Personal Multi-day 2011, day 1

I got up at 3 am and did my spiritual study of Brunton. Then started my running. First, in 3h25, I jogged 14.04 miles. Then a pit stop at my apartment. Then, another 3h46 of really slow jog and walk for 13.1 miles. Total of 27.11 miles in 7h11. All of this was on the hills of Riverside.

Training expands the physical capability. In my craw sticks a need to prove it is also viable spiritually.

I need to get beyond what is said by others, and find my own spirit.

The power behind getting out of bed and continuing the endeavor might be my main proof of spiritual involvement.

I just read last year’s July multi-day report. I am beyond where I was.

I am doing it my way. I am doing what I need to do.

It is now 4:20 pm and I am sure I’ll be able to walk tomorrow! I just walked in the 98F heat over to my mail box and back. So I know tomorrow will be ok, after more recovery and a warmup.

I am alone in my apartment so I can think about the Why? question.

I run a lot everyday. A high level of fitness enables racing; but it also enables a personal multi-day. Personal multi-days are the high point. They mean more to me than races. They are a unique melding of ego deflation, prayer, contemplation, mental inventory and rest.

In a way, the personal multi-day calls into question all of my spirituality. The private unofficial nature of a personal multi-day is a replica of my spiritual study and growth. My only official spiritual training could be considered retreats in the monastery where I spent several days with a true spiritual master. Outside of the monastery (the other 30 years of spiritual study) has been on my own. I have grown. My running has grown over the years too.

How humbling it is to complete a personal multi-day of 100 miles and not get a t-shirt. How humbling to have friends and colleagues react with scorn or misunderstanding. Feeling misunderstood is a constant source of growth for me. So in a way, the personal multi-day is an instigator of growth.

Completing a personal multi-day requires small decisions. Like today, my only goal was to make it out of bed when the alarm went off. No further goal was set; but I secretly knew, if I don’t get out of bed, it will be too hot to go outside and run. And then, for the second part of the run, the only goal was to go back outside and walk. No running required. After another 2.5 hours, I realized that I had to quit any sort of jogging and just walk, or there’d be no tomorrow. Knowing when to walk.period, is important.

My intention for each and every thing I do, each and every day, is the spiritual conversation, the task of knowing my soul. The personal multi-day is just a venue which I use. It’s not more important than the daily go-to-work spirituality; but it is different.