Run and Become
Sri Chinmoy’s stories about his running experiences
The friendly runner
Before the start of our five-mile race, a black man said to me, “So good to see you.” Afterwards, when I was at the two-and-a-half-mile point and he was at the same spot completing four miles, he greeted me again.
Today you are running
Today I was running and somebody said to me, “Oh, today you are running and not jogging.”
That means every day I jog.
Published in Run and Become, Become and Run, part 3
More Running Stories
by Sri Chinmoy
The pumpkin hole
At the start of our seven-mile race, even before one mile, inside my chest was a pumpkin hole. There was nothing inside my chest. I couldn’t breathe.
She is ahead
At the start of the seven-mile race, I saw Sarah go way ahead of me. I said, “Oh, she is so far ahead of me!” But she dropped dead before the one-mile mark. She had to stop running after one mile, but that I didn’t see.
Peter’s soul operates
At the one-mile mark during our race, one person said, “8:07.” Then, after one step, another person said, “8:11.” Peter’s soul is working through everyone! During one marathon he would say the timing, and four metres later he would say a completely different timing.
The discouraging timekeeper
At the fifth mile, Dolores said the time, and I got mad at her. She saw that I was walking, so why did she have to tell me my timing and discourage me?
The disciple surrenders
Before the first mile was over, I was ahead of Nirvik, and I was so delighted. Then, after two miles, he went ahead of me. I said, “Oh, he was fooling me.”
After three and a half miles, I was only looking for Nirvik, but I couldn’t see him. For five miles it went on like this. But later I surrendered. By the time we reached seven miles, he was following me.
Silence conquers sound
Yesterday I had my dog problems again. At a certain place along my running route here in Tobago, if you run, they bark. If you walk, they bark. What can you do?
As soon as you come in sight, three or four dogs come from their houses. You have to walk as slowly as possible, pretending you are not even walking. Then they become frightened. Silence conquers sound; here is the proof. While you are running, they chase you. While you are walking, they bark at you. But when you stop walking, they also stop. This is the proof that our silence can conquer sound.
Published in Run and Become, Become and Run, part 4
Sri Chinmoy sprinting on a track in Tenerife, Canary Islands.