Race Preview: Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendance 6-Day Race

"Why am I so nervous? Please explain to me why I can't sleep." - "Nervous" by the Moody Blues (John Lodge)

The Unisphere

Getting ready for the big race, which starts tomorrow, April 21, I don't have time to write all I'd like to about my preparations, physical and mental, for this race. I've told people this race scares me a little, that this race makes me nervous. It is by far the longest race I'll have run, my previous longest being 48 hours. What makes me nervous is that I've never before gone into a race having no idea what might happen. I've certainly sometimes done much better than expected, or much worse than expected, but here I really don't know what to expect. But I am running this race to achieve a high performance, not just for the experience. So I am expecting to put myself through a level of pain, physical and mental, that I've never experienced before. I'll have to answer all kinds of questions for myself about sleep deprivation, nutrition, possible risk of injury, and I won't always be in a good frame of mind to answer wisely. And I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to perform, in a very unknown situation. But this is exactly the kind of adventure that I seek, that I need to shake things up as I near my 45th birthday. I even have reporters interested in my food and drink intake.

The Dugout

 So if you're in New York, come on by and say hi!

Handler's Kitchen

 I've got some good friends helping to crew for me at various times, but friendly faces and a helping hand or two are always welcome.

Runners' Kitchen

 Advance thanks to Trishul Cherns, for his advice, and for the use of his tent. Dave Luljak has also given his wise advice. Mike Arnstein, Shaun Leonardo, Oz Pearlman, and the great Otto Lam have all agreed to help crew for me, and others offering to come by as well. I'm looking forward to running with Martin Fryer from Australia, who's already out there running the 10-day, and with former 24-hour national champions Alex Swenson, and John Geesler, about whom enough can't be said. Stay tuned, here we go.

My (Trishul's) Tent

 "It seems to me I've been a long time on this road and I wonder why.
Has there been a sign that points another way and I've passed it by?
I don't know what it is that drives me on.
Gotta keep a-movin,
Gotta keep a-movin on, and on, and on..."