Running gives us far more than better health and brag-worthy PR’s. It helps us discover our limits, pursue personal growth, and learn more about what makes us tick as human beings.
Sanjay enjoying a run
Many of us start running for the immediate benefits of the sport:
- Weight loss and better body composition
- Energy and feelings of well-being
- Improved fitness and overall health
But very soon, most runners find that there’s a stark difference between exercising and pursuing a passion. And running becomes that passion.
When I first started running, it was because I thought the guys on the cross country were funny. Over time, those reasons evolved from fitness, to helping me get into college, to becoming my meditation and good example for my kids.
Of course, I also discovered the girl’s team and ended up marrying one of those runners. I’m sure that helped me stick with the sport!
Many of us have very different reasons for lacing up our running shoes every day. Today, I want to inspire you to run for a reason you may not have considered: transcendence.
Transcendence beyond what you think is possible, beyond “normal” goals, and beyond how you define yourself.
Enter: Sanjay Rawal.
The Self-Transcendence 3100 Miler
Sanjay Rawal is a filmmaker, runner, and the man behind the documentary 3100: Run and Become.
Before becoming a filmmaker, he spent 15 years in over 40 countries working on human rights and international development. His new film is about the longest certified road race in the world: the Self-Transcendence 3100 Miler.
It’s an event that boggles the mind: 3,100 miles around a single city block in Queens, New York for nearly two months in the heat of summer. To win, you have to average about 60 miles per day (for nearly two months).
A race like this is less of a race and more of a journey of self-discovery that reveals the limits of human ability.
In this wide-ranging discussion about the spiritual side of running, Sanjay Rawal and I discuss:
- Why this race is more of a pilgrimage than a race
- The mechanics of a 52-day, 3,100-mile race
- What we can learn from traditional running cultures like the Navajo and Kalahari
- How we can train our minds to be more resilient
- What separates a runner who completes 3100 miles from the rest of us
- How the mindset of a spiritual runner can improve your competitive goals
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Show Links & Resources
- Follow Sanjay on Instagram or on Twitter
- Rent or buy the film 3100: Run and Become
- See the film’s website
- The Self-Transcendence 3100 Miler race website
- Sanjay’s other film Food Chains
- How to harness your own motivation
My conversation with Sanjay Rawal is a unique and moving discussion about the deeper meaning of running. I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks to Inside Tracker
This episode was made possible by Inside Tracker who is offering a 10% discount with code strengthrunning at checkout.
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