Run and become, become and run, part 12

Problems going up1

The other day while I was running in Flushing Meadow Park, a gentleman came up to me and inquired whether our marathon would be held in Flushing Meadow.

I said, “Yes.”

Then he said, “In October?”

I said, “On the third of October.”

He was very happy. So there are people like me who like to run on a flat course. We have problems going up. Of course, in the inner world if you have problems going up, then you are lost.

RB 608. 9 September 1982↩

Ultra-marathoner2

If you look at Cahit Yeter after he has run a marathon, he looks as if he has just warmed up. Yes, some other runners defeated him in our Plainsboro marathon, but nobody looked as fresh as he did. Everybody else was out of breath, dying. Because of his ultra-marathoning, 26 miles was nothing for him. But then, if one says to him, “You are an ultra-marathoner,” he will say, “Oh, I am not an ultra-marathoner. So and so is a real ultra-marathoner.”

RB 609. 13 September 1982↩

Dying for a picture3

When I was giving out the prizes for our Plainsboro marathon, the girl who came in third came up to me with such devotedness! Then, she was dying to have her picture taken with me. She came up with such respect and then she was waiting for a picture. Bhashwar took one, so I will send it to her with my autograph.

RB 610. 12 September 1982↩

A champion in walking4

One day I saw Nemi running so fast. I knew that I could not keep up with her, so I surrendered. I said, “Let me walk so that I can say I was just walking and not trying to keep up with her.”

Recently I have started practising walking. I sincerely want to become a champion in walking.

RB 611. 14 September 1982↩

The kidnappers5

This morning I left to go running and walking at about 4:30 a.m. As usual, my road crew was following me in a car. Around 5 a.m. a newspaper delivery truck pulled up next to me, and the driver asked, “Tell me, are the people who are following you your friends?”

I said, “Yes.”

He said, “I was worrying because the car was following you.” He thought they were going to kidnap me.

RB 612. 14 September 1982↩

Encounter in the dark6

After going six and a half miles I saw a gentleman riding a bicycle. At that time I was absolutely dying because I was trying to walk the fastest for that mile.

When he saw me, he started shouting, “Sri Chinmoy, Sri Chinmoy!” Can you imagine? Even in the dark, people recognise me. Now so many people know us when we run.

Later in the day he came into Annam Brahma and spoke to Dhanu. He said to him, “It was still quite dark. What was Sri Chinmoy doing out there so early?”

RB 613. 14 September 1982↩

Not a runner7

At one point in today’s run, there was an old man standing by the side of the street with his dog. I was running quite fast, but perhaps I had a tortured look on my face because of my injury. Anyway, when he saw me he said, “You don’t look like a runner!”

I said, “You are right. I am not a runner.”

God was speaking through that man. The man should have told me, “You should give up running and be a non-runner like me.”

RB 614. 16 September 1982↩

An annoying runner8

Today as I was running back to my starting point on 150th Street, for a mile another runner was bothering me. As soon as she saw me approaching, she began running faster, always staying just a little ahead of me. At first I thought it was Kirsty, but then I saw that she had black hair, whereas Kirsty’s hair is golden.

Every time I came near her, she would go faster, so I couldn’t pass her. Then I stopped running for a while and said, “I don’t want to see her face.” Finally she made a left turn onto a side street.

RB 615. 16 September 1982↩

Greeting from the street9

During a recent run I saw a middle-aged lady running towards me. I was running on the street and she was running on the sidewalk. In order to draw my attention, she left the sidewalk and started running on the street. Then she smiled, raised her hand and said, “Hi!” When men greet me, I say “Hi!” back, but when women greet me, I only smile.

After she passed by me, I turned around and saw that she was again running on the sidewalk. It seems that she went into the street only because there were some parked cars in between us, and she thought that perhaps she would not see me if she remained on the sidewalk.

RB 616. 16 September 1982↩

Crazy man10

While I was race-walking in Flushing Meadow Park, two black men saw me. One of them said, “Crazy man, as if you are going to do a full marathon!”

RB 617. 19 September 1982↩

The rainbow11

As I was finishing a seven-mile walk from my house to Flushing Meadow Park, I was passing by the fountain in the park. An elderly man said to me, “Great walker, can’t you appreciate the rainbow?”

So I turned around and saw that there was an extremely beautiful rainbow in the fountain. For at least fifty metres I was walking very slowly, watching the rainbow. Then immediately I remembered, “O God, my timing!”

RB 618. 19 September 1982↩

The bag lady12

About three or four days ago I was walking and running on 150th Street. When I was only three hundred metres away from my starting point, a bus stopped and an elderly lady with two shopping bags got off. The shopping bags were full of groceries. With greatest difficulty she lifted up one bag and walked towards her house on a side street.

I looked at her and said, “May I help you?”

She said to me very abruptly, “Of course not!” She spoke so sharply that she practically took my soul out of my body. Then she looked at me again and said, “You are such a great man! Are you not Sri Chinmoy?”

So I gave her a smile and I picked up the other bag and walked with her. When we got to her house, I put the bag on her steps. Again she looked at me in utter amazement.

RB 619. 26 September 1982↩

Amazingly beautiful13

The following afternoon Dhanu, Databir and quite a few visitors were watching me walk along Main Street. There we have a very accurate course marked off every hundred metres. All the marks on my courses are now accurate because Nirvik has done them. He has done a most careful and accurate job, measuring everything while walking with the wheel.

Since I didn’t know where some of the new marks were, Databir went ahead of me to show me. At one point an old, very fat black lady — twice my size, but very short — saw us as we were crossing the street. She had two shopping bags, one in each hand. I think that Databir may have said something to her — God knows. But as I came closer, she was so kind. When I was two metres away, she took the bag from her left hand, put it in her right hand and gave me the right of way. I said, “Thank you so much.”

Then she looked into my eyes and said, “Amazingly beautiful!”

Again I thanked her. Then she walked away.

RB 620. 26 September 1982↩

Crazy Nathan14

In our 24-hour race this weekend, Kim was the nicest runner; she was nice all the time. Next was crazy Nathan. Every time he passed me, he had to say some crazy thing. But he was also very nice.

Once Nathan said to me, “Do you have a moment?” At that point I was walking and he was running. He continued, “I want to sing song for you.”

I said, “That is fine.”

His song was, “Oh, what a wonderful sponsor you are. I will owe it all to you.” Then he sang it again. He had set a very nice tune to it, so I thanked him.

The funniest thing Nathan said was about meditation and contemplation. He asked me, “Do you meditate while you are walking and running?”

I said, “Yes.”

He said, “I thought so. I can’t meditate, but I contemplate.” I said, “That is the highest state. That means you are higher than I am.”

He looked at me and said, “It can’t be higher than meditation.” His wife is also very nice, but she does not act so crazy.

RB 621. 26 September 1982↩

Immortal picture15

During the 24-hour race, Bhashwar had taken a nice picture of Cahit and me. I signed it and gave it to Cahit, along with another picture of him running. Cahit wrote me a letter saying, “Nothing is as immortal, as valuable as this.”

RB 622. 3 October 1982↩

Running in the street16

Before the marathon in Flushing Meadow Park, I ran about 14 miles on Union Turnpike. I was running in the outside lane and Pahar was running in the middle lane, next to me. My road crew was following me in the car. A policeman came and said, “Run on the sidewalk!”

So I ran a little bit on the sidewalk, but the sidewalk is much harder than the street and it hurt my legs. Finally I said, “Let the police come again,” and we went back to the street. Then an old man and woman saw us running. The old man was barking, “Can’t you see you are running in the street?” The old lady told her husband not to bother us.

RB 623. 3 October 1982↩

Cheering Gary Fanelli17

In the first part of our marathon in Flushing Meadow Park, I saw Gary Fanelli running behind some other runners. I said to him, “Gary, go faster.” In two minutes, as he came back in the other direction, he said, “Guru, thank you.” Then from his pocket he put something in his mouth.

He ran another half mile before making a turn. When he came back from the small loop, he was in first place — a hundred metres ahead of the runner behind him.

RB 624. 3 October 1982↩

The short cut18

Vince was helping at the nine-mile point, but I didn’t see him. That was the place where I took a short cut. What could I do? Gary Fanelli was finishing and I wanted to see him.

Altogether I ran 14 miles before the marathon and then walked seven or eight miles during the marathon.

RB 625. 3 October 1982↩

Without your blessings19

After Gary Fanelli won the marathon, I went to crown him with the laurel wreath at the finish line. He bowed to me and said, “Guru, without your blessings I could not have done it.” Later he told me, “I am so honoured that you invited me.”

RB 626. 3 October 1982↩

Namaste20

The tall, thin man who won fourth place in our marathon belongs to the Prospect Park Track Club. When he came to get his prize, he said, “Namaste.”

At one point during the marathon, while he was running he turned around to greet me. Many other people also turned around to greet me.

RB 627. 3 October 1982↩

The mistaken invitation21

Pulin was the race director for today’s marathon. After the race I said to him, “Pulin, that man with the moustache definitely ran in our 24-hour race. Please invite him to run in our next ultramarathon.”

Pulin is so divine! He went to a different man, who also had a moustache, and invited him to come to our next 24-hour race.

RB 628. 3 October 1982↩

The four-minute miler22

Today I ran on the course for our four-mile race at Breezy Point before the other runners. While I was running, I passed an elderly couple, and the husband started joking with me, saying, “Oh, a four-minute miler?”

I said, “Yes, a four-minute miler.”

When I was coming back from the turnaround point, the wife was asking Savita about me. The lady said, “That’s that older runner.”

RB 629. 9 October 1982↩

A certain attitude23

When I was giving the prizes for the four-mile race, the third-place girl said to me, “I am your disciple. Yesterday you accepted me.”

When disciples come to receive prizes from me, they have a certain attitude of devotion. Her name is Vicki.

RB 630. 9 October 1982↩

The street is all yours24

Towards the end of today’s 20-kilometre race in Eisenhower Park, a little boy said to me, “The street is yours.”

He was telling me that I could run on the street, but I went onto the sidewalk and continued my running there.

At one point we took a wrong turn, but Niriha saved us and told us the correct way. She was there videotaping my running.

RB 631. 10 October 1982↩

The barking dog25

Some dogs on our block are so bad. This morning when I was running at about 6:20, I saw a man walking his dog. The dog was barking. The owner was calling the dog Russell.

A delivery man wanted to put a newspaper in the mailbox of a particular house, but the dog was blocking his way. He was afraid of the dog. Then, when the dog passed by him, he put the newspaper inside the mailbox.

RB 632. 14 October 1982↩

Gary Muhrcke's advice26

Databir went to the Super Runner store to buy me new running shoes. The owner, Gary Muhrcke, is an excellent runner who was the winner of the first New York Marathon. He knows me well. When he found out the shoes were for me, immediately he took off 20 percent.

Then Databir told him that I wanted to bring my weight down to 131 pounds to run the New York Marathon. Gary is five feet eight and a half inches tall and weighs 125 or 126 pounds. He said I should come down to 125 and then, to get strength, eat before the marathon and come up to 131. He also said I should not run more than 40 miles a week before the marathon. So I am listening to Gary Muhrcke’s advice. I am trying to come down in my weight, and I will not run more than 40 miles a week.

RB 633. 14 October 1982↩

Short strides27

Once I was at Gary Muhrcke’s store, and I asked him to show me how to run with long strides. He took me outside the store and showed me, instead, how to take short, quick strides. He suggested that I run with children because they take very short, quick strides.

RB 634. 14 October 1982↩

Morning greetings28

Around 7:30 this morning an old man saw me running. He said, “Guru, why do you have to run?”

He was older than I am.

Then after five or six miles, somebody riding on a bicycle shouted, “Good morning, Sri Chinmoy!”

RB 635. 14 October 1982↩

The crazy lady29

Today the funniest thing happened when I was race-walking on 150th Street. On my way back, at about the 300-metre mark, a gentleman grabbed my elbow and said, “I have got to talk to you.”

I thought, “O God, he is going to complain about the 300-metre mark on the street.” That is the famous mark that a German lady has given us so much trouble about.

But the gentleman didn’t mention the mark. He told me that his wife had gone crazy. He said, “You see the bus stop over there? She does not want to stand there. She wants the bus to stop for her about 40 metres away, not where the bus is supposed to stop. Three times the bus passed her but the drivers didn’t stop, although she waved her hand and screamed.”

He told me that the fourth time a bus was coming, to draw the bus driver’s attention he stood in the street in front of the bus. The bus driver stopped and insulted and scolded him. While the bus was stopped, his wife entered into the bus.

I asked, “Now where is she going?”

He said, “She is going shopping.”

I said, “How do you know she will not do some crazy thing while she is away? How do you know she will not stand at some place and expect the bus driver to stop for her?”

I gave him my very sympathetic ear, and he felt that I really was sorry for him. But he had faith in her and felt she would come back.

RB 636. 14 October 1982↩

Like father, like daughter30

A few months ago I was running three miles in a park near Union Turnpike. At one point I threw off my hat, and Robin ran and picked it up. Today when I was running a one-mile race in Eisenhower Park, my hat fell off. Like father, like daughter: Joanna immediately ran and picked it up.

RB 637. 17 October 1982↩

Familiar T-shirts31

In today’s five-mile race in Central Park I saw a black man running right beside me, wearing a white T-shirt with my picture on it. He did not recognise me, and I did not know him. I also saw somebody wearing our triathlon T-shirt.

RB 638. 17 October 1982↩

Politics in the park32

After the five-mile race in Central Park, when our prasad was over, the Republican candidate for Governor, Lewis Lehrman, walked in front of me. Fred Lebow was talking to him as we were leaving the park.

RB 639. 21 October 1982↩

Craig Virgin's question33

For such a long time I have had many famous runners’ questions to answer for our newspaper column. Finally, today I answered a question from Craig Virgin. I did not know outwardly that today Niriha had taken a videotape of my running to show Craig Virgin at the New York Marathon clinic so that he could analyse my style. I was answering his question, and he was solving my problems! This is how things go together in the soul’s world.

RB 640. 21 October 1982↩

Creating a sensation34

For one week before the race, the New York Marathon creates such a sensation in New York City. Everybody knows that sixteen thousand people will run. There will be a sea of people flooding the streets.

Of course, since we are not the organisers, we are full of joy and excitement instead of suffering from headaches. Someday we should have sixteen thousand people in one of our races!

RB 641. 21 October 1982↩

A knife fight in south Brooklyn35

This week I ran along the New York Marathon route twice, going by car to different sections of the course. The first time, we went from the start to the thirteen-mile point so that I could run all the hills. Between the eighth and ninth mile is the worst hill. It is 1,200 metres long.

When I was in South Brooklyn, between the third and fourth mile, I saw a Puerto Rican gang that had been challenged by a black gang. The blacks were coming from behind me, and the Puerto Ricans were coming towards them. There were about four or five on each side, and I was running in between them!

The blacks had on the proper uniform — all black. I was wearing a dark navy blue sauna suit that also looked black.

One of the Puerto Ricans showed the blacks such a big knife! I just smiled to myself and kept running, because I knew that the knife was not meant for me. The boys on the road crew also saw the knife. Dhanu got the shock of his life. What an experience!

RB 642. 23 October 1982↩

All hills36

When we returned to the New York Marathon route on the second day, I started at the 17-mile point and ran to the 26th mile, again running only the hills.

Central Park was the worst. As soon as I entered the park, there were only hills going on, going on. During the marathon, once you come to Central Park you think you can heave a sigh of relief because you are almost finished. But O God, there it is all hills!

RB 643. 23 October 1982↩

Why are you running now?37

While I was running on the marathon course, one black girl said to me, “You fool, next week is the marathon! Why are you running now?”

RB 644. 23 October 1982↩

The sinking bridge38

At the start of the New York Marathon I thought that the Verrazano Bridge, instead of just shaking, was sinking. Many others also had the same experience.

RB 645. 25 October 1982↩

Looking for the first mile39

At the first mile I didn’t see the mile-marker or the clock. Finally I said, “I must have already passed it. I couldn’t have taken nine minutes for the first mile.”

RB 646. 25 October 1982↩

Marathon handouts40

This year the water stations in the New York Marathon were peculiar. They didn’t put them at every mile.

During the marathon people are always very nice. The spectators always give out oranges, ice and donuts. At one point this time it seemed that people were giving out tissues. At first I couldn’t understand why everybody was grabbing the tissues. Then I saw what they were. They were sticks of gum.

RB 647. 25 October 1982↩

Voirab's mother41

At one point I saw Voirab’s mother holding two cups for the runners to take as they ran by. Other people near her were also holding out cups, but because I recognised her, I stretched my hand out to take water from her. Unfortunately, she did not recognise me, and she gave the cup to somebody else! She was so excited about the marathon that she didn’t see who I was.

RB 648. 25 October 1982↩

A discouraging story42

I started out on the men’s side. Then, when the men’s and women’s sides came next to one another, I went to the women’s side. I thought that on the women’s side people would be more civilised, but I was wrong. After a mile and a half, they started throwing away the plastic garbage bags and all sorts of clothing they had worn to keep warm. Twice I almost slipped on the bags.

Afterwards I found out that when I went to the women’s side, Chetana switched to the men’s side, hoping to see me. She never saw me, but all the time she was seeing the boys from my road crew who were supposed to bring me water and run with me. She was seeing them, but from my side I couldn’t find them at all. Two or three times I just stood still, only trying to see where the boys might be.

So many times I saw our disciples watching the marathon. But this side and that side I was looking for the road crew — without success — and they were also looking for me. For so many miles, ten or twelve boys were looking for me. I was running on the left side so I would not be blocked by people, but still they didn’t see me.

When you want something and do not get it, it is very discouraging. Mile after mile went by but I did not see my road crew anywhere.

I didn’t stop at all before 15 miles. Then I started walking and became cold. Thighs, legs, here, there everything became cold. And the road crew was nowhere to be found. It was very discouraging.

Finally, I saw Ranjana with some drinks for me, and soon after, at 17 miles, I saw the boys in my road crew.

RB 649. 25 October 1982↩

The thirsty runner43

My road crew is always responsible for supplying me with drinks. This time when I was thirsty, sometimes I couldn’t drink because I was in the middle of the road and could not get near the water station. If the road crew had been there, they would have given me ERG and water. Three times at the water stations I said “ERG” but they gave me water.

RB 650. 25 October 1982↩

The helpful children44

While I was running, several times some black children patted me on the shoulder or tried to shake my hand. One said, “Buddy, go on.”

They were very nice. They were giving the runners water and juice. Unfortunately, their fingers were inside the water. Twice after taking water from them and thanking them, I started running without drinking because the water was so filthy. Each mile I drank water from the water stations, but not the water that children were giving out.

RB 651. 25 October 1982↩

Recognition45

I was so surprised that at least twenty people recognised me during the marathon. Even from the second mile people recognised me. My number was not listed in the marathon book because I got it late, and I was wearing something over my Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team singlet. Even so, at one point two or three black girls recognised me and called out, “Guru!” They were not my disciples.

RB 652. 25 October 1982↩

Seeing the disciple runners46

Many times while I was running I thought that no disciples were near me. Then I would turn around to find some of the disciples only 50 or 60 metres behind me.

At one point I saw Shephali right ahead of me, almost touching my elbow, but she never saw me.

At another point I saw Pranika going ahead of me after she had been behind me for a while.

RB 653. 25 October 1982↩

Pragati's parents47

At 14 miles I saw Pragati’s parents, and smiled at them. They have to tell the truth: at that time I was well ahead of Pragati. Then afterwards, when I started walking, Pragati went ahead of me and disappeared. Nirjhari was also behind me in the beginning, but later she went ahead of me.

RB 654. 25 October 1982↩

Toshiko D'Elia's marathon finish48

After finishing the New York Marathon, Toshiko D’Elia was so disappointed with her time. She asked Tina to tell me. Toshiko was so grateful to Tina for helping her after she finished. She was in terrible agony. Everyone was giving her this and that to drink. Tina massaged her and helped her like anything.

She is now quite old. She started running at the age of 40. Her daughter inspired her. Before that she could not run even one block. That means she was not a faster runner than I was when I started. Now, in a few years she has become such a great runner. She is a world record holder for women over 40. So still I can have hope. The best thing for me is not to give up.

RB 655. 25 October 1982↩

The marathon spirit49

Name and fame in marathon running was first won for America by Frank Shorter. Frank Shorter really shook America out of its lethargy or complacent feeling. It was he who made the start.

Now, people are running faster and faster. It will take at most five years, perhaps even less, for someone to run a marathon under two hours. How I wish that one of my disciples would do it! It is wishful thinking, but sometimes dreams come true. My disciples have an advantage because they have spirituality behind their running. If I were twenty years old, I would try it.

RB 656. 25 October 1982↩

Why do you get so exhausted?50

The day before the marathon I was running on 150th Street. At about the 800-metre mark, a dog came near me. The owner lifted his head and saw me. Then he became so excited. He shouted, “Sri Chinmoy!”

Three days ago I was doing intervals — walking 100 metres and then running 300 metres. The same man saw me on 150th Street while I was walking. He asked me, “Why do you get exhausted so soon?”

He thought I was only walking.

RB 657. 31 October 1982↩

Editor's preface to the first edition

Sri Chinmoy’s interest in running dates back to his youth. At the ashram, or spiritual community, where he lived from the ages of 12 to 32, he was the top-ranked sprinter and, for two consecutive years, decathlon champion. It wasn’t until the fall of 1978, however, that he first became interested in long-distance running. Since then, he has pursued the sport with the same one-pointed intensity that he has brought to his various literary, artistic and musical pursuits. For Sri Chinmoy, running — like writing, painting and composing — is nothing but an expression of his inner cry for ever-greater perfection: perfection in the inner world and perfection in the outer world. “Our goal is always to go beyond, beyond, beyond,” he says. “There are no limits to our capacity, because we have the infinite Divine within us, and the Supreme is always transcending His own Reality.”

Sri Chinmoy regards running as a perfect spiritual metaphor. “Try to be a runner and go beyond all that is bothering you and standing in your way,” he tells his students. “Be a real runner so that ignorance, limitations and imperfections will all drop far behind you in the race.” In this spirit he has inspired countless individuals to “run” — both literally and figuratively.

“Who is the winner?” he writes in one of his aphorisms. “Not he who wins the race, but he who loves to run sleeplessly and breathlessly with God the Supreme Runner.” As a fully God-realised spiritual Master, Sri Chinmoy has consecrated his life to this divinely soulful and supremely fruitful task. At the same time, on an entirely different level, he has made some significant contributions to the sport of running. He was the inspiration behind several long-distance relays, including a recent 300-mile run in Connecticut and the 9,000-mile Liberty-Torch run through all the states held during the 1976 Bicentennial. He has composed several running songs, which his students have performed at a number of races. His students have sponsored Sri Chinmoy Runs throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia as an offering to the running community. Moreover, Sri Chinmoy has encouraged his followers around the world to take up running as a means of overcoming lethargy and increasing their spiritual aspiration on the physical plane. Two hundred of his disciples, for example — most of whom were novice runners — completed last years’s New York City Marathon.

In the year he has been running, Sri Chinmoy himself has completed seven marathons. He averages about seventy to ninety miles a week, with most of his running done late at night or in the early hours of the morning. During his runs he has been chased by dogs, accosted by hooligans, greeted by admirers and cheered on by children. Sometimes he has had significant inner experiences; other times he has suffered deplorable outer experiences. As a spiritual Master of the highest order, Sri Chinmoy views these experiences — both the divine ones and the undivine ones — with a unique perspective. The running world is nothing but the human world in microcosm, and Sri Chinmoy’s reminiscences stand as a remarkable commentary on the whimsical, poignant, funny, outrageous and, above all, supremely significant experience we call life.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Run and become, become and run, part 12, Agni Press, 1983
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/rb_12