Sri Chinmoy was a sprinter in his youth but during the running boom of the 70s, he took up marathon running, even running several ultramarathons.

He founded the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team which continues to sponsor hundreds of races worldwide, including the world’s longest race, a 3100 mile race staged every year in New York City.

Sri Chinmoy believed in self-transcendence, competing only with oneself. In this light, he didn’t let age discourage him from training. He didn’t become sad when he could no longer beat other athletes because his focus was simply on the joy of doing the best one could.

Sri Chinmoy was a firm believer in physical fitness, particularly in combating aging and participated in a number of Master’s level track events (for those over 40 years old). He found the camraderie of those meets to be especially uplifting. People understood the natural limitations of aging and offered their encouragement to one another unconditionally.

This clip is of the 1993 World Master’s Track and Field Championship in Miyazaki, Japan in which Sri Chinmoy competed.

When the heart is charged
With enthusiasm-flames,
All earthly barriers
Can be surmounted.

– Sri Chinmoy