The Inner Running and the Outer Running

Down the sweep of centuries there have been many who, through God-given talent and discipline, became great runners. There have also been many who, through God-given capacity and inner discipline, became great spiritual figures runners in the inner world.

A champion sprinter and decathlete in his youth, Sri Chinmoy took up long distance running in his late forties, and in the span of seven years completed twenty-two marathons, three ultramarathons, and countless shorter races. More important, his inner life of the spirit laid the philosophical foundation for the world s most respected ultra-distance running organisation, the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.

Our philosophy does not negate either the outer life or the inner life. Both outer running and inner running are important, says Sri Chinmoy.

The outer running reminds us of something higher and deeper the soul which is running along Eternity s Road. The inner running inspires us to keep the body-temple in perfect condition for our inner and outer satisfaction.

Herein lies a distillation of the teachings of a unique authority on the relationship between spirituality and running. At once sublimely elevating and supremely practical, Sri Chinmoy s words will encourage and inspire both the inner and outer runner in you towards ever-greater progress, happiness and success both within and without.

For me the Olympics are embodied in one of my favorite notions from Sri Chinmoy: All athletes should bear in mind that they are competing not with other athletes but with their own capacities. I turned to this notion whenever I needed an injection of the competitive fire.

Carl Lewis, Winner of 9 Olympic Gold Medals