Runners of Gurukshetra | Inspiration Sun

By Uranta

Yip, 2 miles is a long way, 10k is a
long way, a half marathon is a long way, a marathon is a long way.
Guru's 47-mile race is all those races run one after the other, and is
therefore a long, long, long, long way. What makes it special is that
it marks the first hours of Guru's birthday, from midnight `til the
cut-off of 10 hours. The 47, for me, is a Gurukshetra - his home in
Queens, the first hours of his birthday; and warriors of a sort,
runners, battering through the night, challenging themselves.

As most people who have affection for the 47-mile race know, the
course record of 5:09 is held by Virendra. Virendra's record has stood
for over 20 years, and has withstood besting by the centre's finest
long-distance runners. Last year Virendra was brought into
conversation by Guru, and the key sentence of the conversation was
something like "Oh, he is going to run the 47 next year, and he's
going to beat his record." You can't help but love that interaction
between master and disciple. When I heard it, I could imagine
Virendra's face, and I wanted to help him. Because I knew he would go
for it.

As Virendra knows, and as my very good friend Tarit always says,
there's nothing to beat a bit of training. Virendra took himself off
to Peru for months of high altitude training, massive hill runs and
mountain climbs. Lost over 20 lbs, broke a collarbone and wrist, and
came to New York ready to take on the record. During the race, I also
helped Tristan and Stefan. Tristan, who had won the marathon a few
days earlier, works a 6-day week in Melbourne and fits his training in
round that. Stefan - I saw run on the Harmony Run in Scotland, we
would just let him go - he went long and fast. I figure he trained a
bit too.

There's no great hardship helping these runners. They run, you give
them a gel or a banana every now and again, and watch them go. That's
it really. I also had time to give the occasional banana to Adelino,
and the occasional bottle to Chistopher, and the fabulous Arpan.

In the magic of Guru's race, the record prevailed, Virendra gave his
all but had to pull out about halfway, Stefan won the race in 6:09:00,
Tristan came second, Arpan placed in the first 7, as he has in every
race he has run. I know Virendra will be back for the record next
year. Runners, I salute you all. Gurukshetra. Dharmakshetra. I don't
doubt it. And God bless Canada. And by the way Dipali won the girls'
race in an incredible 6:35:07.

By: Uranta, From Inspiration Sun, edition 6

http://srichinmoyinspiration.com/inspiration-sun