Day 29 - Sri Chinmoy 3100 Mile Race

About the author:

Tejvan organises short-distance running and cycling races for the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in his home city of Oxford. He is also a very good cyclist, having won the National hill climb championships in 2013 and finished 3rd in the National 100 Mile Time Trials in 2014.

Andrea reaches 2,000 miles

Video by Arpan

Late in the evening yesterday, Andrea Marcato reached the 2,000-mile point. It is the seventh time he has passed this extraordinary milestone.

He did it in 28 days, 14 hours, 50 minutes and 52 seconds. This is almost a day quicker than his time last year of 29 days, 12 hours, 36 minutes and 31 seconds, but slower than his 2,000-mile time of 27 days, 6 hours, 24 minutes and 13 seconds from 2023 (TBC).

It is one of many statistics that this fascinating race throws up. Even a runner taking part in their local marathon each year may see a few minutes' difference in their time from one year to the next. The difference in performances is indicative of how challenging any distance event is, and of the many variables a runner faces each year. In the 3,100, these differences are simply magnified by the extreme nature of the event. Are the runners bothered by these little mind games about how fast someone can run 2,000 miles? Not at all! Andrea and all the 3,100-mile runners acknowledge that "it is what it is" and just crack on!

Conditions yesterday continued to be challenging, bordering on brutal, with heavy rain and winds making the runners' efforts even more remarkable.

The race has now been under way for just over four weeks, since 30th August. In that time, in the track and field world, we have seen:

Records set at the Diamond League final in Brussels on 4th/5th September
More records set at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on 11th/12th September

In the ultra world:

Megan Eckert broke the world six-day record in Hungary on 9th September
Charlie Lawrence and Courtney Olsen claimed the IAU World 100km titles in Spain on 20th September

All the while, our nine runners have been steadily logging the miles to reach day 29 of the 3,100-Mile Race. National records at 1,000 miles and upwards continue to be set, and our volunteer crew keep turning up in all weathers to help keep the show on the road.

Yesterday's race in numbers

average

As well as passing 2,000 miles, Andrea Marcato went on to record 60.8 miles for the day, with an overall total of 2,010.4 miles.
Radu Budan recorded 61.9 miles, leaving him with a total of 1,929.8 miles.
Annabel Hepworth was just short of the 60-mile baseline, with 59.9 miles, giving her a cumulative total of 1,843.7 miles.
Wei Ming Lo defied the conditions to record the day's highest total of 63 miles, leaving him on 1,842 miles. Slowly but steadily, he has been making progress on Annabel and now sits only three laps behind her.
Vasu again hit 60-plus miles, with 60.3 miles leaving him on 1,793.2 miles.
Nayaja Perugini ran 61.4 miles to finish with 1,746.6 miles.

All the top six runners are still well on course to finish the 3,100 miles.

Nina achieved 46 miles to take her beyond 1,500 miles, and now sits on 1,511.9 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, still with lingering sickness, recorded 38.3 miles to take him to 1,369.9 miles.
Stutisheel recorded 43.8 miles to leave him on 1,359.4 miles.

Race report: Tarit Stott

Andrea Passes 2,000 Miles

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Are there any limits? Normal service resumed.

Eight years before the first 3,100-mile race, Sri Chinmoy was interviewed by John Hanc, a well-known New York journalist.

At the time, the 1,300-mile race was the longest the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team had organised. This was seen as an event to push the boundaries of running endurance to its limits. Sri Chinmoy, as we now know, had other ideas.

John Hanc: On the ultra-distance side, you and the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team have been leaders in expanding the limits of what people can run. Do you think there will be any limit to the distance people can run? Ten years from now, will we be talking about a 2,000-mile or a 5,000-mile run?

Sri Chinmoy: "No, there is no limit to the distance, because there is no limit to human capacity. Human capacity depends on our inner hunger — how sincerely we need something or are crying for something. In the material world, if someone has tremendous greed and wants to become a multi-millionaire, he works very hard, and eventually he fulfils his desire. But by possessing the material world, we can never be happy. We can only find joy by serving as an instrument of God and fulfilling His Will. If God wants us to be a sprinter or an ultramarathon runner, and if we follow His dictates, then naturally we will become very happy. It will not matter if we stand first or last. Success or failure, we shall place at His feet. What matters is that we are pleasing God in His own way. How do we know what God wants us to do? By praying and meditating.

But even on the outer plane, our capacity is constantly expanding. Right now, 1,300 miles is our longest race. To run 1,300 miles in 18 days is almost beyond our imagination. We feel that is our ultimate capacity. But previously, we felt that 1,000 miles was the limit. Who thought of a 1,300-mile race five years ago? At that time, people would have thought I was a crazy man if I had suggested that. But now you see that this crazy man was right, because people are doing it. Somebody just has to start. We always have to go ahead, because life means progress.

The inner runner is always trying to inspire the outer runner. First, the inner runner says, 'Go forward, go forward, go ahead, go ahead!' Then the outer runner says, 'How can I go ahead if you do not give me the aspiration and inner cry?' Then the inner runner gives the outer runner the inner cry to do something and to become something good. In this way, the inner runner offers inspiration and aspiration to the outer runner."

In yesterday's race news

Normal service was resumed yesterday as Andrea Marcato bounced back from his "little sickness setback" and threw down a 70-mile day.

Heavy rain and fresh winds for much of the day made things somewhat challenging, but they did not stop our intrepid adventurers on their onward journey. See the US photo gallery here to feel the atmospheric conditions.

Normal service was resumed yesterday, in some ways.

Andrea Marcato bounced back from his "little sickness setback" and threw down a 70-mile day (details in yesterday's daily update). He totalled 70.1 miles for the day to finish on 1949.5. Assuming he has no reaction to today's effort, he should reach 2,000 miles early Sunday evening.
Radu Budan ran a 63-mile day, continuing his own race and consistently logging the miles to reach 1867.8 miles at the close of the day.
Annabel Hepworth ran a couple of miles below her usual daily total but maintained her 60-mile threshold, running 60.8 miles to finish the day on 1783.9 miles.
Wei Ming Lo maintained a 62.5-mile (100 km) baseline to finish on 1779 miles.
Vasu and Nayaja both recorded 61.4 miles, leaving them on 1732.9 miles and 1685.2 miles, respectively.
Nina continues to crack on, hitting 47.7 miles for the day.
Ananda-Lahari and Stutisheel battled the conditions to achieve 36.1 miles and 35.6 miles, respectively.

"When your mind is plagued by dark doubts,
you are bound to be imprisoned
by all limitations — inner and outer."

— Sri Chinmoy

Race report: Tarit Stott

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School's out, and Andrea is recovering.

Using a small, compact loop for a multi-day race offers many advantages. The small 0.5488-mile loop around Thomas Edison High School provides runners with regular food, drinks, medical support, and moral support from the race crew. Each runner has their own allocated rest area at trackside in one of the event's caravans or RVs (Recreational Vehicles) — camper vans, as they are known in Europe.

The loop is in a relatively quiet suburban area of Queens and offers, for most of the day, clear sidewalks (or pavements, as they are called in Europe), allowing the runners to take a relatively free running line on the course. It is not like a local park or big-city road race, which may have a road or park closure in place allowing runners free rein on the route. Being held on public sidewalks means the runners need to co-exist with other users of the route.

schoolsout For most of the day, this is fine. However, one major disadvantage is that the loop circles Thomas Edison School, and five days a week in term time, several hundred students enter and leave the school twice a day. It offers an interesting little cameo sideshow to the race, but also a considerable short-term obstacle to the runners, who have to weave in and out of the students. Many of the students are indeed respectful of the runners and have their own vague idea of the huge challenge they are undertaking. You sometimes notice them making a conscious effort to give the runners space. However, some, engrossed in their phone screens or the enthusiasm of the moment, walk three or four abreast across the entire sidewalk, chatting away about their own breaking news of the day, totally oblivious that a runner is closing in on 2,000 miles and a possible national record. By weaving in and out of the students, the runners add extra distance to the accurately measured course, which, of course, is measured along the "shortest line."

Some runners consciously take one of their short daily breaks around this time to minimise the disruption to their day. Others see it as a welcome, temporary distraction, helping another hour speed by.

The runners, to coin a phrase, "take it all in their stride." They know that, like everything else the race throws at them, it is something to be dealt with as calmly as possible, with minimal drama — in a few minutes, "this too will pass," and the course will be clear again, and peace will return.

- Tarit Stott

Radu passes 1,800 miles in the rain.

Whilst the race can be hectic and wet, it can also be beautiful. In fact variation throughout the day is a feature of the race. This was from early yesterday morning. A beautiful school welcomed the runners.

Race updates

Race leader Andrea seems to be battling through his sickness and recorded 60.3 miles. We hope he hasn't been too worried about losing distance to second-placed Radu, and isn't trying to do too much, too soon, as he bounces back from his little setback. He finished the day on a total of 1,879.3 miles.
Radu, with another solid 64.7 miles, finished the day on 1,804.8, closing the gap on Andrea by another 4 miles. In reality, he is still 75 miles behind Andrea and is just running his own race.
Annabel Hepworth, with 61.9 miles, continues to look strong and now has a total mileage of 1,723.0 miles.
Wei Ming Lo had the second-highest mileage of the day behind Radu, with 63 miles, taking his total to 1,716.5 miles.
Vasu, after a slow start in the morning, ran his usual strong evening session, right up to midnight, to finish with 60.8 miles for the day.
Nayaja Perugini, seemingly in a very good routine just now, nailed another 61-mile day and now has 1,623.8 miles.
Nina, after three solid days, fell back to a 43.8-mile day.
Ananda-Lahari, also struggling with mild sickness, still managed to complete 42.2 miles. He and Stutisheel (with 44.9 miles) are closing in on 1,300 miles, which they should reach on Saturday.

"I shall forever remain a pilgrim, on the self-transcendence road."

— Sri Chinmoy

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The race reaches the halfway point, and race leader Andrea suffers a setback

Thursday 24th September marked a minor landmark, as the race reached the halfway point of its 52-day journey. For 26 days now, since Day One on August 30th, the runners have been slowly and steadily circling the short 0.5488-mile lap around Thomas Edison High School.

Summer is slowly turning to autumn, and sweeping up the fallen leaves around the race camp has become a daily task for some. Although not actually cold yet, temperatures are dropping, especially in the early mornings and late evenings. Some of the runners are now wearing an extra layer at these times. In the counting tent, where the volunteers sit static for several hours, hats and warmer jackets are now a necessity for the early morning and evening shifts.

Day 26 saw some drama unfold amongst the runners. Six-time winner Andrea Marcato, the race leader from Day One, is having his first real test of the race. After regularly logging high-60-mile to low-70-mile days, he suddenly dropped to a 57.6-mile day on Day 25, and an even lower 47.7-mile day yesterday on Day 26. The reason is a sudden stomach and gastrointestinal (GI) issue.

As a regular multi-day runner, he knows these issues can happen to any of the runners on any given day. If he were not in the race, he would probably take a complete break and stay home to let his body work through the temporary setback. In his current situation, on Day 26 of one of the toughest running challenges in the world, this is not an option. With advice from the experienced race medical team, he is still "showing up" each day and circling the race loop at a reduced effort.

Athletes like Andrea have a level of natural strength, resilience and fitness way above normal, built over many years. That is why he is a multi-day champion. At times like this, that fitness, resilience, and all-round belief that any obstacle is there to be experienced and overcome, give him a huge advantage. Patience is needed. However, history shows that with the right advice from the race medical team, and support from his own personal helpers, he has the capacity to get through this and finish the race. Time will tell, but we will keep an eye on the daily leaderboard!

In other news

Andrea's lead has certainly been reduced, but he still has a healthy buffer.
Radu, who is in second place, continues his own progress with a steady 65.8-mile day but is still almost 80 miles behind Andrea.
Annabel Hepworth continues to hit her daily target and ran another solid 63-mile day, leaving her with a total of 1,661.1 miles.
Wei Ming Lo, with all his experience, continues to grow into the race. He has established a good routine, and another 64.1-mile day yesterday took him to the halfway point. Observers are wondering if he will, as he has in previous years, get stronger as the race progresses.
Vasu, with another 60-mile day, also has the 3,100-mile race experience to push on strongly in the second half of the race.
Nayaja, now well recovered from her own injury interlude, and in her first race beyond 10 days, continues to explore her own boundaries. She ran 63 miles yesterday, leaving her on 1,562.4 miles.
Vasu and Nayaja both went through halfway yesterday, well inside the mythical "cut-off" line.
Nina, although below the cut-off line, continues to look good with another 50-plus-mile day. With every passing day, though, the 3,100-mile goal is slipping further away.

Report by Tarit Stott.

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Day 25 saw Radu Budan gain the highest daily total with 65.2 miles, and Vasu Duzhiy pass 1,500 miles.

Another highlight was Annabel Hepworth passing the halfway point. Tarit Stott caught up with the Australian ultra runner to ask how the race was going.

Annabel Hepworth, photo Sri Chinmoy Ultra

As Annabel enters the second half of the race, she almost looks like she did on Day One. One certainly senses that, beyond her strategy of playing down all the intermediate milestones, there is a deep desire that whatever the race throws at her in the second half, getting to that finish line would mean a great deal to her.

Tarit: You have reached 1,500 miles. You're going to reach halfway tomorrow. How does that play into your whole approach to the race?

Annabel: "I have been focused on one metric only, which is what happens each day. It's about getting my laps done for the day, ideally with a bit of a buffer. That's all I'm thinking about. I have deliberately, strategically glided past all of these intermediate milestones.

I mean, it's nice when the bells ring when you reach a milestone, but I have very deliberately tried to glide seamlessly past those intermediate achievements.

You know, in a 24-hour race, someone does a cracking 12-hour split or a banger of a 100-mile mark, and then — kaput — they're done! The energy system crashes; they're a bit tearful, a bit chilly, a bit cold, whatever, or there's just that descent into oblivion. I think if you invest too much in these intermediate points, they can come at a cost. I've just seen it too many times, and I just felt, for this one, I have really just one goal.

It's not a competitive one, it's not a performance one; it's an "I would like to finish this race."

So physically, I am taking a deliberately conservative strategy — almost what you'd call load management.

I've run about 100k a day, which I think is within my tissue tolerance. I hope. We'll see. But this isn't a 10-day, and this is not my ideal surface — I love a hard surface, but this concrete will bring you to your knees, and I'm very aware of that.

So, how do I feel? I'm pretty relaxed, actually.

I have no idea how this race will unfold. No one does. You cannot predict what might happen.

And I'd recommend against anyone running this race if they have an attachment to needing a finish. I'd love to have a finish, but I don't need one. I just want the experience of doing this race. I still have myself and my family, and the sun will still rise.

And if you struggle with perspective, this is not the race.

So, as far as the halfway thing goes, it's a bit like, "Really? Are we really that far in at this seemingly early stage? It doesn't feel like I've been out here long enough."

Which I guess is a good thing.

Report: Tarit Stott

Major Daily Milestones (All TBC)

Annabel Hepworth and Lo Wei Ming reached half way today Annabel went on to finish the day with a total of 1598.0 miles.
Wei Ming on 1589.2 miles
Nayaja and Vasu should reach half way tomorrow.
Radu Budan achieved the highest daily mileage with 65.2 miles.
Race leader Andrea Marcato had a difficult day falling below 60 miles. His 57.5 miles is the first time he has fallen below the 60 mile mark in a day.
Nina had a good day reaching 57 miles Today Thursday, the race will reach day 26 and the half way point of the 52 day cut-off.
Vasu Duzhiy — 1500 miles in [time TBC]; 2500 km in [time TBC]
Nayaja Perugini — approaching 1500 miles
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 1200 miles in [time TBC]; 1900 km in [time TBC]
Stutisheel Lebedev — 1900 km in [time TBC]

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Day 24 of the Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race saw the nine contenders continue their epic journey. The race leader, Andrea Marcato, once again topped the daily mileage with another impressive 70.2-mile day. The rest of the top six also covered more than 60 miles.

Radu passes halfway, 1,550 miles

A highlight of the morning was Radu Budan (Moldova) passing the halfway mark with 1,550 miles. It is Radu's second race, and so far he has displayed great talent and aptitude for the distance.

Arpan, a former 3100 Mile runner, helping Andrea

But whilst we often focus on the runners' mileage, there is always a big support crew to feed and look after them. Andrea is always looking to save time where possible, and here his main handler, Arpan, gives him food on the move.

Most runners will not have full-time helpers, and some manage without any specific help at all. But the race organisers always provide food and snacks at a convenient location on the course. Here, Vasu Duzhiy is scanning the table for something he might fancy.

How Many Calories Does a Runner Burn?

A runner who is on the move from 6 am to midnight — 18 hours of running — and completes 70 miles in a day may burn anything from 7,300 calories (59 kg) to 9,000 calories (72 kg).

A runner who completes 60 miles may burn anything from 6,300 (59 kg) to 7,800 (72 kg) calories in total.

Calories burned depend on a few factors, but this gives a rough idea that runners need to eat around three times the usual daily calorie intake of 2,000 calories. It might sound like a dream to be able to eat so much without putting on weight, but it can actually be hard work, and the stomach has to work harder to process so much food. Especially if it is hot, a runner may not feel like eating. This is why it is important the food is tasty and appealing. The race cooks do a great job! (More photos at Arpan 3100 gallery)

Radu Interview with Tarit

Radu is doing well so far, averaging in the mid-to-high sixties every day and well on course, for now, for another finish. Every day, his expression switches from steely concentration on the task at hand, to laughing and joking with volunteers, to occasional periods when he is quiet and seemingly dealing with a temporary issue. Every day, though, he is "showing up" with the knowledge and experience from 2024 that covering 3,100 miles is achievable.

He has an overall aura of quiet confidence that he will reach the goal again. So, what are his own thoughts as he reaches halfway?

You reached halfway today; does that give you any special feelings?

"I lost a little enthusiasm a few days ago because I had a problem with my knee. Usually, after a marathon or some other big run, after halfway I start to concentrate on going down! Until then you imagine you are going up a mountain. Now you start to go back down. This, for me, is great, because every day you are closer to the end. It is also good for me, because if halfway feels like this, and I feel okay, then from now on half of my worries have disappeared. (laughs)

If 50% of your worries have gone, then you feel much more happiness. The numbers are very important to me, and all the time I calculate how much I need to do each day. After halfway, it's much easier mentally. There can be some problems, even bigger problems, but mentally, if you already know you are past halfway, it is easier to stay calm when problems crop up. If you have less worry and more calm, I hope everything will be fine."

Do you worry about the weather?

"Yes, when it's rainy, you have to change your clothes and nothing is easy. You're wet all the time, even if you have a good jacket, because you're running and sweating; you're wet inside too.

Sometimes when it rains a lot, it also gets colder, and for me that feels uncomfortable. You lose time. You also lose time when you change, and everything is wet. Having wet socks is one of the worst things in the world. But it's like in life; you cannot change anything. You have to deal with things. You have to change to do what is needed.

When you need a cap, or a jacket or T-shirt or something else, it all takes time. I'm a little worried, but when you get through it and see that you survive, it gives you happiness, and you understand nothing can stop you or distract you. There's a bit more wind today."

Does the wind affect you at all?

"Not so much, unless it is very strong. Usually, in 10-day races here in New York, one part of the park is so open, and the wind can just stop you sometimes. It's very, very strong. But here, it's not so strong. Here, the problem is that in the evening, many times, half of the course is quite warm with no wind, and half is very cold as you run into the wind. You don't know which clothes to wear.

You can walk and enjoy the wind blowing, or you have to freeze, or you have to be too warm because you put extra clothes on."

Major Daily Milestones (All TBC)

Andrea Marcato — 2700 km in 23 Days 08:15:43
Radu Budan — Halfway in 23 Days +01:26:18; 2500 km in 23 Days 02:15:26
Annabel Hepworth — 1500 miles in 23 Days +06:47:47; 2400 km in 23 Days 04:36:49
Wei Ming Lo — 1500 miles in 23 Days +10:25:44; 2200 km in 23 Days +09:15:47
Vasu Duzhiy — 2300 km in 23 Days 01:11:59
Nayaja Perugini — 1400 miles in 23 Days +06:42:36
Nina — 2000 km in 23 Days 10:16:42

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Day 23 saw the nine runners continue on their intrepid journey. Andrea passed 1,600 miles in the morning and continued to extend his lead, now around 99 miles clear of 2nd place. After passing the magical halfway point (1,550 miles) on Sunday, Tarit spoke to Andrea about whether he had any special feelings on reaching halfway.

andrea

"I don't think too much about it really. I try not to think about how far away the finish is, as that can overwhelm you. It does give you a nice feeling of being at halfway, but I'm just concentrating now on getting to 1,600 miles; then it will be 1,700, then 1,800. So I try to break it down into little things to be achieved each day.

You know in the back of your head there is still a long way to go, but you also know that in a race of this distance, anything might happen. It can rain a lot, it can get cold now, and all these things can change your race."

It's quite a shocking statistic that even after passing halfway, the runners still have a proverbial mountain to climb, but any 3100 mile runner learns very quickly that they can't be intimidated by statistics and need to keep the focus on the present moment.

2nd place Radu is having another excellent day, passing 1,500 miles early in the morning. Annabel, 1st lady and 3rd overall, has been remarkably consistent in this race and will be hoping to keep the steady momentum going to the end; she managed another 64.1 miles. Wei Ming Lo has also been remarkably consistent. In previous races, Wei Ming Lo has often got stronger as the race progressed, and he has managed to keep up an impressive consistency here too, reaching 62.5 miles yesterday.

Vasu Duzhiy is a veteran of the race, having won on three occasions; yesterday he managed 54.8 miles but still has a good buffer for what would be his 14th finish. Nayaja Perugini continued her strong recent form, running 61.9 miles to move up to 1,373.7 miles. She will be seeking to try and increase that average mileage buffer that at the end of day 22 had reached 0.5 miles, but at the end of yesterday had increased to 2.5 miles!. Yang Huang-Lan moved past 1,200 miles, while two other veterans of the race, Ananda-Lahari Zuscin and Stutisheel Lebedev, completed 43.3 miles and 38.3 miles respectively, with Stutisheel now quietly closing in on the 1,100-mile mark.

Radu passes 1,500 Miles

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As runners enter the third week, the mileage totals continue to rise. As a casual observer, we can become complacent about the great effort of running multiple marathons, day after day, but this is what the runners are quietly doing.

day22

After day 22, six runners are above the daily average of 59.6. Nayaja Perugini has a buffer of just 0.5 miles but, after coming through the challenge of shin splints, is recovering well.

It is not just a physical challenge of running up to an average of 60 miles a day for 52 days, but also a mental challenge. The race founder Sri Chinmoy knew the importance of inspiration for the runners. He gave runners advice such as trying to smile, maintaining cheerfulness, and offering gratitude during the race.

Sri Chinmoy also founded the early morning singing group Enthusiasm Awakeners. This group of women sing Sri Chinmoy's English songs every day and offer the runners prasad (blessed food). In turn, the runners sometimes perform short skits and jokes. But, for the runners, the singing group offers a new inspiration every morning, just at that time of the day, when the body can ache from the previous day's efforts and is slow to get going.

Out in the open, the runners have to contend with everything that Mother Earth sends to them. Yesterday, there were periods of heavy rain.

This is a short video captured by Arpan. When it rains in New York, it can be like a tropical downpour. But, the runners must keep going.

“When the heart has aspiration
And the mind has enthusiasm,
There is nothing
That we cannot accomplish.”

— Sri Chinmoy

Andrea hits halfway on Day 22

Shortly after 4 pm this afternoon, Andrea completed lap no. 2,827. Just a number in some ways, but it is symbolic as the halfway mark of the 3,100 Mile Race.

Watching the runners circle the loop every day, it is easy to become complacent and take things for granted, forgetting the enormity of the task the runners are undertaking.

They have been running for three weeks now and are scheduled to run a total of 5,563 laps.

I asked Andrea if he had any special feelings on reaching halfway.

Next Thursday will see us hit Day 26, the halfway point of the 52-day time limit. It's tempting to say it will be all downhill from there, but the runners know there is still much work to be done.

Daily Milestones (All TBC)

Andrea Marcato — HALFWAY: 1550 miles in 21 Days +10:23:35; 2500 km in 21 Days 11:16:50
Radu Budan — 2300 km in 21 Days 03:32:46
Annabel Hepworth — 1400 miles in 21 Days +14:21:43; 2200 km in 21 Days 05:02:47
Wei Ming Lo — 2200 km in 21 Days +09:15:47
Vasu Duzhiy — 2100 km in 20 Days 16:40:53
Nayaja Perugini — 1300 miles in 21 Days +14:32:04; 2100 km in 21 Days 16:15:42
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 1700 km in 21 Days 05:09:33

Daily Stats (All TBC)

Andrea Marcato hit the halfway point and continued on to another 70-plus day with 70.1 miles, again topping the daily rankings, finishing with a cumulative total of 1,577.7 miles.
Radu Budan ran another solid 64.7 miles, the 2nd-highest daily total, giving him a cumulative total of 1,415.4 miles.
Annabel Hepworth, possibly affected by today's rain, ran a 59.7-mile day — her first day below the 60-mile barrier. She closed the day with 1,408.3 miles.
Wei Ming Lo again closed out the day with 62.5 miles, finishing on a cumulative total of 1,397.8 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy continues to hit 60 miles, recording 60.3 miles today to give a cumulative total of 1,371 miles.
Nayaja Perugini continues to go well, increasing her daily total to 61.4 miles, finishing the day with 1,311.77 miles.
Nina Huang-Lan continued to battle through her own issues and finished the day with 41.1 miles. This improved her total to 1,164.2 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 46.0-mile day, improved his total to 1,089.1 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev finished with a daily total of 37.2 miles and a cumulative total of 1,057.3 miles.

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Another Italian record and the importance of stretching

Yesterday we chronicled Nayaja's shin issues over a few days; today she is back on track and ran 61.4 miles. Along the way, she passed 2,000 km in 20 Days 14:42:57. This is another milestone for her, and the first time an Italian woman has reached 2,000 km.

All distance runners know the importance of stretching. Distance running of any length is proven to shorten key lower limb muscles. Prolonged, excessive shortening can lead to all manner of lower limb issues. Hence the importance all coaches and trainers place on stretching. This is true for 5k, 20k and marathon runners, and takes on even more importance in a multi-day race.

vasu Vasu has been a long-time runner in the 3,100-mile race, with 13 starts and 13 finishes, including 3 wins. He has come to see stretching as vital to his success in completing this race so many times.

Several times a day he can be seen doing simple stretches around the course. He may be hanging onto the school railings to stretch out his quads or hamstrings.

At the children's playground at the bottom end of the course, there is a bench where he can often be seen stretching his back.

Vasu is one of a regular group of four who tend to run right up to midnight. The others are Ananda-Lahari, Nina and Andrea. While the others tend to leave very quickly, Vasu will stay for around 10 minutes carrying out an end-of-day stretching routine, before his regular driver, Anugata, takes him home.

So it goes on. In a race like the 3100, where over a few weeks you are taking the body to the point of breakdown, he says making the effort to do these stretches not only helps him relax tired muscles, but helps prevent possible issues from occurring.

In today's race highlights:

Andrea, our race leader, reached 1,500 miles in 20 Days +15:55:09 and is set to reach the 1,550-mile halfway point tomorrow.
Nayaja reached 2,000 km in 20 Days +14:42:57 (TBC), setting a new Italian record as the first Italian to have run this far in a competitive race.
Stutisheel and Ananda-Lahari both reached 1,000 miles.

Daily Milestones (All TBC)

Andrea Marcato — 1500 miles in 20 Days +15:55:09; 2400 km in 20 Days 13:30:43
Radu Budan — 1400 miles in 20 Days +13:09:45; 2100 km in 20 Days 05:21:32
Annabel Hepworth — 1300 miles in 20 Days +03:36:47; 2100 km in 20 Days 04:50:43
Wei Ming Lo — 1300 miles in 20 Days +08:24:17; 2100 km in 20 Days +09:40:37
Vasu Duzhiy — 1300 miles in 20 Days +15:29:42; 2100 km in 20 Days 16:40:53
Nayaja Perugini — 1200 miles in 20 Days +03:06:47; 2000 km in 20 Days +14:42:57
Nina — 1100 miles in 20 Days 09:02:04; 1800 km in 20 Days +15:03:58
Stutisheel — 1000 miles (TBC)
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 1000 miles in 20 Days 00:45:20

Daily Stats (All TBC)

Andrea Marcato passed 1,500 miles and continued on to 66.3 miles for the day, finishing with a cumulative total of 1,507.5 miles. He is set to pass the halfway point tomorrow.
Radu Budan ran another solid 64.7 miles, the 2nd-highest daily total, giving him a cumulative total of 1,415.4 miles.
Annabel Hepworth ran yet another 63.6-mile day, closing out with 1,348.5 miles.
Wei Ming Lo closed out the day with a fabulous 64.1 miles, finishing on a cumulative total of 1,335.3 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy continues to hit 60 miles, recording 60.8 miles again today to give a cumulative total of 1,310.6 miles.
Nayaja Perugini continues to get stronger and increased her daily total to 61.4 miles, finishing the day with 1,250.3 miles — only a few miles below the cut-off.
Nina Huang-Lan continued to battle through her own issues and finished the day with 52.0 miles, her best total since Day 6. This improved her total to 1,123.1 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 44.9-mile day, improved his total to 1,043.0 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev finished with a daily total of 34.5 miles and a cumulative total of 1,020 miles. He has slipped back to almost 20 miles behind Ananda-Lahari.

"Faith has the capacity
To pass through
The darkest tunnels."

— Sri Chinmoy

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No walls, just tunnels

Marathon runners talk ruefully of hitting the wall: the point where it all becomes too hard, and the pace you had planned is simply no longer possible. Fuel stores are depleted, cramp may be setting in, and there is no time to replenish anything in a hurry. Pressing on to the finish at a reduced, sometimes painful pace is all you can do.

You can also pick up an injury, and then a judgement has to be made about whether to push on and risk further damage, or stop. For most, stopping is not an option.

In a long ultra, or a multi-day race like the 3,100, there are no walls to hit. All the runners experience low energy or minor aches and pains, but time is on their side. Unlike in a marathon, there is time to take a breath, work out what is going on, and come up with a solution.

Occasionally a runner will hit something more serious, something that really does feel like a wall. Multi-day runners know that for them there are no walls — but there are tunnels to travel through.

Nayaja has been in a tunnel for the last four days.

On Monday she had the joy of reaching 1,000 miles for the first time, setting a new Italian record. The following day she began to feel pain in her shins which, as the day went on, steadily worsened and eventually reduced her to a walk.

She was seen by the race medics and took advice from her helpers and from other experienced multi-day runners in the Sri Chinmoy team, several of them 3,100-mile finishers. Stretches, tape, ice packs, the traditional cabbage-leaf dressing, and no end of good old tender loving care to keep her spirits up.

In short, although there were moments when her race felt under threat, there was no need to panic. She had been running well up to that point and had a good cushion above the mythical cut-off line.

The experienced 3,100 runners offered the wisdom that a test like this is all part of the experience. Any notion that covering 3,100 miles would be easy is soon banished. This is one of the world's most extreme physical challenges — some would say it goes well beyond the physical — and difficulties like these will happen. They are something to be faced head-on and dealt with.

The collective advice was that two or three days of easy walking at reduced mileage should let the shin settle, heal a little, and allow running to be resumed gradually.

Some medics and physiotherapists reading this may be horrified, since total rest, or at most non-weight-bearing exercise, is the usual prescription for a serious shin problem. But multi-day runners are a different breed, and will always look for a way to persevere through the tunnel.

Now, on Friday, Nayaja is clearly coming out the other side and running again.

There is no need for her to panic about falling behind the red line. We are "only" on day 20, and there is plenty of time to make up ground once the shin is fully better.

3,100-mile runners often find that when problems arise, if you accept them as part of the race, stay cheerful, and surrender to the experience, magic can and does happen.

All will be well.

Every problem is different, and the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team would always recommend that a runner seek advice from the race medical team if they have a serious physical or medical issue.

DAILY MILESTONES (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato — 1,400 miles in 19 days, 6 hrs, 56 min, 12 sec, and 2,300 km in 19 days, 14 hrs, 39 min, 4 sec
Radu Budan — 1,300 miles in 19 days, 4 hrs, 16 min, 19 sec, and 2,100 km in 19 days, 5 hrs, 21 min, 32 sec
Annabel Hepworth — 2,000 km in 19 days, 5 hrs, 0 min, 9 sec
Wei Ming Lo — 2,000 km in 19 days, 8 hrs, 48 min, 26 sec
Vasu Duzhiy — 1,200 miles in 19 days, 13 hrs, 40 min, 12 sec
Nayaja Perugini — 1,900 km in 19 days, 15 hrs, 6 min, 41 sec
Nina Huang-Lan — 1,700 km in 19 days, 10 hrs, 45 min, 45 sec
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 1,600 km in 19 days, 16 hrs, 22 min, 35 sec

DAILY STATS (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato again topped the daily rankings, going through 1,400 miles and 2,300 km on the way to a cumulative total of 1,441.2 miles.
Radu Budan ran another solid 68.0 miles, the second-highest total of the day, for a cumulative 1,350.7 miles.
Annabel Hepworth ran yet another 62.5-mile day, closing on 1,284.9 miles.
Wei Ming Lo closed out the day with a fabulous 65.8 miles, finishing on a cumulative total of 1,271.7.
Vasu Duzhiy continues to hit 60, recording 60.8 miles today for a cumulative total of 1,249.8.
Nayaja Perugini, as described above, is running again, and lifted her daily total to 53.1 miles to finish the day on 1,188.9.
Nina Huang-Lan continued to battle through her own problems and finished with 60.8 miles, her best since day 3. That improves her total to 1,071.0 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 44.4-mile day, improved his total to 998.0 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev finished with 51.0 miles for a cumulative total of 985.4. He is once again closing in on Ananda-Lahari.

"Faith has the capacity
To pass through
The darkest tunnels."

— Sri Chinmoy

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Day 19: Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race

Is the course flat?

gain At first glance, the 3,100-mile course looks fairly flat. Certainly, there are no steep hills. Nevertheless, within the course there are gentle gradients and a total height gain of 3.14 metres per lap. To a casual observer walking along the course, this is the kind of height gain you might not give much attention to.

But for the runners endeavouring to run 5,653 laps, each small height gain becomes tremendously important. You will see runners adapt their style, walking up an incline and picking up their pace on the downhill. Each day, the race changes direction, which means the height gain appears in different ways. Some runners even talk about one direction feeling more like an "uphill" version.

One aspect of the 3,100 Mile Race is that everything happens on a much more extreme level. Runners go through numerous pairs of shoes, burn through thousands of calories a day (close to 10,000 a day, by one estimate), and also deal with a considerable, if gradual, height gain. Over the course of the race, the runners will effectively ascend a total height gain of 17,750 metres! Considering that Mount Everest is 8,848m, this means that during the race, the runners will effectively ascend twice the height of Mount Everest — quite a remarkable feat of vertical height gain to go along with the horizontal distance.

Daily Milestones (All TBC)

Radu hit 2,000 km in 18 Days 07:01:42, another new Moldovan record.

Nina, despite her recent issues, went through 1,000 miles in 18 Days 12:25:05.

Andrea Marcato — 2100 km in 18 Days 00:08:26
Radu Budan — 2000 km in 18 Days 07:01:42
Annabel Hepworth — 1200 miles in 18 Days 10:45:10; 1900 km in 18 Days 05:16:12
Wei Ming Lo — 1200 miles in 17 Days 16:15:35; 1900 km in 18 Days +11:24:57
Vasu Duzhiy — 1900 km in 18 Days 16:08:09
Nayaja Perugini — 1100 miles in 18 Days +03:14:29; 1800 km in 18 Days +10:38:47
Nina — 1000 miles in 18 Days 12:25:05; 1600 km in 18 Days +10:45:45
Stutisheel Lebedev — 1500 km in 18 Days 16:35:27
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 1500 km in 18 Days 09:37:53

Daily Stats (All TBC)

Andrea Marcato shared top spot with Radu today, both achieving 65.8 miles. This gave Andrea a cumulative total of 1,370.4 miles.
Radu Budan shared top spot with Andrea on 65.8 miles, taking his cumulative total to 1,282.7 miles.
Annabel Hepworth ran yet another 63.0-mile day, closing out with 1,222.3 miles.
Wei Ming Lo has run either 62 or 63 miles every day for the last week. He again closed out the day with 63 miles, finishing on a cumulative total of 1,205.9 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy narrowly missed 60 miles today, finishing on 58.6 miles to take his cumulative total to 1,188.9 miles.
Nayaja Perugini continued to fight through her shin issues and recorded a much-improved 43.8 miles, finishing the day with 1,135.7 miles.
Nina Huang-Lan ran through the 1,000-mile barrier today. Still battling her own foot issues, she nonetheless ran a better mileage of 49.3 miles, improving her total to 1,010.1 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 43.8-mile day, improved his total to 953.6 miles, staying ahead of Stutisheel.
Stutisheel Lebedev again started the day well but finished with a daily total of 27.9 miles and a cumulative total of 934.4 miles.

Spirituality is not like coasting
But exactly like climbing —
Climbing ten thousand Himalayas.

— Sri Chinmoy

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Radu with Florin Chira and his wife Anna,

Visitors to the race

Hardly a day goes by without visitors coming to the race. Often they are local runners with a long-standing connection to the race, who bring gifts of drinks or fruit for the runners. Sometimes people come from other parts of the city, such as Manhattan or Brooklyn, having heard about the race and wanting to see it for themselves.

Occasionally, visitors come with a special story and make a real effort to get here.

On Sunday, a Romanian couple, Florin Chira and his wife Anna, stopped by the race. Two days earlier, they had been half a world away, travelling in Romania, and stopped to eat at a small village café. Florin was wearing a running shirt, and the waitress said to him, “You look like a runner. Have you heard of Radu Budan? He is Moldova and Romania’s best ultrarunner.”

Florin happens to be an accomplished double triathlete, so he was very interested, although he had never heard of Radu. They chatted in the café for a while.

Afterwards, Florin looked Radu up online and discovered that he was currently running the 3,100 Mile Race. By coincidence, the couple were flying to New York two days later.

They made a special detour to visit the race and meet Radu, telling him how their chance conversation in the café had led them here. They chatted with Radu and other runners and helpers before continuing on their way.

It is quite an extraordinary story, but then, this is an extraordinary race.

Also over the weekend, a Spanish couple, Ramon Lopez Mendizabal and his wife, went out of their way to visit the race, and they too chatted with Radu.

Daily milestones (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato: 2,000 km in 17 days 02:30:11; 1,300 miles in 17 days 17:19:46
Radu Budan: 1,900 km in 17 days 07:50:14; 1,200 miles in 17 days 12:58:21
Annabel Hepworth: 1,100 miles in 17 days 01:04:59; 1,800 km in 17 days 05:38:13
Wei Ming Lo: 1,100 miles in 17 days 05:24:14; 1,800 km in 17 days 09:53:25
Vasu Duzhiy: 1,100 miles in 17 days 09:55:03; 1,800 km in 17 days
Nayaja Perugini: 1,700 km in 17 days 01:05:40
Nina Yang Huang-Lan: 1,500 km in 17 days 06:29:06
Stutisheel Lebedev: 1,400 km in 17 days 00:06:59; 900 miles in 17 days
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin: 1,400 km in 17 days 02:36:52; 900 miles in 17 days

Daily stats (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato again topped the daily list, passing 70 miles to finish with 71.8 miles and a cumulative total of 1,304.6 miles.
Radu Budan ran another solid 66.9 miles, the second-highest daily total, to reach 1,216.9 miles.
Annabel Hepworth ran another 63.6-mile day, closing on 1,159.3 miles.
Wei Ming Lo ran 63.0 miles, his sixth consecutive 60-mile day, to finish on a cumulative total of 1,142.8 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy continues to hit 60 miles, recording 63.0 miles today for a cumulative total of 1,130.2 miles.
Nayaja Perugini continued to fight through her issues, recording a reduced 37.2 miles to finish the day on 1,091.8 miles.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan battled through her own issues and finished the day with 45.5 miles, improving her total to 960.8 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev started the day well but faded as it went on, finishing with 36.7 miles and a cumulative total of 906.5 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 48.9-mile day, improved his total to 909.8 miles, moving ahead of Stutisheel late in the evening.

“Every day is an inspiring day
For self-transcendence.”

— Sri Chinmoy

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Jowan is the face behind the camera for Sri Chinmoy Ultra Race photos. Every day, with few exceptions, Jowan comes to the race to take pictures. He has been doing this for the last 20 years. During the day he works as a property manager, but either before or after work, he finds time to visit the race. One would think in that time he would have run out of shots to take of runners going round the same block in suburban Queens, but that is far from the case.

“Although I have been chronicling the race for 20 years, every day you look for something different. I look for little things: the light, a moment, an expression. It might be a runner's expression or an interaction between a runner and their helper. Even a passing stranger interacting with a runner, or just walking down the street unaware that the race is happening. There is always something new.

“I hope I am also capturing something beautiful as well. I am fairly detached from what is going on within the race. I don't look at the scoreboard to see how people are doing or talk to the runners to see how they are feeling. I am just trying to see things happening. I also like the idea that there is an archive for runners and helpers to look back on. We have Utpal’s videos, the everyday race updates, the Instagram feed and also the gallery. For someone who has found out about the race and looks at the website, hopefully the pictures give an idea of what the race is about too. Things change throughout the race too. So do the runners. You see the changes in the runners as the race progresses, and how they are transformed from week 2 to week 6 and beyond.”

If you haven't checked it out yet, do look up the Sri Chinmoy Ultra Race Photo Gallery.

Daily milestones (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato: 1,900 km in 16 days 04:16:57; 1,200 miles (tbc)
Radu Budan: 1,100 miles in 16 days 03:45:23; 1,800 km in 16 days 08:49:25
Annabel Hepworth: 1,700 km in 16 days 06:03:25
Wei Ming Lo: 1,700 km in 16 days 11:22:39
Vasu Duzhiy: 1,700 km in 16 days 15:22:14
Nina Yang Huang-Lan: 900 miles in 16 days 07:39:37

Daily stats (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato again topped the daily list, running 69.0 miles to finish with a cumulative total of 1,232.8 miles.
Radu Budan ran another solid 65.8 miles, the second-highest daily total, to reach 1,150.0 miles.
Annabel Hepworth ran another 64.1-mile day, closing on 1,095.7 miles.
Wei Ming Lo recorded 62.5 miles for the fifth day in a row, finishing on 1,079.8 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy continues to hit 60 miles, recording 60.3 miles today for a cumulative total of 1,067.1 miles.
Nayaja Perugini, after the high point of her new Italian 1,000-mile record yesterday, had some issues today and ran a reduced 51.5 miles to finish the day on 1,054.5 miles.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan also continued to experience foot issues and finished the day with 30.7 miles, improving her total to 915.2 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev finished with a daily total of 53.1 miles and a cumulative total of 869.7 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 46.6-mile day, improved his total to 860.9 miles.

“Individual self-transcendence
Collectively inspires
Humanity at large.”

— Sri Chinmoy

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A race to 1,000 miles, and a national record

Annabel Hepworth reached 1,000 miles in 15 days, 12 hours, 21 minutes and 10 seconds (YT Short video). It is the second time she has covered the distance; in the 2024 race she ran 15 days, 11 hours, 32 minutes, 42 seconds.

The overall Australian record belongs to Dipali Cunningham of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, who ran 13 days, 20 hours, 18 minutes, 40 seconds in a stand-alone 1,000-mile race at the Sri Chinmoy Ultra Trio in New York in September 1997. Dipali's time still stands among the best women's 1,000-mile performances of all time in the DUV archives, and remains the Australian open record nearly thirty years on.

To our knowledge, Sarah Barnett is the only other Australian woman to have reached 1,000 miles in a certified race. She ran 18 days, 3 hours, 9 minutes, 35 seconds at the Sri Chinmoy 3,100 in 2014.

Wei Ming Lo also reached 1,000 miles today, in the early evening sunshine. It is the fifth time he has run the distance.

A race to 1,000 miles, and another national record

Later in the evening, we were intrigued to see whether Vasu or Nayaja would get to 1,000 miles first. They seemed to be running the same lap, one taking a small break, then the other.

In the end Nayaja reached it first, in 15 days, 16 hours, 2 minutes, 42 seconds — just three and a half minutes before Vasu, who recorded 15 days, 16 hours, 6 minutes, 15 seconds.

Our research suggests Nayaja is the first Italian woman to reach this distance, making hers the inaugural Italian women's record for 1,000 miles. We would welcome any information from other runners on this.

Her longest run to date came at the Sri Chinmoy 10-Day Race in April this year, where she recorded 966.572 km, or 600.599 miles. Every step from here on is beyond anything she has done before.

Vasu is no stranger to going past 1,000 miles, being a 13-time finisher of the 3,100.

MILESTONES (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato — 1,100 miles in 15 days, 2 hrs, 1 min, 34 sec, and 1,800 km in 15 days, 6 hrs, 23 min, 26 sec
Radu Budan — 1,700 km in 15 days, 11 hrs, 21 min, 55 sec
Annabel Hepworth — 1,600 km in 15 days, 6 hrs, 22 min, 28 sec, and 1,000 miles in 15 days, 12 hrs, 21 min, 10 sec
Wei Ming Lo — 1,000 miles in 15 days, 12 hrs, 21 min, 10 sec
Vasu Duzhiy — 1,600 km in 15 days, 14 hrs, 35 min, 48 sec, and 1,000 miles in 15 days, 16 hrs, 6 min, 15 sec
Nayaja Perugini — 1,600 km in 15 days, 7 hrs, 20 min, 32 sec, and 1,000 miles in 15 days, 16 hrs, 2 min, 42 sec
Nina Huang-Lan — 1,400 km in 15 days, 8 hrs, 16 min, 37 sec
Stutisheel Lebedev — 800 miles in 15 days, 9 hrs, 31 min, 27 sec, and 1,300 km in 15 days, 13 hrs, 18 min, 45 sec
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 800 miles in 15 days, 12 hrs, 6 min, 30 sec, and 1,300 km in 15 days, 15 hrs, 12 min

DAILY STATS (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato ran 71.2 miles today, going through 1,100 miles and 1,800 km along the way and finished on a cumulative total of 1,163.7 miles.
Radu Budan ran another solid 66.3 miles, the second-highest daily total, giving him a cumulative 1,084.1 miles.
Annabel Hepworth reached 1,000 miles late in the afternoon and went on to record another excellent 64.7 miles, closing the day on 1,031.5.
Wei Ming Lo closed out the day with 62.5 miles, for a cumulative total of 1,017.2.
Vasu Duzhiy went through 1,000 miles just three and a half minutes behind Nayaja, then stayed out longer in the evening to record 61.9 miles. That gives him 1,006.8 miles, nearly four ahead of her.
Nayaja Perugini reached 1,000 miles for the first time and closed out 61.4 miles to finish the day on 1,003.0.
Nina Huang-Lan had some foot trouble today and finished with 37.2 miles, improving her total to 884.4.
Stutisheel Lebedev finished with 43.3 miles for a cumulative total of 816.5.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 44.4-mile day, improved his total to 814.3 miles.

"Self-transcendence
Is everybody's birthright."

— Sri Chinmoy

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A great weekend of sport

It has been a great weekend of sport in New York. At Flushing Meadows, Elena Rybakina and Alexander Zverev were crowned US Open champions. In Manhattan, Scotland's Jemma Reekie broke the event record to win the New York Road Runners 5th Avenue Mile in 4:13.8, while the USA's Marco Langon took the men's race in 3:45.0. And in the Bronx, the Yankees took the Subway Series from the Mets, winning two of the three games at Yankee Stadium.

Meanwhile, at Thomas Edison High School in Queens, the nine intrepid adventurers taking part in the Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race have entered week three.

Radu Budan of Moldova went through 1,000 miles in 14 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, 1 second. That improves on his 2024 time of 15 days, 1 hour, 47 minutes, 6 seconds by just over 13 hours.

Radu Budan: Photo: Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photos

Our research also suggests it is a new Moldovan national record for 1,000 miles. The previous best on record, 14 days, 18 hours, 29 minutes, 25 seconds, was set by Alexander Chulakov in 1993 in the Sri Chinmoy 1,000 Mile Race at nearby Flushing Meadows. Radu took 5 hours and 45 minutes off it.

Radu is too wise to get carried away by these intermediate marks, knowing full well that they are only stepping stones along the way.

Average daily Mileage after Day 15

av-daily-mileage

After 15 days, this shows the runners average daily mileage compared to the magic 59.6 miles needed to finish the distance in 52 days. But, always worth bearing in mind, the trajectory of the race is never like a straight line, with scope for challenges and great comebacks to come.

DAILY MILESTONES (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato — 1,700 km in 14 days, 7 hrs, 39 min, 56 sec
Radu Budan — 1,000 miles in 14 days, 12 hrs, 44 min, 1 sec, and 1,600 km in 14 days, 11 hrs, 21 min, 55 sec
Annabel Hepworth — 1,500 km in 14 days, 7 hrs, 20 min, 32 sec
Wei Ming Lo — 900 miles in 14 days, 2 hrs, 8 min, 59 sec, and 1,500 km in 14 days, 11 hrs, 40 min, 37 sec
Vasu Duzhiy — 900 miles in 14 days, 4 hrs, 30 min, 54 sec, and 1,500 km in 14 days, 14 hrs, 49 min, 32 sec
Nayaja Perugini — 1,500 km in 14 days, 13 hrs, 51 min, 8 sec
Nina Huang-Lan — 1,300 km in 14 days, 3 hrs, 13 min, 44 sec
Stutisheel Lebedev — 1,200 km in 14 days, 5 hrs, 20 min, 26 sec
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 1,200 km in 14 days, 7 hrs, 23 min, 11 sec

DAILY STATS

Andrea Marcato had his quietest day of the race, recording 63.6 miles to finish on a cumulative total of 1,092.4 miles.
Radu Budan, for the third day in a row, ran 65.8 miles to take the daily honours, giving him a cumulative total of 1,017.8 miles.
Annabel Hepworth had another solid day, recording 63.1 miles to close on 966.8. With 33 miles to go, she should reach 1,000 late tomorrow afternoon.
Wei Ming Lo closed out the day with 62.5 miles, for a cumulative total of 954.7.
Vasu Duzhiy is still hovering around the 60-mile mark, recording 59.8 today for a cumulative total of 944.9 miles.
Nayaja Perugini closed out 62.0 miles to finish the day on 941.6. If all continues to plan, she will join Wei Ming, Annabel and Vasu in reaching 1,000 miles tomorrow.
Nina Huang-Lan finished the day with 49.3 miles, improving her total to 847.2.
Stutisheel Lebedev finished with 46.6 miles for a cumulative 773.2 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 52.1-mile day, improved his total to 769.9 miles.

"Challenges awaken
The sleeping power
Within us."

— Sri Chinmoy

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1,000-mile stories and stats

Late on Saturday afternoon, Andrea Marcato became the first runner in this year's Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race to reach 1,000 miles.

It was the seventh time he has reached this milestone, and his third fastest. His previous efforts are listed below. He has started this year's race well, sustaining a daily average of over 73 miles across the first thirteen days.

Andrea Marcato — 1,000-mile time comparison

	Date	Time	Av. daily mileage
1	20.10.2024	13 days, 3:02:08	76.2
2	20.10.2023	13 days, 7:12:25	75.2
3	12.09.2026	13 days, 10:41:52	74.4
4	25.10.2022	13 days, 16:41:00	73.0
5	13.09.2025	14 days, 1:29:42	71.1
6	26.09.2021	14 days, 5:09:21	70.3
7	03.11.2020	14 days, 5:20:20	70.3

The fastest 1,000-mile split ever recorded in the Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race belongs to Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk, who passed the mark in 12 days, 15 hrs, 56 min, 40 sec in 2006 — the year he set a new 3,100-mile record of 41 days, 8 hrs, 16 min, 29 sec.

Ashprihanal Aalto ran it slightly slower, clocking 12 days, 17 hrs, 19 min, 40 sec on his way to the current 3,100-mile record of 40 days, 9 hrs, 6 min, 21 sec in 2015.

For the women, Taiwanese athlete Tsai Wen-ya set the fastest 1,000-mile split in the 3,100 in 2023, in 14 days, 8 hrs, 8 min, 8 sec.

As for the overall 1,000-mile road record, the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team has led the way in creating opportunities to attempt it. The legendary Greek runner Yiannis Kouros holds the best recorded time for the distance, a phenomenal 10 days, 10 hrs, 30 min, 36 sec, set in the Sri Chinmoy 1,000 Mile Race in Flushing Meadows Park, New York, in 1988 — an event that doubled as that year's IAU World Championship.

Three years later, New Zealand's Sandy Barwick recorded the best-ever women's 1,000-mile time of 12 days, 14 hrs, 38 min, 40 sec. Remarkably, it came as a split during the 1991 Sri Chinmoy 1,300 Mile Race, which she went on to win outright, becoming the first woman to complete the distance.

Most recorded 1,000-mile times on certified courses have come in races organised by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in New York. The 1,000-mile races, along with the 1,300-mile and 2,700-mile events, were the precursors of what is now the 3,100 Mile Race.

Over the next few days, we will welcome others over the 1,000-mile threshold.

DAILY MILESTONES (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato — 1,600 km in 13 days, 9 hrs, 9 min, 48 sec, and 1,000 miles in 13 days, 10 hrs, 41 min, 52 sec
Radu Budan — 900 miles in 13 days, 3 hrs, 17 min, 36 sec, and 1,500 km in 13 days, 11 hrs, 38 min, 40 sec
Annabel Hepworth — 1,400 km in 13 days, 7 hrs, 29 min, 45 sec, and 900 miles in 13 days, 15 hrs, 34 min, 48 sec
Wei Ming Lo — 1,400 km in 13 days, 11 hrs, 50 min, 46 sec
Vasu Duzhiy — 1,400 km in 13 days, 11 hrs, 37 min, 16 sec
Stutisheel Lebedev — 700 miles in 13 days, 3 hrs, 26 min, 1 sec
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 700 miles in 13 days, 10 hrs, 29 min, 6 sec

DAILY STATS

Andrea Marcato reached 1,000 miles early this afternoon and returned to 70-mile days, recording 70.7 miles and finishing on a cumulative total of 1,028.7 miles.
Radu Budan replicated yesterday with 65.8 miles, taking him to a cumulative total of 952.0 miles. He should reach 1,000 miles around sunset tomorrow.
Annabel Hepworth went through 900 miles early in the evening and closed out the day with her best total since day 1, recording 65.2 miles for a cumulative 903.7 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy went back above 60 miles today, clocking 62.5. His cumulative total is now 885.1 miles.
Nina Huang-Lan finished the day with 44.4 miles, improving her total to 797.9 miles, and is set to go through 800 tomorrow.
Stutisheel Lebedev finished with 39.4 miles for a cumulative 726.5 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 44.9-mile day, improved his total to 717.7 miles.

"Self-competition is self-transcendence,
World competition is ignorance-performance."

— Sri Chinmoy

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Committed crew

Some runners are brave enough to attempt the 3,100 Mile Race without a helper, happy to organise themselves and stay self-sufficient. They almost seem glad to add an extra layer of difficulty to the challenge.

The role of the helper, though, can never be underestimated over a distance like this. Having someone on call to prepare drinks and food, and to have things ready and waiting, saves an enormous amount of time.

Radu completed the race in 2024 with a succession of helpers, each coming out for a spell. It worked well for him then, and he has repeated the formula this year with a rotating team.

Adrian, who ran and finished the race in 2025, has been here from the start. He goes home tomorrow, when Tobias from Germany arrives for a week or so. After Tobias, it will fall to friends Gheorghe (Moldova), Yasim (Bulgaria) and Ion (Moldova) to keep Radu on track. All of them understand what a huge challenge the 3,100 is, and all are happy to give up their time to help Radu towards a second finish.

Radu has started well, and it has been a pleasure to watch him and Adrian working so well together. His next helpers have a hard act to follow.

DAILY MILESTONES (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato — 900 miles in 12 days, 1 hr, 48 min, 34 sec, and 1,500 km in 12 days, 10 hrs, 28 min, 11 sec
Radu Budan — 1,400 km in 12 days, 13 hrs, 3 min, 8 sec
Annabel Hepworth — 1,300 km in 12 days, 7 hrs, 47 min, 42 sec, and 800 miles in 12 days, 5 hrs, 54 min, 37 sec
Wei Ming Lo — 800 miles in 12 days, 9 hrs, 10 min, 28 sec, and 1,300 km in 12 days, 11 hrs, 50 min, 46 sec
Vasu Duzhiy — 800 miles in 12 days, 10 hrs, 56 min, 43 sec, and 1,300 km in 12 days, 12 hrs, 55 min, 23 sec
Nayaja Perugini — 800 miles in 12 days, 12 hrs, 4 min, 59 sec, and 1,300 km in 12 days, 14 hrs, 2 min, 37 sec
Nina Huang-Lan — 1,200 km in 12 days, 14 hrs, 22 min, 6 sec

DAILY STATS

Andrea Marcato reached 900 miles early this morning. After four days of 70-plus miles he recorded 65.2 today, finishing on a cumulative total of 958.0 miles. All being well, he will hit 1,000 miles in the middle of tomorrow afternoon.
Radu Budan finished with 65.8 miles, the highest daily total of the day, for a cumulative total of 886.2 miles.
Annabel Hepworth went through 800 miles and closed out the day with yet another 100 km, recording 62.5 miles for a cumulative total of 838.5 miles.
Wei Ming Lo also closed out the day with 62.5 miles, giving him a cumulative total of 829.7 miles and pushing him back ahead of Vasu.
Vasu Duzhiy had one of his more challenging days, finishing with 55.9 miles. A cumulative total of 822.6 miles still keeps him in touch with Wei Ming.
Nayaja Perugini closed out the day with another 63.0 miles. She hit 800 miles early in the evening and finished on 816.5 miles.
Nina Huang-Lan finished the day with 50.4 miles, improving her total to 753.5 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 44.4-mile day, improved his total to 672.8 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev continued in the high fifties, finishing with 58.1 miles. He is slowly stretching away from Ananda-Lahari.

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The mail man

The 3,100 runners are a hardy group. But when you are alone with your own thoughts, away from friends for weeks at a time, it is good to keep in touch.

The race has its own in-house messaging system, and friends — and even unknown admirers — can send messages through the race website. One of the long-time joint race directors, Sahisnu, receives them all. It falls to him to print them off as they arrive and bring them down to the course for the intended recipients.

For the last few days, Sahisnu has had trouble with his printer, leaving the messages stuck in the queue. Sarankuu came to the rescue, applying his not inconsiderable skills in the tech world to sort the problem out. The backlog was duly printed and brought to the race today, much to the joy of the runners.

Vasu had a huge pile waiting on his table. He always has a steady stream of messages from friends and well-wishers — sometimes with news, sometimes with a poem to inspire him.

Radu also has plenty from friends at home, and from fellow runners. His helper Adrian says that since Radu ran the 3,100 in 2024 he has been "famous" in the running world back home, so a great many runners write to him.

The runners really do appreciate these messages. They are a small but vital link to the outside world, and they can turn a challenging day into a better one, and a good day into a great one.

If you feel inspired to write to any or all of the runners, even if you don't know them, go to the race homepage and look for the "Message the runners" button.

DAILY MILESTONES (all TBC)

Andrea Marcato — 1,400 km in 11 days, 11 hrs, 53 min, 26 sec
Radu Budan — 800 miles in 11 days, 11 hrs, 58 min, 45 sec, and 1,300 km in 11 days, 14 hrs, 13 min, 40 sec
Annabel Hepworth — 1,200 km in 11 days, 8 hrs, 57 min, 54 sec
Wei Ming Lo — 1,200 km in 11 days, 11 hrs, 50 min, 46 sec
Vasu Duzhiy — 1,200 km in 11 days, 12 hrs, 11 min, 51 sec
Nayaja Perugini — 700 miles in 11 days, 2 hrs, 13 min, 27 sec, and 1,200 km in 11 days, 14 hrs, 5 min, 50 sec
Nina Huang-Lan — 1,100 km in 11 days, 12 hrs, 28 min, 30 sec, and 700 miles in 11 days, 17 hrs, 19 min, 51 sec
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 1,000 km in 11 days, 9 hrs, 24 min, 21 sec
Stutisheel Lebedev — 1,000 km in 11 days, 11 hrs, 32 min, 57 sec

DAILY STATS

Andrea Marcato: another 70-plus-mile day, his 73.0 miles again topping the daily rankings and taking him to a cumulative total of 892.8 miles. All being well, he will hit 900 miles tomorrow morning and reach 1,000 late on Saturday.
Radu Budan finished the day with 68.0 miles, for a cumulative total of 820.4 miles, still holding second place.
Annabel Hepworth closed out the day with yet another 63.0 miles, giving her a cumulative total of 775.9 miles.
Wei Ming Lo closed out the day with 63.1 miles, finishing at 11 pm on a cumulative total of 767.2 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy, as he usually does, stayed out until midnight, and his 64.1 miles was the best of the two. It takes him to 766.6 miles — close enough that just a single lap now separates him from Wei Ming Lo.
Nayaja Perugini reached 700 miles in the early hours and closed out the day with 62.0 miles, for a cumulative total of 753.5 miles.
Nina Huang-Lan had a strong day, hitting 700 miles late in the evening. Back up in the high fifties with 59.8 miles, she improved her total to 703.0 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev stayed in the high fifties, finishing with 58.1 miles for a cumulative 638.8 miles. That pushed him comfortably back ahead of Ananda-Lahari, and he now leads him by 10.4 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 46.6-mile day, improved his total to 628.4 miles.

"Keep trying! Keep trying!
The goal cannot remain forever
A far cry."

— Sri Chinmoy

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Grand Central sunset

bnina One side of the rectangular course around Thomas Edison High School and its playing fields runs alongside the Grand Central Parkway, a busy highway carrying commuters and residents to and from Long Island.

The sun currently sets here just after 7 pm, and our runners are often treated to spectacular colours and cloud formations as it drops behind the suburban Queens skyline.

For the runners, as for all of us, it is a time to reflect. They have been on their feet for over twelve hours by then, with the potential for another six to come. If the day has been warm, they know the cooler, darker evening hours will offer some respite from the direct sunlight.

They will be momentarily distracted by the sunset unfolding in front of them, but as runners on a mission to bring out the best in themselves, they will also be taking stock of how the day has gone. There may even be some mental gymnastics involved, as they work out their mileage so far and calibrate what is still achievable in the hours that remain.

How they feel at that point can dictate whether they stay on their current cruise control or raise the pace, almost imperceptibly, to eke out an extra lap or three in the evening session before going home at a time of their choosing.

A twenty-mile-plus midweek evening run won't feature on many runners' training schedules. But for the seasoned multi-day ultra-runners taking part in the Sri Chinmoy 3,100, it is quite normal — essential, even — as they move slowly forward on their extraordinary journey.

MILESTONES

Andrea Marcato — 700 miles in 9 days, 0 hrs, 15 min, 6 sec
Radu Budan — 1,000 km in 9 days, 1 hr, 7 min, 25 sec
Annabel Hepworth — 600 miles in 9 days, 3 hrs, 29 min, 4 sec, and 1,000 km in 9 days, 9 hrs, 20 min, 48 sec
Wei Ming Lo — 600 miles in 9 days, 6 hrs, 5 min, 55 sec, and 1,000 km in 9 days, 12 hrs, 10 min, 50 sec
Vasu Duzhiy — 600 miles in 9 days, 6 hrs, 28 min, 47 sec, and 1,000 km in 9 days, 12 hrs, 37 min, 34 sec
Nayaja Perugini — 600 miles in 9 days, 8 hrs, 42 min, 45 sec, and 1,000 km in 9 days, 13 hrs, 34 min, 20 sec

DAILY STATS

Andrea Marcato: another day, another 100-mile milestone. He went through 700 miles and then added a 75.1-mile day to top the daily rankings, ending on a cumulative total of 748.0 miles.
Radu Budan finished the day with 68.6 miles, for a cumulative total of 685.5 miles.
Annabel Hepworth closed out the day with another 63.1 miles, taking her to 649.3 miles.
Wei Ming Lo closed out the day with 64.7 miles, finishing at 11 pm on a cumulative total of 640.0 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy, as he usually does, stayed out until midnight, which let him finish the day with 66.9 miles. That was enough to edge him ahead of Wei Ming, on a cumulative total of 642.2 miles.
Nayaja Perugini closed out the day with 61.4 miles, for a cumulative total of 628.5 miles.
Nina Huang-Lan had a better day, recording 55.4 miles and improving her total to 592.3 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev, after four days of around 60 miles, came back down to earth, finishing with 38.4 miles and a cumulative 524.3 miles.
That allowed Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, with a 52.1-mile day, to leapfrog back ahead of Stutisheel, improving his total to 529.8 miles and taking a five-mile lead.

"Run, run my heart!
Run extremely fast.
Ignore, ignore,
The voices of the past."

— Sri Chinmoy

- race report and photos: Tarit

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A model of consistency

Apart from the opening "enthusiasm day", when fresh legs get the better of wise minds, Annabel Hepworth has been a model of consistency. Her day-one total of 80.1 miles has been followed by days that seem to run like clockwork. As her mileage since day 1 shows, it is as though she has set herself a goal of 100 km a day — comfortably above the daily threshold of around 59 miles needed to beat the cut-off.

a-h Annabel started the Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race in 2024 but had to withdraw on medical advice, with a bad foot problem, shortly after reaching 2,000 miles.

Already an experienced multi-day runner, she has bounced back over the past two years with victories in the Sri Chinmoy 10-Day Race in Sofia, Bulgaria, covering over 1,000 km in 10 days on both occasions.

She comes to this year's race with unfinished business, and certainly with the experience and capacity to complete it — though, as she found in 2024, anything can happen.

It is still early days, but she moves like a runner on a mission: focused, yet always smiling. Whether she has a daily mileage goal or is simply happy to run for a set number of hours each day, she does not say. But day by day she runs close to 100 km and then goes home. It is as if, after 2024, while still respecting the challenge, she has an inner belief that she has what it takes to finish this extraordinary event — the pinnacle of multi-day running.

annabel-hepworth

DAILY STATS

Andrea Marcato started the day in style, going through 600 miles on his second lap in 8 days, 0 hrs, 15 min, 6 sec. He went on to record 73.5 miles, his best since day 6, leaving him on a total of 672.9 miles.
Radu Budan finished with the second-best daily total, 66.4 miles, for a cumulative total of 617.0 miles.
Annabel Hepworth once again demonstrated her consistency, closing out the day with 63.1 miles. On a cumulative total of 586.2 miles, she looks set to pass 600 tomorrow morning.
Wei Ming Lo ran another 63.1-mile day. With Vasu Duzhiy running 63.6 miles, the pair are locked together on 575.3 miles.
Nayaja Perugini added yet another day in the sixties, 63.6 miles, taking her total to 567.1.
Nina Huang-Lan completed 500 miles early in the morning, in 8 days, 3 hrs, 28 min, 29 sec. She then had a challenging day, recording 47.2 miles and improving her total to 536.9.
Stutisheel Lebedev continues to be on a roll. Another good day, 61.4 miles, takes him to 485.9 miles and edges him further ahead of Ananda-Lahari.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin repeated yesterday's 45.5 miles, improving his total to 477.7.

"Good thoughts
Have to be persistent
And consistent."

— Sri Chinmoy

Photos Rob Sara

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Looking after your feet

In an extreme multi-day race like the Sri Chinmoy 3,100, you ask so much of your body. So much could go wrong.

Your feet, your main contact with the ground, are destined for a lot of punishment. Someone once tried to estimate the number of foot strikes in 3,100 miles, but with so many variables at play, God alone knows how many times your feet hit the ground.

All our runners, with experience gained over many years of training and racing, have learned how to look after their feet. By taking simple, basic precautions, they can stop major problems developing as the race goes on.

Today I watched Nayaja and her helper Roxanna take five minutes at a "pit stop" to care for her feet. It looked like a well-drilled operation, every task carried out in order and with precision.

Old shoes off.
Socks off.
Feet wiped and dried, to remove even the tiniest grain of dust that could cause a problem.
Insoles removed, shaken and wiped clean.
Feet checked for any hotspots that could develop into a blister.
A blister-prevention dressing on one toe checked, and the gaps between the toes dried.
Fresh socks, turned inside out and shaken, then checked for wrinkles.
The insoles of the new shoes removed and wiped as a final re-check.
A short massage on the foot roller, while some of these other tasks were going on.
Laces adjusted to just the right tension — a good fit, but not too snug.

So much care taken, and not a word spoken. Teamwork in action. Feet ready for some more sidewalk pounding.

DAILY STATS

Another busy day for milestones. With race leader Andrea reaching 500 miles yesterday, five more runners went through the 500-mile doorway today:

Radu — 7 days, 3 hrs, 40 min, 30 sec
Annabel — 7 days, 9 hrs, 29 min, 38 sec
Wei Ming — 7 days, 14 hrs, 14 min, 46 sec
Vasu — 7 days, 15 hrs, 14 min, 41 sec
Nayaja — 7 days, 16 hrs, 7 min, 5 sec
Andrea Marcato, running until very close to midnight, recorded 68.6 miles to take the best daily total of the day. It leaves him just short of 600 miles, on 599.4, and 48.8 miles clear of Radu.
Radu Budan finished his day at 11.20 pm, having run 66.4 miles. On some days he is choosing not to run until the course closes at midnight, taking a little extra rest instead. His was the highest mileage of the day at the time he stopped, and it gives him a cumulative total of 550.6 miles.
Annabel Hepworth, as well as reaching 500 miles, closed the day with 64.2 miles, maintaining her consistency and taking her to 523.2 miles.
Wei Ming Lo stayed on recent form with a 63.1-mile day. It keeps him just ahead of Vasu, holding fourth place on 512.2 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy continued his steady improvement with 66.4 miles, level with Radu for the second-highest total of the day. It gives him a cumulative total of 511.7 miles, one lap behind Wei Ming Lo.
Nayaja Perugini added 63.0 miles to reach 503.4. Slowly, day by day, she is drawing ahead of Nina.
Nina Huang-Lan recorded 55.4 miles for a total of 489.7 miles. She will pass 500 tomorrow, and remains well in contention.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin totalled 45.5 miles, taking him to 432.1.
Stutisheel Lebedev continued his improving run with 60.4 miles. On 424.5, he is slowly edging closer to Ananda-Lahari.