Day 6 Sri Chinmoy 3100 Mile Race

Two events, planets apart, with the same aim

Just over three miles from the 3,100-mile race, the US Open tennis championships are taking place at Flushing Meadows Park. Passing through the park today, we saw thousands of tennis fans arriving to watch the world's best do battle at the national tennis centre. Many millions more will be tuning in on television and streaming around the world. World-class players, the gladiators of the tennis court, are competing for a champion's prize of $5,500,000. Even first-round qualifiers are guaranteed a five-figure payday, and for the top echelon there are also whatever bonuses their sponsors' contracts offer — in some cases, quite substantial ones. For all of them, though, beyond the commercial trappings of elite sport, there remains a genuine love of the game and an inner drive to be the best they can be, and to transcend their existing limitations in their own way.

Meanwhile, back at Thomas Edison High School, a handful of running enthusiasts are on hand to witness the extraordinary exploits of nine runners aspiring to cover 3,100 miles. For these runners there are no financial rewards. Most will have made financial sacrifices simply to be able to take part. This is grassroots sport at its finest: runners doing what they love, with no thought of reward. Their outer reward will be a trophy, a T-shirt and a spontaneous round of applause. Their inner reward, like that of the tennis players, is unfathomable. All of them have a love and a passion for their chosen sport, and an inner urge to be the best they can be, whatever their standard. Two events, three miles apart and in some ways planets apart — and competitors with the same aim: to push their own inner and outer limits and find out what is possible.

In other news, the sun shone all day with intermittent cloud, and a fresh breeze helped cool things a little for the runners. Andrea went through 400 miles early in the morning, in 5 days, 2 hours, 11 minutes and 48 seconds. The heat doesn't seem to affect him. Radu also passed 400 miles, in 5 days, 13 hours, 3 minutes and 39 seconds.

DAILY STATS

Six days into the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100-Mile Race, a pattern is emerging as the runners settle into a routine.

• Andrea Marcato repeated yesterday's daily total of 75.1 miles, keeping him well in the lead with a cumulative total of 465.0 miles.
• Radu Budan likewise repeated his 68 miles, taking him to 417.3 miles and holding on to second place.
• Annabel Hepworth seems to have found her sweet spot. Her 62.5 miles was her fifth consecutive day of around 62 to 63 miles, giving her a cumulative total of 395.9 miles and setting her up to pass 400 tomorrow.
• Vasu Duzhiy had a challenging day, recording 54.9 miles — his lowest daily total so far — for a cumulative total of 381.7 miles.
• Lo Wei-Ming's 64.9 miles, his highest since day 1, drew him level with Vasu on a cumulative total of 381.7 miles.
• Nayaja Perugini had another solid day of 63 miles, giving her a cumulative total of 378.9 miles.
• Nina Huang-Lan's 60.3 miles gives her a cumulative total of 375.1 miles, still very much in touch with Nayaja.
• Ananda-Lahari Zuscin's 46.1 miles gives him a cumulative total of 334 miles.
• Stutisheel Lebedev's 60.9 miles was also his highest since day 1, giving him a six-day total of 307.7 miles.

"Life's perfection road is very long,
But the journey is richly rewarding."

— Sri Chinmoy

New

• 3100 Mile Race featured in National Geographic

Follow the race

• Perfection Journey- 3100 Mile Race 2026
• Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo 2026
• Runner interviews SCMT
• SCMT - Vimeo
• US Gallery 2026