Transcending Pain

To achieve the high most athletes yearn or strive for , there must be a little pain . It may not be  necesarrily true in all instances but we are familiar with the common throw away lines

EAT THE PAIN

&

THE PAIN IS TEMPORARY , THE MEMORY FOREVER

Well everything is relative.This week listening to the morning radio in the car , the host interviewed a Perth runner who is running the Transcendental 3100mile race in New York. What The  ^&*% is this .

Well there is a race probably reflective of the RAAM for cyclist.and the Deca-Ironman in Mexico  Only 10-15 runners running round a 900m block in Brooklyn for 18 hrs a day for the next 50  plus days . His name is Grahak Cunningham.

A short bio on him on the Transcendental website:

Grahak Cunningham, 32, Perth, Australia



Last year Grahak, in his second attempt, finished 3100 miles in 46 days, 11 hours, setting a new Australian record. He moved all the way up to fifth in the 3100 rankings from 14th place. In 2007 with little multi day experience he completed the 3100 mile race in his first attempt in 50 days, three hours.

 
The Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race
 
It is these ultra races which have little monetary reward but are huge mental and physical journeys of self discovery. There is a spiritual purpose as all endurance events allow that search within to achieve . Why , and the answer is basic and so true as stated at the award ceremony last year:
 

You can call the race a test of strength, will-power, fortitude and a display of rare talent for running nearly 17 to 18 hours a day. The athletes we are honoring tonight have gone deep within themselves to acquire a resolve and determination rarely seen or even needed to overcome any obstacle. The obstacle in this case is formidable- a relentless pile of laps, hundreds of them every day, every week, until the total reaches 5649- the multi day runners’ version of the top- the summit, if you will, of the linear Everest. In addition, along the way their is the ever-changing or ‘always there’ presence of fatigue, boredom, doubt or a feeling of lonesomeness that few of us have ever experienced.

Why Run 3100 miles
There are many reasons to race all no different to all human endeavour of endurance. It is a challenge of discovery and as Sri Chimmoy states :
 
                      Today's Goal is Tomorrow's Starting point