Self-Transcendence 700-Mile-Race in New York
13th September to 2nd October 2004
"You should smile more. We want to see you smile, if there are pictures of the race on internet." This advice of a friend came up to my mind. It was the eleventh day of the race and I had to accept the fact, that I would not be able to manage the 700 Miles in before the cut off. I could do everything else except smile. I had the feeling I failed and was deeply disappointed. Suddenly I had no goal in sight. And instead of a huge abyss was opening up and I fell literally in the bottomless.
700 Miles in 13 days. With this vision I was getting up and going to sleep. This goal in front of me allowed me to overcome tiredness and pain. Visualizing this goal I was keeping going on the track, loop after loop, Mile after Mile, day after day. And now?
Everything started quite well. I came with much happiness and gratitude to New York, my husband accompanied me as a tutor. I did not really prepare myself systematically for this race, but I completed many long races in the last 12 months: 8 Marathons, 3 Ultra-Marathons and one 6-Day-Race. Of course I could not imagine to be on my legs for 13 days and big doubts were bothering me again and again. But somehow the idea to be on the right time at the right moment was predominating at the start.
At the beginning everything went according my plans. On the first day I did 75 Miles. The next twelve days I would have to do an average of 52 Miles to remain within the expected time. My daily schedule was something like this: 4:30 am getting up, then I would run approximately 20-22 Miles until midday with a short rest, 12 - 1 pm lunch break, afterwards around 30-32 Miles until midnight, every 10 Miles I was allowing myself a short break. The track became my new home; the sleeping place is a tent and runner leaves the area during the whole race.
At the end of the first week I got a chord sheaths inflammation and shin splint on the right leg. Now the running was over, I could only walk. Even walking I could manage around 50 Mile per day, though I had to organize my time more accurately.
On the 10th day the outer region of a hurricane from Florida reached us. The weather was stormy and it was pouring with rain. Towards evening I reached completely wet the 500 Miles mark. I was happy. Change my clothes, eat, get some rest, back on the road. Meanwhile at some spots the track was standing under water, ankle deep. I was wearing thin elastic rubber boots over my running shoes. The rain coat was not totally waterproof - after two hours I was again wet. I changed again my clothes. My husband sealed the rain protection with tape. I felt cold and totally tired, I had pain at the heels and was getting slower and slower. I was up walking until 2 am but instead of the needed 20 Miles I managed only 7!
The following day I tried to fight back - in vain. I got a very painful inflammation of both Achilles. Now I couldn't even walk. - I was just limping.
The goal became unreachable. Why should I still go on? Why not finally sleep one's fill? Why did I come here at the first place?
I came here to experience an adventure. The race was an adventure for me - an inward adventure. A trip, on which I would come to learn myself better. The task was to step on unknown paths, to accept challenges, to overcome obstacles, to take upon oneself the risk of failure. I would have positive and negative experiences. And I would try to accept them calmly and learn out of them.
During my philosophical thinking I suddenly understood, that the challenge of this race was no more in completing the 700 Miles but to let them go and to find again the inner balance. Perhaps I should begin to smile more after all - I exercised a little and already the world was changing.
I was enjoying the fresh air after the rain and became aware of the wild goose, swimming in the huge pools on the track and I could again smile to my fellow runners. Out of the 19 starters only 3 would manage the 700 Miles. Even so everybody had a smiling face till the end. Most of them probably put into work what for me was only theory up to now: To collect joy was even more important then collecting Miles.
I also felt the particular cordiality of the helpers. As I could still run well, they were cheering me and now they were showing their sympathy towards me to make lessen my disappointment. The voluntary helpers were the secret heroes of the race camp. Some of them had a job during the day and were helping during the night at the camp. In between they were sleeping a view hours in the car.
These are a view inside looks at my race adventure. 567 Miles I managed during the 13 days. Never before I experienced Life with such intensity.
By Gods will, I would like to participate again next year. And till then I will practice tree disciplines: running, smiling and letting go.
Magdalena from Vienna, 40 years old.
To make the fastest progress,
Be an absolutely cheerful hero-warrior
And take both victory and failure
As parallel experience-rivers
Leading to the sea
Of progress-delight.
Sri Chinmoy
founder of the Ultra-Trio: 700 -, 1000 - and 1300 Miles