Self Transcendence 12 Hour Walk

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12 Hour Walk 2005

by Stefanie

A room mate asked me, “Have you been for a run or are you going?”  I replied, “I’m going out for a walk.”  Half an hour or so later I was at the starting line of the annual 12 Hour Walk, held to mark the anniversary of Sri Chinmoy’s arrival in America.  It was 7 pm and hundreds of eager walkers set off around a loop measuring a little over one mile.

from left to right in picture: Julia, Udasina and Stef.  

 I have taken part in the 12 Hour Walk many times.  Hitherto I have walked alone, but this time I walked almost the entire distance with two friends. We had discovered beforehand that we aimed to walk at a similar pace.  Two or three times we separated and I walked a couple of laps with friends from the food station who were on a break.  I walked only one lap on my own, maybe half way through the 12 hours.  Interestingly, this lap was the most challenging.

            The 12 hours passed by quite quickly.  My friends and I chatted, laughed and developed a routine where, at different parts of the course, we adjusted shoes or clothing, took drinks and food, and offered gratitude to God for giving us the capacity to continue.  For two or three laps we took it in turns to name words on the subject of spirituality, beginning with A, then B etc.  We went through the alphabet four times (missing out X!)

            The counters and helpers did sterling work.  Their cheerfulness inspired us.  It was a cold night and I was glad we were moving.  Some solitary marshals on the far side of the course were huddled against the cold for hours.  Since we were not race-walking, we made it a point to deliver a hot drink, sandwich and cake to these outposts.

            Three quarters of the way through the walk I said to myself, “I don’t want this walk to end.”  It was very satisfying to be able to do the job in hand.  By the time the 12 hours were nearly up, though, I was ready to finish.  At the end I was quietly content and grateful that I had been able to avail myself of this God-given opportunity.

(Stef is a member of the Sri Chinmoy AC in Bristol - she is also manager of Cardiff's Run and Become)