Why I Started Long-Distance Running

I was in my early 40s and new to Sri Chinmoy’s path. It was Father’s Day weekend in New York. I was out jogging and came across our Father’s Day Marathon being run around a high school track nearby, so I stopped to watch. I saw Guru at the far corner of the track.

As I watched, he started walking in my direction, but he was within the fenced-in field so I continued watching from outside the fence. He slowly came closer and closer, and then to my surprise stepped through a large hole in the fence I hadn’t noticed.

He continued to walk straight towards me! My heart started thumping. What should I do? I folded my hands and tried to be in my best consciousness, I had never been so close to a realised Master before. Guru walked right up to me, stopped, and looked at me in silence for a few moments. Those few moments felt like eternity.

Then he said, “What? Not running?” Since I had already been running, I understood he was asking me why I wasn’t running the marathon. Without thinking I found myself saying, “Next year.” Guru smiled and nodded, then continued on his way. I was left with an inner confidence that I would run a marathon.

I began researching how to run a marathon and I started training. It took me more than two years, but as a result of Guru’s words I did run not just one but many marathons and ultramarathons, and discovered both a love of running and a big help to my spiritual life through it.

Run, run, daily run
On aspiration-road!
Your new life will discard
Your old life's ignorance-load.

Sri Chinmoy 1

• 1. Silence speaks, part 5, #47, Agni Press, 1994