Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race

The 17-th annual Self-transcendence 3100 mile race is starting at June 16, 6 am  in New-York.  In this grand test of endurance and survival, a small group of athletes attempt to complete 5,649 laps of a .5488  mile course (883 meters) around a city block in Queens, New York in the time span of 52 days. Runners must average almost 60 miles a day to finish within the time limit. The serious athlete must have tremendous courage, physical stamina, concentration and the capacity to endure fatigue, boredom and minor injuries.  

The world’s longest certified footrace will start at June 17 and will continue till August 7 with 51 day limit.

Archived – click Post Title to view all. Day 50. 7:49 am. About this time yesterday Pranjal finished the race at 48 days + 02:27:05. He is the most consistent runner of is all. He is the first to show up in the morning and the last to leave at night. He really did his best. It’s his 7th finish in a row! For 3 years now he’s also stuck to a project of running 2 miles every day. We’ll see him today running 2 miles on the course. After the finish, he did another 13 laps to have 5000 km and then left to recuperate. Alakananda saw him climbing the porch chairs. In reality he was crawling up. For us to ascend stairs is an ordeal, as there are no muscles left responsible for lifting feet. I thought that in this manner he had had to climb for many days. There are five of us still running. Surasa is picking up running too. Looks like her calf if healing and she is determined to finish before the cutoff on Thursday. Then the course will be closed for another year. I had a good day yesterday and did 61 miles. I am in good spirits running towards another finish. As we say, a runner is ready to finish when he’s learnt all the lessons. All my crises are over. I am enjoying the pre-finish euphoria. I feel that I am ready to finish. My speed is lower than in the first weeks of the race, so I have to cut my…

Day 48. 9:24pm Today’s been a versatile day. We started when it was raining and everybody was wearing yellow rain-protective suits. They called us 6 canaries. Throughout the day it was gloomy and it rained again in the evening. The last blessing before Pranjal’s finish tomorrow morning. Surasa came to the start in the morning. Her calf muscle is swollen. The left calf is 1.5 times bigger than the right one. She limped for some time and was then taken to the Chineese doctor who had treated Suprabha and my knee the previous year. The doctor said that she had a serious muscle inflammation and advised that she rest. We haven’t seen her since then, but they just told us that Surasa was coming to the course later in the day. Our finishers – Ashprihanal, Igor and Sarvagata come to see us on a regular basis. They look very happy.

Archived – click Post Title to view all. Day  47, 8:30 pm. We’ve got one good news and one not so good. In the evening, Ashprihanal finished. For the last few days, today as well, he had been walking. Only on the last lap he trotted a little with the 3100 flag and crossed the finish line with the result 46 days + 12:06:08. In spite of all his walking, it’s still nis 3rd best time and his 11th finish. Only Suprabha has more finishes – 13. He looked a little sad, but he said that his happiest moments had taken place here when after a finish he was sitting next to Sri Chinmoy. After the finish, he was taken directly to our restaurant Oneness-Fountain-Heart where they are having a special program dedicated to Thomas Jefferson. The sad news is Surasa got an injury today. She was running at her regular pace which we are all used to. But around 1pm Pranjal said that she could hardly make it to the camp. She stayed in the van for half hour or a hour and only then did we find out that something had happened to her calf muscle.  In 30 minutes Gaurish, the chiropractor, arrived and tried to fix her. He said that the muscle was swollen and she couldn’t even walk. She had tried to walk a lap and made only a fourth of it, when Bipin transported her back. She stopped running at 1pm and was hanging in there to see Ashprihanal’s finish. Then she was taken…

This morning at 8:30am, in his first attempt Igor Mudryck completed 3100 miles.  In 45 days, 2 hours, 30 minutes and 37 seconds.  He now becomes the 6th fastest all time, and the 2nd fastest first timer (after Sarvagata). At the finish line he inundated everybody with his smile, happiness and peace. Bravo, Igor! All these days he had been dreaming of going to the ocean and as the opportunity presented itself, he put off running traditional 13 laps to complete 5,000 km till tomorrow J. So we’ll be privileged to run with him a little more. After the 2 finishes, the energy has changed. Most of us have similar paces and we don’t get to see each other. Only Surasa is always passing us. Ananda-Lahari and Atmavir are walking and that gives the feeling that you are not alone. Ashprihanal is finishing tomorrow. I am having a steady and slow day. The legs are tired. Surasa crossed the 2700 mile mark which is 6 days faster than last year. Amazing!