Sri Chinmoy has utilised many modes of human expression - creative, athletic, bridge-building - to inspire his fellow world-citizens so that together they can all strive to a achieve a better world. Indeed, each of these strands has often ended up combined together in some imaginative way in the cause of frienshaip and harmony, and there is no better example of this as how Sri Chinmoy has utilised the sport of running to further the basic human aspiration of a more harmonious world.

The first running-based initiative envisioned by Sri Chinmoy was inspired by the American Bicentennial in 1976. Sri Chinmoy has always been extremely appreciative of the noble ideals espoused by the American founding fathers such as Thomas Jefferson; these great souls were the subject of a play written by Sri Chinmoy in 1975 called 'The Sacred Fire'. Now, to remind Americans of these great ideals, Sri Chinmoy organised the Liberty Torch run, a global running relay that would take the runners through all 50 states, carrying a burning torch keeping the ideals of liberty alight, meeting with schools, sports clubs and government leaders, sharing stories and inspiration. At a time when America was coming under intense criticism from all quarters as a result of events both domestic and foreign, Sri Chinmoy instead preferred to highlight her best and finest qualities, because sometimes a country, just like a person, responds better to encouragement rather than criticism. " America wants to play with the world because America has two big arms.", he writes in his book, also called the Liberty Torch. "America likes to eat with the world because America has a big heart. The rest of the world needs America, not because America is great but because America is willing — at times conditionally, but always unreservedly."

This torch relay was the prototype of what would end up as today's World Harmony Run. The method is the same - runners carrying a flaming Olympic-style torch, passing it from hand to hand in every community they visit, every person who holds it joining in a common call for a world guided by friendship and oneness instead of division and hostility. Over its 20-year lifetime, the Run has been to over 120 different countries, and currently takes in over 70 as part of its yearly traverse. The Run is organised by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, which has vibrant local clubs in over 25 countries, so it is not unusual to visit the World Harmony Run website and see that the torch is visiting three or four different places in different continents simultaneously!

Then there is the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team itself. Here we see where Sri Chinmoy's inspiration and his constant reminder that nothing is impossible when we live in the heart has had the greatest effect - on his students. Some of them have notched up world-class feats in the feats of ultrarunning - Asprihanal Aalto, (four time winner of 3100 Mile Race) Suprabha Beckjord (former 1000 mile world record holder, only person to finish 3100 Mile race all 11 times it has been held) and Dipali Cunningham (women's 6-day world record holder). The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team has also been involved in swimming the English Channel, where they hold the team prize for the most crossings, so far almost 40. To top it all, team member Ashrita Furman holds the Guinness World Record for having the most records - almost 60 at the time of writing. Like Sri Chinmoy, these incredible achievers are also very modest about their achievements, and spending an hour or two in their company could make you believe that perhaps one day you too, might be able to try something "impossible".....