Suprabha Beckjord ran 45.55 miles today to get within 53 laps(29 miles) of her coveted goal of 3100 miles. The petite Washington,D.C. store-owner is trotting onto her own historical platform- 13 finishes and immortality at superlong distance running. No woman has ever run this race even once, and no man has run more miles than her. She is expected to finish between 3:00 and 4:00 pm local time. Thanks to all who helped make the event what it is.

photo by Arpan

A more normal New York summer day – high nineties with high humidity and no breezes – was the formidable foe today, but our heroine Suprabha Beckjord carried on with 44.45 miles. A rendezvous with the finish line appears to be real on Thursday afternoon late. Tonight huge thunderstorms raged only miles away but the 3100 mile course was spared the heavy rains and high winds.

photo by Arpan
Thirty-four year-old Slovakian Ananda-Lahari Zuscin became the tenth person to finish this year, running 3100 miles in 55 days+10:12:07. This was his fifth finish and bettered by six hours last year’s effort. Suprabha Beckjord remains the last runner and will finish on Thursday, August 13th.

photo by Arpan
Pavol Saraz,33, from Zlin, Czech Republic reached 3100 miles today for the first time in 54 days+14:26:40. The tall, lanky runner averaged 56.777 miles per day(91.375 km) in his second attempt at the longest distance race. Ananda-Lahari Zuscin needs 74 laps(40.44 miles) to reach the end of his journey Saturday afternoon.

photo by Arpan
The band of three still remaining tasted the first day at 90ºF this summer- perhaps two months late- and got through it okay. Pavol Saraz ran 58.7 miles to put himself in place to finish comfortably on Friday evening. The others did what they could- stay strong!

photo by Jowan
Diganta Adhikari led the day with 62.01 miles as hot, sticky weather has moved into the neighborhood. He has 93 laps on Tuesday to finish 3100 miles before he can rest easy. It is quieter out at the race, but there is resolve to finish in the eyes of all runners, and finish they must, and finish they will.

photo by Arpan
Ukrainian Vadimir Balatsky finished fourth in the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race today, reeling off the third best first-timer performance in 48 days+02:25:50. He is now ranked tenth in the world for this event. A few hours later Slovakian Pranjal Milovnik wheeled past the line in 48 days+06:07:50, his best performance by 28 hours. In the early evening six-time finisher Stutisheel Lebedev reached the finish line in 48 days+12:42:46, his best by nearly two days . Pushkar Mullauer from Switzerland needs only 26 laps to finish Sunday morning.

photo by Arpan

With cascading rainstorms intruding both morning and night, our intrepid runners did not seek shelter but rather sought solace in the goal ahead. Three men await their finish: Vladimir Balatsky has only 17 laps to go until he reaches 3100 miles – he led today’s proceedings with 67.50 miles; Pranjal Milovnik needs 44 laps to make it in; and Stutisheel Lebedev requires only 93 laps to reach the goal. Pavol Saraz arrived at 2700 miles today (2700 miles = 47 days+14:23:59) nearly eight days faster than last year. Wow!!