Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race

Archived – click Post Title to view all. This is the 19th summer that a group of runners has gathered on this sidewalk here in Queens NY to embark upon a monumental challenge.  Each has been summoned by some deep inner call within themselves to come and run for 18 hours a day, and do what is nearly impossible for most of us to even comprehend, complete 3100 miles within 52 days. There is a tangible and profound sense of peace that spreads out well beyond the limited dimensions of the concrete as they, and all those gathered around and about them, meditate in a brief silence before the start.  There is no shouting, no awkward demonstration of bravado, no trivial display of strength and cunning.  This is not that kind of race where this kind of mind set or behavior could possibly help. Each runner has to pull from within themselves enduring qualities that are well above and beyond just strength of mind and talent of the human body. Time and again it has been shown by all who run here, that this race has more to do with the unbounded power of spirit within than the limited capacity of mind and muscle. But it also must be noted that this impossible Self Transcendence task of running 3100 miles has been completed 131 times over the past 18 years.  37 different athletes have come and found within themselves the strength, courage, and inner resourcefulness to complete the distance.  But of course just to stand at the line and strive…

more photos here.

Day 1, 3100 mile race 2015 from Stutisheel Lebedev on Vimeo.

  Garmin data from the Day #1

This year, I had much better conditions for running – I trained all winter in Florida, USA, where the summer never ends. January-February, I was still “resting”, making about 50K per week – running and biking. Since March I began to increase the volumes – 30K trainings appeared in my schedule, thus increasing my week total up to 100-120K. In April I ran a control marathon in a time of 3:31 and then made a 10-day break for the cleansing Madal Bal diet. During the diet I was not exercising much as detox is most effective while relaxed state. And it was the only period when I could do the diet without much damage for training – I still had an intense schedule in May ahead. After 44 mile workout, salt even on shorts Read the complete report