24 Hours Around The Clock

24 Hours Around the Clock

I am running, I am running around the clock.
My Lord Supreme has aroused my sleeping lock.
Twenty-four hours I have been running,
Challenging my capacity-world and transcending
My power-friend sun, my beauty-friend moon,
My friends planets, stars and sky.
Here on earth, there in Heaven
My soul-bird and I fly.
-Sri Chinmoy-

I had participated in the 24 hour marathon in Adelaide for many years as a helper, and every year I said to myself “Next year.. Next Year I will run it for sure!”
Nothing can truly prepare you for such a race.

TWENTY FOUR HOURS!!

Such a long time to be running and moving for, around a four hundred meter track, with your own personal lap counter marking each lap that you complete and calculating the time it has taken for you to finish each and every single lap.

I had my chance to participate in the race in 1997, the year that world famous Ultra-Marathoner Yannis Kouros was attempting to break 300 Km in 24 hours.  My claim to fame would be “I competed in the same race that Yannis broke a world record!”

Brilliant! This would be my race! Well, maybe.  If I could hold out for 24 hours I would be happy!

This race was special, a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in a world record breaking event.  We were instructed that the inside lane was to be kept clear for Yannis to attempt to break 300 k’s ! Well, considering that was an average of more than 12 m per hour for 24 hours all the runners were understanding and happy to abide by this request.

My personal race was an epic journey. My aim was to just stay out on the track and keep moving.  I managed that!  And I was honoured to witness a world record smashed!

Who is the Winner?

Who is the winner?
Not he who wins,
but he who has established his cheerful oneness with the result,
which is an experience in the form of failure or success,
a journey forward or a journey backward.

Who is the winner?
Not he who wins the race,
but he who loves to run sleeplessly and breathlessly with God the Supreme Runner.

Who is the winner?
Not he whose glory we sing,
but he who embodies God’s Compassion-Light in abundant measure.

Who is the winner?
Not he who has acquired tremendous name and fame and amassed a big fortune,
but he who requires only one thing: God-Satisfaction in God’s own Way.

-Sri Chinmoy-