About the author:
Medur is our go-to person for many of the essential tasks involved in putting on our races: race setup, our lap counting system and our website. An enthusiastic runner himself, he has participated in many editions of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run in Canada and the US.Temperatures at the start were in the 70ºs with sticky humidity left over from thunderstorms and torrential rains the previous evening. The runners cover as many laps as possible during the hours of 600am to 12 midnight, pacing themselves and eating and drinking on the go. They receive massage and medical help when needed, and sleep in houses or apartments when the course is closed. Each lap is recorded and compiled at the race, as teams of volunteers help the runners with their needs.
The world best for 3100 miles is 41 days+08:16:29 by Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk of Germany. Suprabha Beckjord holds the women's best at 49 days+14:30:54
June 15,2008-Day 1
At six o'clock this morning,a conch sounded and 14 runners galloped away from the starting line of a slightly more than half-mile city block in Jamaica, Queens,New York. This was the beginning of the 12th Annual Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, an epic journey the equivalent of running from New York to San Francisco, with a side trip to Santa Barbara thrown in. The field included many of the world's best superlong distance specialists, including four-time winner Asprihanal Aalto from Helsinki,Finland, and eleven-time finisher Suprabha Beckjord of Washington,DC, the lone female entrant and distance runner deluxe. This group of runners boasts a total of 49 finishes among them, two-thirds of the all-time list of 73 performnaces. The race was dedicated to the memory of Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007), who founded not only this race but the Marathon Team that bears his name some 31 years ago.
Asprihanal Aalto from Helsinki,Finland led the Day 1 charge from start to finish, completing 161 laps for a total of 88.35 miles in the first 18 hours of the 12th Annual Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race. Smarana Puntigam totalled 80.12 miles to move into second position. Suprabha Beckjord,52, from Washington,DC reached 66.4 miles, her best first day total in several years. The 14 starters enjoyed cooler evening temps and sea breezes after a hazy, sticky first morning. The journey continues at 600am.
Day 2
A hazy, overcast day turned nasty for an hour just after dinner time.The runners continued through 50 mile per hour gusts and a few sprinkles of rain.Asprihanal Aalto continued to lead with 67 miles today. Ananda Lahari Zuscin took day honors with 70.24 miles.He was the only runner over 70 miles today. He was moving well in the evening coolness.
For updates on the remaining days of the 3100 Mile Race. Please visit:
