My 24-Hour Self-Transcendence Race Experiences – Success, Failure and Progress

Part 1: First Time Round - October 2009

I knew roughly what to expect coming into the 24-hour race, but still for me it was going into unknown territory. The farthest I had run to date was in August when I completed the Sri Chinmoy 47 mile race in New York in just under than 8 hours. I struggled with that in the later stages. However, my mindset approaching the day of the 24-hour race was very positive and I had this inner feeling that everything was going to be all right. I had learned some invaluable lessons from the Barry 40 mile track race in March and in the Sri Chinmoy 47 mile race in August. Over a 12-month period I had addressed some significant biomechanical issues and had strengthened key leg muscles with a programme of resistance training in the gym and worked on my core stability. I guess I had done everything I could do and I was ready to step up to the mark. The way I was feeling days before and on the race day was one of surrender, gratitude, determination and absence of fear and doubt. With God’s grace I knew I could reach my target of 100 miles.

Prior to the race I got invaluable advice from Abichal who as always is a great source of practical advice and inspiration. I had a simple race strategy – on every hour to walk for 5 or 10 minutes. I broke the race up into quarters so I would be able to monitor my progress and attempt to achieve 25 miles every quarter. I knew this was achievable. I said to myself constantly, “I can do this”.

Although it is a long race, emotions and experiences become a blur as you are always constantly moving and trying to move forward. I won’t give an hour by hour account of the race as that will only bore you, and to be honest I can’t really remember much. At the start I just felt I didn’t want to be anywhere else other than doing this race, right there, right now. Being on that start line felt so right and I just knew I was going to have a wonderful journey.

Inevitably there were a few challenges during the race, but like Sri Chinmoy said,

“What is a challenge,
If not a friend
In disguise
To strengthen us?”

The recurring challenge I did have were a few stomach problems, but that did not last, and it was more of an inconvenience, and once I knew what the problem was, I was able to resolve it with a hot pot of rice pudding and honey. Ambrosia never tasted so good, along with a weak, sweet cup of tea! I’ve learnt that sometimes the simplest things are the best. The energy drinks and bars have their place, but sometimes they just don’t do the job for me.

By the half way point I had reached 60 miles, and I was feeling really strong and the walk and drink, and just relax and have fun every hour seemed to be working very well. A few of the runners had told me that if you reach 60 miles by midnight you should get your 100 miles. I was aware that I was running further than I had ever run before, and I was rather surprised that I was not experiencing any energy issues, tiredness or even muscular tightness. Throughout the race I was always trying to stay focused and relaxed. When some tightness did arise in my feet, I was aware of what they were, and simply loosened the laces and applied more lubricant on the toes to prevent any blisters. Through the early hours I was inwardly chanting my own personal mantras that work for me and that helped me to remain focused. By the early hours of the morning I was still feeling strong and in a good consciousness. I just felt so joyful and so grateful having the opportunity to be doing this race. I thought at some point I would get bored and need some stimulation by listening to some music, but I didn’t need it. Inwardly it seemed that I had my own inner music playing. That kept me ticking over. I think I reached 100 miles by around 09.15am, so I had achieved my goal of 100 miles.

However, as Sri Chinmoy wrote,

“You can always do more. Today's goal is only the starting point for tomorrow's new dawn. At every moment we are transcending our previous achievements.........our goal should be our own progress, and progress itself is the most illumining experience."

My focus was now to try to reach 111 miles. I had about 2 and half hours to do 11 miles and I was slowing down considerably; I was doing between 3 and 4 miles per hour, so I worked it out that I had to step it up and get moving to reach my new goal, and really experience self transcendence.

With about 10 minutes to go to the end of the race I completed 111 miles. I did it I thought. But there was still time to run further. Encouraged by the lap counters to squeeze in another mile I summoned up enough energy and willed my legs to open up and finished very strongly to finally complete 112.10 miles.

At the end of the film Babe when the sheep pig wins the competition and the crowd rapturously applauds, the farmer looks down on Babe and just says, “That will do pig, that will do”, and smiles. You know that all the pig wanted to do was please his master, well that was how I felt at the end of the 24 hour race. A job well done and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I vowed that I would run the Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 24 Hour Track Race next year.

Part 2: Second Time Round – September 2010

Self-transcendence
Means
Self-expansion
In every way.

The determination in your heroic effort will permeate your mind and heart even after your success or failure is long forgotten.

Sri Chinmoy

Second time round competing in a 24-hour race you would think it would be easier. However, every race is different and because of random factors and personal circumstances it brings its own challenges – some out of your control whilst others where you can choose to do something about it. And sometimes you just make the wrong decisions and fail but that’s all part of the experience. As Sri Chinmoy poignantly wrote,

“What is failure?
Failures are the
Pillars of success”

I came into my second Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 24 Hour Track race with more experience, feeling stronger, lighter and more confident. On the downside though I was carrying a few niggles, recovering from shin splints, and feeling tired after spending 5 months on the road running through America as part of an international team relay called the World Harmony Run (read about my experiences in next month’s edition), and legs feeling tired from the previous three weeks after completing a marathon and two days later running a PB in the Sri Chinmoy 47 mile race in New York.

The lead up to the race hadn’t been ideal. Running as part of a relay team in America I hadn’t been able to get any long runs under my belt and my running was feeling a bit one dimensional. I hadn’t the luxury to do specific 24 hour race training in the form of tempo runs and speed work or gym work to get me to a performance that I would have envisaged. From the previous year as I had unexpectedly done so well I might have set an unrealistic target of 200km for this year. I planned to try to run 6 miles per hour for the first half and attempt to run 5 miles per hour for the next 12 hours. In my mind I thought this was achievable. I planned to have a five-minute walk break every two hours. It all sounds so simple on paper!

Under the circumstances what was achievable and what was actually achieved were two different things. During a race, events happen that in order to continue the whole distance it is best to surrender to what occurs and change your tack or mindset. Right from the beginning I had this feeling that it was going to be much tougher than last year. My running a few weeks leading up to the race lacked fluidity and certain muscles were not properly functioning. Things felt out of synch. From the first hour in the race my right glute muscle tightened up and this affected my running form. To counteract this I consciously tried to relax and keep my running as easy and smooth as possible. I maintained a fairly good pace for the first four hours and then I started to annoyingly suffer from blisters. My complacency missed the crucial detail of wearing the twin-layered socks that worked so well for me the previous year. I had instead opted for the long compression socks to assist my shin splints, but they were totally unsatisfactory at keeping my feet blister free. So for the next few hours I had to regularly stop to burst the newly formed blisters, treat them and tape them up and readjust the plasters on the old blisters. They didn’t hurt, but I was just annoyed with myself that I hadn’t paid enough attention to my feet; basic schoolboy error of ultra running. Whether blisters hurt or not you do unconsciously tend to change your running form slightly and that makes your running less efficient – you’re expending unnecessary energy.

By the half way stage I was behind my schedule by 10 miles. I knew I would not be able to make up those miles and the way I was feeling it was going to be a struggle to last the 24 hours. The legs felt tired, not just from the previous 12 hours but I was feeling that all the World Harmony Run running and the two races 3 weeks previous were starting to catch up with me now. I was not firing on all cylinders to put it mildly, and fears and doubts started to enter my mind.

In the early hours of the morning I was really struggling. I was going through a bad patch. There was a fleeting thought that crossed my mind for a second that I should give up. However, the next thought was Sri Chinmoy’s words repeating over and over again inside me, “Never, never give up!” and,

“There is only one perfect road
And that road is ahead of you,
always ahead of you.”

Although I knew I wouldn’t achieve what I wished to achieve, the most important thing was not to give up, keep persevering and summon my determination to keep moving forward.

Looking on the positive, other aspects of the race had gone better than last year. By taking my own food and knowing what foods worked for me I avoided the stomach problems of the previous year. That was a bonus not going to the toilet so often, however on the down side I drunk too much liquid during the night and had to constantly stop to urinate – it was like every 20 minutes for the two hours. That did disrupt my flow (not my pee flow!) and I just couldn’t get into any rhythm. I was finding it so much hard work, and was feeling the race was an ever increasing battle. At one point I remember I felt pretty miserable, low, cold, tired and was really not enjoying it, but I knew I had to remain as cheerful as possible and feel gratitude for being given the opportunity to have these invaluable experiences in this race. Surrendering to these experiences was the best way for me to cope. There was a good reason why I was having these challenging experiences. Slowly running through the night I looked forward to the approaching dawn.

There are aspects of the race that help you to continue and not give up. One important aspect of this type of race that sometimes gets overlooked is the pervading consciousness of oneness you feel. You truly feel oneness with your fellow runners and a sense of progression and dynamism. There are hilarious and amusing moments in the race that lighten each individual’s pain and struggle. There are also the lap counters and helpers that you build up a rapport with who are there to help you achieve the best you can do.

As the race wore on I was walking more than running, but by one step at a time I was glad to get to the100 mile mark. That was a satisfying achievement for me and eventually at the end of the 24 hours I had completed just over 104 miles. It was a huge effort to get there, but ultimately it was about the progress I had made and my own inner journey.

At the end of a 24-hour race you sense that everyone feels that something really special has happened and each runner has inwardly and outwardly made so much progress. The smiles on the faces and the sense of relief of everyone tell their own stories.

"At every moment
We must value not only
Our successes and
Achievements
But also the efforts
We make”.

Sri Chinmoy

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Race stories - more articles

I remember my first ultra-run. It was with a group of friends who had decided to run from London to Brighton. Our course was about 50 miles. The furthest I had ever run before that was a marathon. It felt like a big jump - almost double the distance. It was a step into the unknown. I had no idea if I would be able to do it or what I would experience.

I was fortunate that the group contained some experienced ultra-runners who had already covered this kind of distance (and much longer) many times. But the other half of the group were newbies, like me. Looking back on it, it was the perfect introduction. It was not a race, it was relaxed. There was no pressure to keep to a particular pace, we had lots of breaks (including a picnic!), it was a beautiful route through some charming villages, and most importantly it was a lot of fun! Of course it did get more and more difficult, but we all pulled together and everyone finished.

I felt a real sense of achievement because I wasn't sure whether I would be able to complete it. Afterwards, travelling back in the car it suddenly hit me. This was a really long way - it was even taking a long time by car on the motorway! We ran that whole way. Wow!

This is the thrill of ultra-running. You can do so much more than you think you can. You can go beyond your limits. We all limit ourselves. We tell ourselves that we can do this and can't do that. We create boundaries for ourselves. But the reality is that we can do far more than we think. My meditation teacher, Sri Chinmoy, takes it one step further: "We are all truly unlimited, if we only dare to try and have faith". So, there are actually no boundaries to what we can do. Just consider that!

This process of going beyond your limits Sri Chinmoy called "self-transcendence". He was, himself, the very embodiment of self-transcendence - endlessly creating. He drew millions of bird drawings, created over 100,000 poems, composed over 23,000 songs, gave 700 peace concerts around the world as well as excelling in weightlifting and many other diverse activities. Self-transcendence in the ultra-running world took the form of multi-day races which over time would increase in length from 6-day to 10-day, 700 miles to 1000 miles and then 1300 miles. Eventually it would culminate in the 3100 mile race - the world's longest running race, which is now held annually.

Self-transcendence is an inspiring goal but we all know in practice it can be very hard. Our muscles become very stiff so it is difficult to move, we get blisters, injuries assail us, our energy levels can crash and our stomach can find it difficult to digest everything we are taking in. However, I came to realise that although these were difficult experiences, they were not the hardest thing to overcome.

After running a marathon in one of my best times, I was talking to an ultra-running friend. He also ran the marathon but was inspired to run in a 47-mile race only 3 days later. To me this seemed crazy. It would normally take me a few weeks to really recover from a fast marathon and I would definitely leave it a few months before running another long race. The idea was unthinkable and so I didn't even consider it.

However, I met a few other people who also wanted to run this race and somehow I got caught up in the inspiration. That tiny mental shift from thinking something is impossible to entertaining it as a possibility allowed things to change... fast! The idea kept gnawing away at me until I felt that I should, in Sri Chinmoy's words, "dare to try" - for the experience if nothing else!

The start of the race felt odd. Normally I would find this part very easy - I would just have to control myself not to run too fast - but this time I was running slowly because I had no choice! I was still very stiff from the marathon. I was laughing because the idea of running 47 miles when I was already struggling in the first few miles felt crazy. But slowly things started to loosen up and I began moving quite well.

However, just after the half way point things started to get difficult. Very difficult. My energy really dipped. Instead of being one of the faster runners on the course I was now one of the slowest. Many people were passing me - even some old, non-runners. I had nothing left, I was finished. My thoughts compounded the problem: of course I couldn't do this; I was never any good at endurance events; what was I thinking? I should just quit the race and spend my time doing other things that I enjoyed more etc... When everything is hurting it is very easy to convince yourself to stop.

After a few miles in this sorry state I bumped into my friend Karteek (an experienced multi-day runner and English Channel swimmer) who was also running the race. I told him all my problems and that I really just wanted to give up. He encouraged me like anything to continue... but I was stuck in my own mental space and didn't want to listen to him.

But then I realised that he was also moving very slowly. I expect he had many more problems of his own, maybe they were worse than mine - but he was in a very cheerful, positive mood and had never countenanced the idea of pulling out. And this was the big difference between us. It was this difference that meant that he would finish the race while I would give up.

So - I decided to continue! It was very difficult but the energy crash did eventually go. Maybe it only lasted for 45 minutes or so but it felt like an eternity. However, it did go and I did finish. It was an important lesson. The difficult times will pass.

My main obstacle to finishing the race was not my physical suffering or even the energy crash. It was my own thoughts. I had let my thoughts run wild and they had convinced me to stop.

Our thoughts are incredibly powerful. They can control and bind us. How many thoughts we have at every moment! Thoughts about the past - regrets and problems, thoughts about what could happen in the future, worries and anxieties. Most of these thoughts are unnecessary and can often affect us in a negative way.

If we can learn to still our minds and focus on the present moment then we can simplify our lives and are able concentrate on what is important. We can harness the power of positive thoughts. This is the art of meditation. Meditation can have a positive influence on our lives and on all our activities - including ultra-running.

A few days later I had my third lesson in ultra-running. An experienced multi-day and 3100-mile runner, Ushika, invited me to join him on a 7-mile run. However, after completing both races my body was depleted and was horrendously stiff. I was struggling to walk around, so I declined his invitation. However, he wasn't giving-up on me that easily! So, I thought I would give it a try...

I have to say he was very patient with me. I was a series of complaints and problems but Ushika always had an answer. My Achilles is hurting so much. "Well, try doing this stretch". I have a sharp pain in my hamstrings. "OK, we will walk for a bit". I am feeling tired. "OK, let's stop for a few moments". Like this, eventually we covered 7 miles and for periods I was jogging fairly comfortably, albeit slowly.

How is that possible? This really blew my mind. When I was running with Ushika I felt like there really were no limits to how far you could run. You just had to find solutions. Again, it was a difference in attitude. I was always focusing on my problems and finding reasons why I should stop, but Ushika was always finding solutions so we could continue. Maybe this was the "faith" part of Sri Chinmoy's aphorism. Ushika had such belief that he would complete the distance that problems were just temporary setbacks and not insurmountable obstacles.

So, these are three things that I have learnt about ultra-running: you can do much more than you think you can; don't let negative thoughts control you and force you stop; when you have a problem, don't give up but look for a solution - there will always be one, you just have to keep trying!

Or, as Sri Chinmoy says: "We are all truly unlimited, if we only dare to try and have faith".

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About the author:

Nirbhasa is originally from Ireland but currently lives in Reykjavik, Iceland. He is an enthusiastic multi-day runner, having completed four times the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race - the longest race in the world.

In 2013, after many years of trying and some very near podium misses, Tejvan Pettinger from the Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team won the national cycling hill-climb title, one of the top races on the UK national cycling calendar. Tejvan began cycling in earnest in 2005, but despite being a promising rider the prospect of a national title seemed very much like a faraway dream.

In the year before his passing in 2007, Tejvan's Guru (or spiritual teacher), Sri Chinmoy, made quite a few references to Tejvan being 'our cycling champion'. Sri Chinmoy preferred to teach his students through silent meditation, and was not one for frivolous comment; often these seemingly offhand remarks had a way of awakening his students to new possibilities. (For example, also in 2006-7, Sri Chinmoy repeatedly and seemingly offhandely asked another student, Grahak Cunningham, whether he had done our longest race, meaning the 3100 Mile race. Even though up until then he had very little ultrarunning experience, Grahak was inspired to start that race and see what happens - he went on to finish the race on his first attempt, and later won the race in 2012).

As the years went past, Tejvan realised that the goal of a national title was indeed possible and put more and more focus on it, both physically in terms of being in the best shape and having the right equipment and approach, but also inwardly in terms of being receptive to divine Grace - a journey which culminated in everything coming together in 2013 for the ultimate prize.

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