After many weeks of preparation for some of the runners and other volunteers who are helping to coordinate this very arduous undertaking, we had our final team meetings the day before departure. Our departure day was quite clear and cold as we gathered in the early morning and got our vehicles packed and ready to go.

During a scenic drive in our three vehicles, caravan style through New York City, we passed the Statue of Liberty holding high a huge Torch. It was a deeply moving experience to see this significant symbol sending us off to our starting point of a 10,000 mile journey with our Torches of Harmony and Peace.

Surya, one of our Russian team members, started the run in New Jersey as we headed south. In her own words, “I was overwhelmed with joy as it was my first Harmony Run and my first run in the United States. I felt oneness with each person who acknowledged and supported me with cheers, smiles and honks on their car horns.” Someone asked her if it was real fire on the Torch and she let them hold the Torch to see for themselves. As usual, to hold the Torch even for a moment was a surprising thrill.

Other members of our international team include runners from Austria, Canada, England, Moldova and the U.S. We all pitched in as the moderate mileage of the day was shared by everyone.

Two other exciting experiences of the day included a stop at the largest Buddha Statue in the United States, which happened to be hidden behind a building that we by chance stopped at to service a runner. Not knowing about this statue, which had just been completed half a year ago, we saw it only as we pulled into the driveway to turn around. It was quite a pleasant surprise.

Called the ‘Samadhi Buddha Statue’, it was constructed by the New Jersey Buddhist Vihara of Princeton, New Jersey, on route 27. The head monk, or chief Incumbent, Sirirathna Nayaka Thero, was the main force behind getting this statue built on the present 10 acre Vihara premises. He modeled it after a similar Temple in Sri Lanka, his home country. It certainly embodies the qualities of harmony and oneness that we are trying to share with others as we run from state to state.

The other team members who had finished their day’s run then participated in a three-mile walk organized by “Olivia’s Wellness Connection”. Gail introduced us to her enthusiastic group of speed-walkers and we took off for a dynamic walk along one of her favorite routes. The group’s aim of helping others achieve healthy and active lives coincided with the team’s beliefs in the benefits of physical activity. Also present was Denise from the Princeton YMCA, who had so kindly arranged for our groups to meet, and had brought along her two young daughters to take on the challenging walk. Local athlete Amir was gladly finishing his 20th mile for the day as he had completed a local half-marathon in the morning. It was a very uplifting and dynamic way to end our day.

At the end of the day we drove to our dear friends’ new home near Princeton to have a very generous meal. Tom and Ginny Cusack also offered us very comfortable accommodations. It was a much needed treat at the end of our first day as we try to get accustomed to life on the road. We are extremely grateful to Tom and Ginny for all their hard work and oneness in taking on our team of nine as well as three more women runners who joined us in the evening.

– Arpan DeAngelo

Distance: 43 miles

Team Members:
Arpan DeAngelo (USA), Atulya (USA), Yuyudhan (USA), Gabriel (Canada), Mark (England), Drsalu (Austria), Vladmir (Moldova), Kshetragna (Russia), Surya (Russia)

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