With the fastest runners having completed their task, and enjoyed rest and relaxation, the final six runners on the course have to search for motivation. To keep going when a finish is hopeless must be a difficult pill to swallow. Of the six, only Kaneenika Janakova has a chance of reaching the goal on Tuesday at midnight. Thus, it is intriguing for the other five to taste the emptiness of a self-imposed purgatory. Here is where their inner depth kicks in. What better time than now to show their real strength, their real fortitude, their real dedication to the highest reality. What better time than now?!

Kaneenika Janakova has been managing her race well the last 10 days, and with two more efforts, should reach the finish line that eluded her a year ago. If she is vigilant, sometime between 1:00 pm and 2:30, a smile on her face and a sense of utter relief should accompany the Slovakian champion.  She reached 3000 miles today almost two days faster than last year. Stay tuned for updates tomorrow.

Kaneenika Janakova-3000 miles-49 days+12:31:15

Apart from the weekend traffic and wayward beachgoers, Atmavir Petr Spacil cruised to his ninth finish in as many starts of the 3100 Mile Race. The youthful looking Atmavir crested the tape in 47 days+11:32:00, the second fastest  3100 of his impressive multi-day career. He is still ranked ninth alltime for the 3100 Mile Race. Atmavir exuded gratitude to all his friends, helpers, his running colleagues , and especially his coach and guide- Sri Chinmoy as his race resulted in another podium finish of third place.                                    

Vasu Duzhiy had another fine day to position himself for a mid-morning conclusion to his 3100 Mile Race. His 66.95 miles led all runners. Vasu has only 17.56 miles to negotiate on saturday morning to reach his goal of 3100 miles. This will translate to a 10:00 am finish if his pace is moderate in the expected warm sun.

After the fierce competition on Day 46, it was a walk in the park for Yuri Trostenyuk today, as the native of Vinnitsa, Ukraine won the 20th edition of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence. His winning time was 46 days+01:10:25, an average of 67.323 miles per day/108.346 km. Yuri, 52, retains his ranking of 11th all-time for 3100 miles, and has completed the world's longest certified race four times. He was a model of consistency, never going lower than 63.11 miles on any day, and showed tremendous strength throughout the difficult heatwave that sapped energy and willpower from almost every competitor in the race. Mr Trostenyuk needed to defend his top position in the race in the latter stages, as his efforts combined against those of Ashprihanal Aalto, created the closest finish in event history. Only 94 minutes separated the two stalwarts after 46 days and two hours of running. Yuri remains the ever-smiling competitor, confident in the journey and full of gratitude for every opportunity to run very long.

The second position this morning went to Ashprihanal Aalto, the 45 year old courier from Helsinki, Finland. Mr Aalto set the current all-time record for 3100 miles last year (40 days+09 hours), and surprisingly showed up at the line again this year. It seemed that he had not fully recovered from the epic finish of 2015, yet, overcoming fitness and chest cold issues, ran himself into shape. In a final blitz to the finish line he averaged four straight days of 78.61 miles per day, including the final battle yesterday of 86.1. Alas, second place was his fate. By finishing, however, Ashprihanal became the only person to finish the 3100 a record 14 times. His completion today took 46 days+02:54:22, which is an average of 67.218 miles per day(108.177 km). He also holds most victories, most completions while averaging 70plus miles per day, and many individual bests for marks past 2100 km and 1400 miles.

In what can best be described as a classic defense in a chess match, Yuri Trostenyuk withstood the ferocious charge of the Master of long distance- Ashprihanal Aalto and his 86.16 miles- in reaching the cusp of victory in the 3100 Mile Race. The morning dawned with Ashprihanal determined to equal the quirky record of sorts set by Ananda-Lahari Zuscin last year- 86. 1 miles on Day 44, the longest distance run in the last few days of the 3100.  The first few hours saw Ashprihanal blaze 5.5 miles an hour, including some laps in the low 5:20's. Yuri was not to be daunted by the inspiration from his rival-friend. Instead he increased his speed in the afternoon, and bypassed his second break after five straight hours of running. He equaled laps completed all afternoon by Mr. Aalto, and the gap which dwindled from 15 miles to eight, stayed there until Ashprihanal's evening break. With one last gasp, the Finn continued, but Yuri held him off as the hours and minutes ticked away. At days' end, Ashprihanal had his 86.1, but Yuri ran a sparkling 79 miles to counter all challenges.  Ashprihanal shook Yuri's hand as they came to the line together, acknowledging the Ukrainian's strength and stamina. Yuri smiled with still 35 minutes remaining. The race would be his.

The action at the front also inspired Atmavir Petr Spacil to another 70.79 day. Just as well, Ananda-Lahari Zuscin emerged from his month-long funk to serve as the rabbit/inspiration  for Ashprihanal to chase after for several hours. He finished with 73.5 miles, his best venture since Day 2.

Yuri will finish the race first in probably just over an hour on Thursday morning- only 9 laps remain for him. Ashprihanal will require 23 laps more to finish, so he would follow Yuri about 2.5 hours at the finish line.

What a day. The closest finish, the biggest totals in the last four days from two great runners.!

As the contest between Yuri Trostenyuk and Ashprihanal Aalto comes down to the wire, we have a timely graphic from Maathias Van Baaren showing us just how close this race is compared to previous contests.

Using a statistical projection, the two are scheduled to finish just 3 hours apart; however now that the race is in its final hours, the laws of statistics may just go out the window...so stay tuned!

Sunday was a bit like saturday's weather- wet, warm and humid in the morning, hot sunny and humid in afternoon, rainy in evening. The good thing was that four men made it past 60 miles. The better thing was that two men made it past 70 miles. The best thing was that those two extended themselves to contest the top rung of the ladder. Yuri Trostenyuk , the leader with a nearly insurmountable 27 mile lead, stayed right up on the heels of Ashprihanal Aalto for over two hours, matching the wiry Finn step for step. Mr Aalto carved a small lead in the morning. When sunny, then overcast skies turned to more showers, Ashprihanal did not cower, but powered on. A late evening drenching, heavy downpour only hastened the steps of both runners. When the day ended, Yuri had run 71.89 miles, his best total since Day 2. Ashprihanal reached another gear, reaching 76.28 miles, his best output since Day 1. The two are now four miles closer to each other than yesterday, but time is running out for the eight-time champ. Yuri is relentless, and forgoes sleep to squeeze out every last inch of progress. he only has 228 miles to run. Ashprihanal may not have a miraculous finish in him, but he sure knows how to go out in style in his fourteenth attempt at this amazing race. Stay tuned for a fantasic finish.

Ashprihanal Aalto-2800 miles-42+06:19:41

Vasu Duzhiy-2700 miles-42 days+05:38:40

Nothing could stop the runners today, particularly a sticky, humid overcast morning, a hot afternoon, and lingering showers in the evening. Yuri Trostenyuk led the charge of the top four men who had reached over sixty miles. He recorded 70.24 miles to pad the lead over second to 27 miles. He reached 2800.5 miles at days end, a mere 300 miles left to conquer.Ashprihanal Aalto just could not ignite the afterburners that his legs have become when everything is working well. He still ran 65.8 miles. The race for first could have been decided today when Yuri came up big.

Atmavir Petr Spacil went past 2700 miles again for the ninth time, another remarkable athlete still performing well. Vasu Duzhiy reached 64.2 miles to move closer to a fifth straight finish. 

Yuri Trostenyuk-4500 km-41 days+17:01:21

Yuri Trostenyuk-2800 miles-41 days+17:56:50

Atmavir Petr Spacil-2700 miles-41 days+14:27:27

On a warm, muggy day in New York, Yuri Trostenyuk and Ashprihanal Aalto both reached 65.85 miles, to maintain their distance apart, and to inch closer to finishing in about a week. Yuri has totalled 2662.22 miles, 21 miles ahead of Ashprihanal, the multiple-times champion. With the hot weather a thing of the past, all the runners will be seeking max miles as only 12 days remain in the quest. 3100 miles or not, the men and women of this race have shown and will continue to show a determination and dedication to the task that few of us could ever duplicate. The best part of the race is still to come. Finishes, near misses, completions not reaching the destination- to us it is all the same. They all have strived and won, we are just waiting for the result. Each group of runners who try the 3100 is unique in its own way. Indeed, every year of the race is different, but the challenges are always intense and relentless- these endless miles and far-reaching days.

Good luck, runners.

The warm weather continued again today, but at least there was a nice breeze for a few hours. Ashprihanal Aalto continued his surge by leading everyone with 70.2 miles, although Yuri Trostenyuk kept his overall lead with a damage-controlled 64.7 miles. The two men were the only runners to pass 60 miles for the day.Yuri's lead has dwindled from 26 miles to 20. Atmavir Petr Spacil had another disastrous day in 92º F heat, his mountain to the top increased to nearly 50 miles from third place. Kaneenika Janakova had a little resurgence of 57 miles to continue her quest to finish on the last day.

The weather picture for the next 6 days is hopeful, so expect everyone to pick up their pace a little. Now the race has become a survival to the finish,

The first finisher could reach the finish line as early as next Thursday, August 4, if things break right.