The race has begun. The adventure has started. Ten intrepid ultra-running pioneers set off this morning on the world's longest certified road race. Weeks, months and years of preparation have brought them to the start line. Success in the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-Mile Race tends to come from patience and gradual perseverance, but that still doesn't stop some runners from being very enthusiastic on day one.

The race can be completed within the allotted 52 days by averaging around 60 miles (96 km) per day, and the top runners regularly average 70 miles or more. Even so, day one almost always sees one or two competitors record their highest mileage of the entire race. The pent-up emotion of recent days is suddenly released, and after all the planning, they can finally get on with running.

Today, six-time winner Andrea Marcato blitzed 89 miles and looked in control all day. For context, if he sustained that as a daily average, he would finish in 34 to 35 days — more than five days inside the existing record of 40 days, 9 hours, 6 minutes and 21 seconds, set by Finland's Ashprihanal Aalto in 2015.

Not far behind was the leading woman, experienced Australian Annabel Hepworth, who totalled 80.1 miles.  (see: Interview with Annabel, Day 1) Again for context, if Annabel were to average around 80 miles a day, she would finish in roughly 39 days — inside Aalto's men's record, and more than six days inside Tsai Wen-Ya's women's mark of 45 days, 12 hours, 28 minutes and 24 seconds from 2023. Behind Hepworth, multiple-time winner Vasu Duzhiy and Moldova's Radu Budan recorded 76.8 and 75.7 miles respectively. History shows that these daily distances will rarely be repeated, if at all, as the race goes on.

Over the next few days, expect every runner to settle into a routine and a mileage they feel comfortable with — whether that means shadowing the 60-mile cut-off line or chasing a national record or a personal best. All of them arrive at the 3,100-Mile Race as experienced multi-day runners, capable of putting a few miles in the bank early on while knowing how their bodies will recover in the days that follow. Like the early miles of a marathon, it is a matter of balancing effort against energy conserved. 

They also know that too big an effort on day one or day two will lead to a difficult, subpar day not long afterwards. Outwardly, the 3,100 is an exercise in finding the daily balance between pushing oneself and giving the body the energy, nutrition and rest it needs to recover. Inwardly, it is an exercise in concentration. The adventure has begun.

Interview with Annabel Hepworth

Day 2 at the 3100 Mile Race - Perfection Journey

Follow the race

• Perfection Journey - 3100 Mile Race 2026
• Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo 2026
• Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team  Vimeo Channel