Homeopathic Miracle in Ultramarathon

I like running. But I cannot bring my self to say I love running. Mostly because it takes so much self persuasion get out there. It is said that ‘the hardest thing about running is putting your shorts on’. After spending a couple of Sundays mornings at home in my running shorts, I have disproved this statement like anything. The other reason I cannot say that I love running is the muscle and joint pain that can couple it.

Yet on a wintery clear June Sunday morning I found myself returning back to my house from the airport, a route that should take 2 hours. I had briefly stopped at a feijoa shrub, and enjoyed 3-4 feijoas, enough to fuel me home, and resumed but only to be stopped in my tracks by a searing pain weakening my entire leg. I tried again to start running but the nerves in my leg felt like lighting cutting into my right leg. I spent the next few hours limping home, shivering from my chilled sweat.

Everyday that week after work I headed out hopeful to run my usual lap of Hagley Park, but the nerves in my leg stung. I was actually heart broken by having sciatica, but secretly cherished my worthy excuse to stop running for some time.

By the time July rolled around, having sort out regular osteopathic treatments, weekly physio appointments, the occasional session at the chiropractor and new orthodics, I was desperate to start running again. I had put on some weight and was tired all the time, but at last could run for 1 mile pain free. I went to New York mid July to help Suprabha who was running the 3100 mile Self-Transcendence Race for the tenth year straight, and found myself taking pain killers to cope with 3 or 4 miles walking I was doing daily. I received a lot of inspiration from the runners and the enormity of the 3100 Mile Race, held by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, and felt regretful that I had not entered for the marathon, which I have run since I was 17.

Finally two days before the marathon. Sri Chinmoy expressed his disappointment that fewer runners had entered the marathon than ever before. Sri Chinmoy’s philosophy of Self Transcendence, and always going beyond your previous limits and boundaries, I take as my own, so I thought, ‘I will just start the marathon, and never mind if I have to pull out and spend the rest of the race taking massage and lunch’. So I signed up.

I started the marathon, experiencing slight discomfort, but after 3 miles I was running quite well (well, relatively well, considering I was untrained and a summer rain storm was occurring) At the 20 mile mark my leg finally started hurting, so I power walked the rest, and finished in a Personal Best time of 4:48 (which later I found out was only two minutes behind my sister to my delight-not bad!)

You have to know this about me to fully understand my next decision. Since I first heard about ultra marathons I thought they were really inspiring and cool, that was when I was fifteen I think. So the following day, now at 20 years old, after still having never run one, the sound of the 47 mile race, definatly had its appeal. It is held at midnight on the 27th August – Sri Chinmoy’s Birthday, and has been held annually since he turned 47. Every time I thought of the race or someone mentioned it, and people were talking about it as I was that night, I was seeing the idea through rose glasses. I had hardly been able to walk that morning from the sciatic pain…but it had held out for 20 miles the previous day. Maybe I could just start and pull out if it gets a bit wincey. So I signed up.

A few hours later I toed the starting line. I was completely dark and I was intimidated by not only the distance but the other runners. I was starting to have doubts and felt like a fraud - standing with accomplished, experienced runners from around the world in New York – injured, untrained.

It took a few laps to loosen up from the marathon but eventually I got into a rhythm. I stopped into medical an hour in and mentioned my concerns and that nerves were starting to feel a bit niggly, and perhaps I could have an aspirin or something. Instead she suggested trying the homeopathic remedy Ruta Grav. and if it continued to get worse, then try something else. So I took the remedy, and she added, ‘If it continues getting worse – stop’. It never did, in fact the further I ran the better it got. I was enjoying the run like anything and felt a real interconnectedness the earth, the trees and shrubs edging the course emulated a life force – okay so that may sound as if I was getting a little delusional, but there was a real feeling of auspiciousness in the air and I had never felt so alive (which is unusual, at 4am and all). Sri Chinmoy drove past the course a few times after sunrise, meditating on the morn of his birthday and he drove. People soon began finishing, Gabitashri from Auckland came 2nd.

The cut off time was 10 hours and I knew I couldn’t make the distance in time. I managed to keep running though, putting carrots ahead of me, and trying to meditate, go deep within. Finally at ten o’clock, I had accumulated 41 miles. I was really happy and grateful to have been able to run for so long and to finish. For a brief moment, my tiredness and soreness left me completely - until I realised that I would have to walk home! I later found out that I was the youngest runner and I finished two thirds out of the bunch. The rest of the day was coloured with celebrations and performances for Sri Chinmoy’s birthday.

It was a magical period for me and I flew home to spring in Christchurch a few days later. It took me about a month or so to fully recover, but I felt like I had truly accomplished something. I know that without that remedy aswell as my own practice of meditation which has taught me determination along with many other things, there is no way I would have run that race. But I was so happy I did. Since then to show my gratitude for the miracle that happened, I have been taken my running seriously, seeking professional homeothic treatment, meditating more intensely and I am training for and hope to run the 6 day race in the near future.