Mit der Austragung von Laufveranstaltungen will Sri Chinmoy den Läufern Spaß und die Möglichkeit eines freundschaftlichen Wettkampfes bieten.
Am 2. Oktober 1977 starteten wir unseren ersten 10 Meilen Lauf in Greenwich, Connecticut. Um etwas Außergewöhnliches zu bieten wurde auf Empfehlung von Sri Chinmoy an jeder Meile Zwischenzeiten, Wasser und Erfrischungen angeboten.
Diese Läufe wurde schnell sehr beliebt, wie hier das Läuferfeld mit 400 Startern bei einem 13 Meilen Lauf 1979.
Many running fans know that yesterday (16th of October) the Amsterdam Marathon took place and that a world record was at stake.
Ethiopian Haile Gebreselassie, holder of 18 world records during his
lifetime and considered by many to be the best runner the world has
ever known, took it upon himself to attempt to break the world
record in the marathon, which since 2003 is in the hands of Kenyan
Paul Tergat.
He would have to run te 42 kilometres and 195 metres below 2:04:55,
a formidable and Herculean task. Yet many believed Haile could do
it, including the world record holder himself.
Conditions seemed perfect, an usually warm and sunny autumn day
according to Dutch standards. Just a breeze of wind would make the
journey along the river Amstel somewhat difficult, as the runners
are in the open there, but everybody knows that perfect conditions
have as yet not been seen in the marathon.
Haile was accompanied by as many as four pacemakers to run in front
of him, setting the pace and shielding him as much as possible from
the wind. The pressure on the tiny but lion-hearted and always
smiling Ethiopian was enormous. The entire world was watching and
expected him to break the record. As the mayor of Amsterdam fired
the gun the African gazelles were out of sight in seconds.
The first 5K were covered in 14:49 and the first 10K went by in
29:39, well below world record pace. Haile showed no sign of fatigue
as the half marathon mark was reached in 1:02:03. Just multiply that
by two and see where you end up.
By this time only two runners stayed with him, one a pacemaker, the
other a serious Kenyan competitor that surprised everyone by holding
on to the murderous pace. The next 5K went a little slower - if we
can use the word 'slow' in this context - but that was according to
plan, as they were facing the wind along the Amstel river bank.
Up until the 35K mark Haile was still below world record pace. But
now the marathon was taking its toll. You could see him grimace as
all the other runners had dropped off and he was all by himself -
except for the cheering and enthusiastic crowds of people lining the
sidewalks and streets, shouting his name with pride and joy as he
zoomed past. Haile likes to run in the crowds, as they give him
energy and strength, he says.
Gebreselassie is not unknown in Holland. He set four of his world
records on Dutch soil, and often trains and lives in Holland as
well.
Alas, the last 5 kilometres of the race proved to be the Achilles
heel of the peerless Ethiopian. A world record was not granted him
today, but he still ran a course record and the season's best time
with 2:06:20.
Since this was only Haile's second serious marathon, I am convinced
that one day he will get his prized world record. It's only a matter
of time. To a runner of his calibre impossibility is a mere
dictionary word.
'Juicy' detail for Self-Transcendence Marathon runners. 3 times
winner Gyula Szabó ran as well yesterday in a time of 2:36:26. It
was probably a bit disappointing for him as he had set his mark on a
sub 2:30 marathon. I think something happened to him at the end, as
his last 5K are unusually slow compared to the rest of his race. He
was also on TV, running besides the first woman in the beginning.
Abhinabha