than it does for 14.
They come of course soon enough. Looking for food, practically all. Looking for coffee, just some.

Diganta had a good day yesterday with 58 miles. He is a man who seems without pressure in his life of any kind right now. His finish will come next, just 2 days away.







Ananda Lahari will finish on Sunday.






Pavol now runs for a different goal. To complete 2700 miles. He should make this distance before the race ends on Sunday.

I look at Suprabha's picture here and it seems to say it all. I am my spiritual masters instrument, he is my strength.



Rupantar has a bit of a surprise to learn that there are no counters signed up for this morning. It is now a one person task but still important. It will not be long before some calls are made, and a little magic happens. On the line is the still and calm before a long day and night.

You would think she might grow just a bit weary after so many years and miles here, but she does not. Any weakness here at all, and you would fall apart. In your legs, your mind or your heart. When ever you think of quiting some tough job, just picture what she has done here year after year.


Diganta is so very relaxed and cheerful. There was a little headache with changing his ticket back home to Vienna. But that has all been done now. He will leave on the 13th instead of the 7th. (I am sure you know it by now, Diganta's mom.) It will give him a chance to catch his breath, before he flies. It all should be over on thursday now. He tells me, "I will enjoy myself. It will be easier all the time." This he says with just 165 miles more to go. I am really curious why he seems so cheerful. He tells me simply, "Anytime to be happy is here and now." It strikes me as a wise and thoughtful thing to say, but then again the race allows you to experience so much, and learn so much more. He says, "be happy as possible and the body is also happy. Our performances get better." This strikes me as being an obvious and perfect perspective on not just his life but of course on all our lives. Easy to say living in the moment but much harder to do.

As for feelings of loneliness, he is comfortable in his own skin, so it seems. He says, "it is peaceful. There is no one to talk to. You are with yourself." As for the goal, the outer one of 3100 miles that is, "Not far now," he says. "I am in good shape."

Ananda Lahari tells me he is not lonely either. He notes the changes that have taken place ever since Asprihanal was the first to finish. But he says of the slowly disappearing runners, "It is nice to see people finish."

This talented Slovakian runner has gone through a lot here. He has had shin splints and found his way through, his liver has underperformed, and he has taken a supplement that brought him back. His energy now however is not what he would like but still he accepts nonetheless.

He feels not intimidated at all by pain and injuries but the mysteries around lack of energy are puzzling for him. There seems no quick fix, because it may be diet related, digestion problems, or perhaps something entirely different. He tells me that, "when you have energy to fight pain and injury, you can go through it."

It is clear however that he should be able to finish on Sunday, in and around the same time as Suprabha. As for feeling disappointed or sad at his experience here, that is not an option. His love and enthusiasm for the race is endless. He says, "now is when you have to enjoy yourself. Every day!"


Abichal had the most miles yesterday with 59. He will finish on Friday with potentially, a new record.

Pavol has 5 days to do 115 miles, and make 2700.




I guess you can tell who is temporarily counting. And I regret that I have taken so long to give a little more notice to another group of singers who also have faithfully and regularly shown up on the 3100 mile race course

Radha's singers are just down the block.




My pictures aren't so great, but their singing is.










Just play the video to find out.