Where is paradise? race impressions No. 1  

Perhaps, paradise is where you are absolutely happy. Personally for
me, the happiest time in my life was right in the same park at
Queens. I felt unconditional and unlimited happiness. I never even
asked myself why I was happy, this was just what I felt inside.  If
it’s not a paradise when you try to transcend your own limitations,
when you smile and get 100 smiles back, when you feel that you love
the entire World and feel oneness with everybody who surrounds you?
As for all blisters, pain in knees and all other things which bother
you during the race, you forget about all these things four days
after the race is over.  But after the race your life changes it’s
very easy to get this virus  simply come to the Corona Park during
the 6 and 10 day race and I am sure that you will be infected.
After my first multi-day race, I feel that I belong to self-
transcendence races and this is what my soul wants me to do.
For the mind it looks almost impossible to run about 50 miles a day
during 10 days. Wow! this is something beyond man’s abilities,
particularly if you have just about a year experience of running.
For the mind, perhaps it’s impossible, but when God’s Grace
descends, everything becomes possible. I run many miles with
aphorism as follows:

If we believe in our own
Self-transcendence-task
Then there can be
No unreachable goal.

Sri Chinmoy
https://www.srichinmoylibrary.com/no-unreachable-goal/1.html

This 10 day race is, perhaps, the best time for spiritual progress.
There are no daily duties you have to do, just keep on moving.  You
have the entire day and even nigh in your disposal to sing songs, to
repeat aphorisms, to pray and meditate, to try different spiritual
practices.  Our inner capacities are really unlimited, so, when you
dive inside, you feel the energy charging you, and you make one lap
after other even not noticing them.  It’s amazing to see runners
after a few days of walking to run as fast as if they were running
10 mile race.  I remember one night after a really very slow day,
when I was repeating: Supreme, Supreme, Supreme.. and suddenly I
felt so much energy and strength, that I did not notice any pain in
my knees, I did not look around and did not count laps any more,  I
just run and run, only taking some water at my table. It was
amazing!

I was really lucky to have an excellent helper Nastya and
experienced helpers of other runners who took care of me.
Otherwise, how could I get to know that it’s really helpful for
muscles to drink once a day a mixture of water, vinegar and honey
with a few pills of calcium :-)))
Claudia, I am very grateful to you for your support absolutely in
everything! Thank you so much!
It was very inspiring to see people coming to support runners.  At
the only night when it was rainy, I was running and noticed as the
drummer took out of his car all his drums and set them at the
track.  I couldn’t believe my eyes; he was playing all the time
while it was raining.  And during the entire last night of the race
all runners could hear sounds of the drum it was so self-giving.

When on the race I was asked if I would like to come to this race
again and I could not give answer, then now I can definitely say
YES, I would love to come to the race again and again!!!

With heart full of gratitude,
Olga

Originally posted on Sri Chinmoy Inspiration Group