John Hanc: Does it give you joy to see the increasing number of runners who come to your races here?

Sri Chinmoy: It gives me joy not only when they come to our races but when they come to anybody’s races. Everywhere in the world if people can run, it will help them. One of our absolutely worst enemies is our lethargy. Early in the morning we do not want to get up. Then during the day we are not energetic; we are not inspired to do anything. But in the morning if we can energise ourselves with physical activities, then we can accomplish so many things during the rest of the day. That is why I say sports and physical fitness are of supreme importance. If we neglect the physical and let the body become weak, then the mind also becomes weak. At that time it does not have the strength to think of good things all the time and it starts to think of undivine things.