"Each step forward has a sacred meaning of its own" Sri Chinmoy
Sri Chinmoy Sports Day 1 Mile Race - August 2023 - St Johns University Track NYC
Sri Chinmoy Sports Day has a long history - it must be in its 6th decade by now and my earliest personal memories of it are from the mid 90s when I first went to see Sri Chinmoy in New York. I went for the meditation, which was an experience beyond description, but I also threw myself into all the other activities such as music, drama and athletics. Back then most of the races were for longer-term members of the centre and the newer members like myself had to bide our time, but there were always some "open" events where we could get out on the track. I remember Sri Chinmoy calling a 7-mile race out of the blue which is a lot of laps on a 400m track. Also I got my best ever mile time - 5:12 - at one of those 90s Sports Days.
Back in the present - the present being 2023 - Sports Day was enjoying a revival after some years out of the programme. A team from USA and Czech (not forgetting Scotland) were the engine behind it and they put on a fantastic event. I had been feeling some hamstring twinges so I decided against going in for the sprints or throws. I was hoping to do the 800m race walk and 1 mile run, but they fell back to back so I opted for just the mile.
When we lined up, the 50+ had yellow numbers and the younger guys white numbers, so I knew I was racing the likes of Amur, Bharu, Prachar and Granantan. Now Granantan has always been an awesome runner at everything from 400m to marathon and I couldn't believe he was now 50 - he barely looks 40. I knew I was not in any kind of shape to challenge him so I set my sights on second place and a time under 6 minutes which I thought was a reasonable goal. Of course the main goal, the only goal, is to give it everything and leave nothing out there.
From the start, I tried to track Granantan and Atul without losing them over the horizon but I was struggling to stay in touch. At least the effort of trying to stay connected with the runners ahead was helping me stave off any challenges from behind. I had new shoes and the track was soft so it was like running on air. The sun came out and we cooked a little but I was getting used to the New York summer heat and it didn't affect me too badly.
Soon two laps had unravelled and we were strung out, I was running solo and my watch flashed up a 2.54 split. That was on schedule so I just had to hold it. As the last lap began it was tough going and when I rounded the bend into the back straight, Atul and Granantan were turning off at the far end some 110m ahead of me. I heard the sound of loud footfalls, getting louder, and thinking it might be another of the over 50s making a challenge I summoned up a surge to hold my position.
The challenge was actually Grahak, post-surgery and running strongly again at all distances it seems. He's not in my generation but I still wanted to make a race of it so I dug in and stayed just ahead.
I crossed the line in 5.49, 2nd place in category, very happy with the experience. Of course it had the added bonus of being able to collect a medal at Aspiration Ground in a fun little Podium-style award ceremony. That was a special moment.
A week or so later, though it seemed like a lifetime, conditions were oh-so-different when we gathered for the 2-mile race around Jamaica High School in what felt like a tropical rainstorm. I was hoping for sub 12.30 but as we raced the first half mile flat out, kicking up a massive spray from the deep puddles that were forming right around the course, a time of 3.09 told me that was not to be. I kept running hard, once again well behind the (mostly younger) fast guys but more speed just wouldn't come. Maybe it was the humidity, or the heavy, sodden shoes? More likely it was just the unnoticed fatigue that builds up at celebrations where you find yourself over-extending yourself physically but somehow running on inspiration that keeps you going when you should feel depleted. The 2 miler is a race of truth in many ways - if you find yourself giving it all and getting a slow time then you're tired whatever your mind may think.
My speed stayed pretty much the same, I finished sodden from head to toes in 12:40, but had the payoff of being "in the fruit" thanks to Anugata's revival of awards/announcements of the first seven places. I scraped sevent place on this occasion.
Writing this a few days later back home, I'm recovering from a serious 24-hour flu that was so intense I didn't even make it to Aspiration Ground for the evening of 27th August. That's a first. I don't think the race effort in the rain was a factor, but maybe it didn't help. The bug was going round and I picked it up. I have 4 days to go befoe the Helvellyn Tri, so I'm hopeful I can shake it off, but that will be quite a comeback if I do.
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