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.
(More stats and race reports to come)
Andrea Marcato of Italy won the 30th Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100-Mile Race, covering the distance in 45 days 03:11:28. It was his seventh consecutive win.
Annabel Hepworth of Australia was the first woman home, finishing fourth overall in 49 days 09:03:02.
2026 Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100-Mile Race — final results
Pos.
Name
Country
Distance
Time
1
Andrea Marcato
Italy
3,100 miles
45 days 03:11:28
2
Radu Budan
Moldova
3,100 miles
46 days 10:59:38
3
Lo Wei Ming
Taiwan
3,100 miles
48 days 16:04:48
4
Annabel Hepworth
Australia
3,100 miles
49 days 09:03:02
5
Vasu Duzhiy
Russia
3,100 miles
50 days 13:14:53
6
Nayaja Perugini
Italy
2,862.1 miles
50 days 12
7
Nina Yang Huang-Lan
Taiwan
2,529.7 miles
50 days 12
8
Stutisheel Lebedev
Ukraine
2,306.5 miles
50 days 12
9
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin
Slovakia
2,296.1 miles
50 days 12
Interview with Andrea and Arpan by Tarit
(excerpt)
TARIT: You’re obviously happy running multi-day races on the roads. Do you ever think of doing any of the classic trail races, like the Spartathlon or the Alpine races, rather than road events?
ANDREA: I’m quite happy with the loop races, and I believe they’re the best for performance. Given my mental attitude, I really like the short loop and the fact that all the logistics are taken care of: the food is close by, there are restrooms, massage if necessary — everything is there.
I’ve never thought about the Spartathlon or long-distance trail running. It would be interesting to consider sometime in the future, but for the time being I like the loop races.
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.
(more photos to come)
Vasu Duzhiy finishes his 14th 3100 Mile Race.
Last night, Vasu finishes 3,100 miles for the 14th time and brings the 2026 Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100-Mile Race to a close.
Vasu Duzhiy becomes the final finisher of this year’s 3,100-mile race in 50 days, 13 hours, 14 minutes and 53 seconds.
It was his 14th completion of the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-mile race, moving him clear of Suprabha Beckjord into outright second place on the all-time list. Only 3,100-mile legend and record holder Ashprihanal Aalto has more finishes, with 17.
Vasu’s fastest time for this race is 44 days, 6 hours, 10 minutes and 42 seconds, set in 2015. His slowest was 51 days, 10 hours, 47 minutes and 39 seconds, in his first race in 2012. He is also a three-time winner of the event.
After the usual 3,100-mile celebration, Vasu continued to cover the remaining 13 laps, taking him to 5,000 km. His time was 50 days, 16 hours, 37 minutes and 11 seconds.
Vasu Duzhiy — 500-mile splits
Distance
Time
Split
500 miles
7 days 15:14:41
7d 15:14:41
1,000 miles
15 days 16:06:05
8d 00:51:24
1,500 miles
24 days 03:43:40
8d 11:37:35
2,000 miles
32 days 07:18:59
8d 03:35:19
2,500 miles
40 days 10:51:23
8d 03:32:24
3,000 miles
49 days 01:27:52
8d 14:36:29
3,100 miles
50 days 13:14:53
1d 11:47:01
Vasu Duzhiy — 1,000 km splits
Distance
Time
Split
1,000 km
9 days 12:37:34
9d 12:37:34
2,000 km
19 days 16:08:21
10d 03:30:47
3,000 km
30 days 02:45:55
10d 10:37:34
4,000 km
40 days 06:16:35
10d 03:30:40
5,000 km
50 days 16:37:11
10d 10:20:36
Annabel Hepworth, preferring to rest after her 3,100-mile finish yesterday afternoon, returned this morning and ran 13 laps, taking her to 5,000 km. She recorded 50 days, 3 hours, 38 minutes and 47 seconds. It lowered the previous best 5,000 km time for an Australian woman of 50 days 06:42:43, set by Sarah Barnett in 2014.
A special ceremony was held before Vasu finished, recognising the achievements of the four runners who did not reach 3,100 miles.
At 6 pm, 12 hours into the day’s running, the four runners unable to make the cut-off gathered at the scoreboard. They took their national flags and ran a lap of the course all together. As usual, the singers sang the race songs, and of course there was cake! A fitting end to their own 51-day adventures.
Finishing distances for our four divine heroes who stayed the course for 51 days were as below.
Nayaja Perugini finished with 2,862.1 miles after running 29.6 miles during the day. Despite not reaching 3,100 miles, Nayaja has the satisfaction of setting several Italian women’s multi-day records, from 1,000 miles right through to 2,500 miles, and from 2,000 km through to 4,500 km.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan finished with 2,529.7 miles after running 21.3 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev finished with 2,306.5 miles after running 31.2 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin finished with 2,296.1 miles after completing 31.8 miles.
“The determination in your heroic effort
Will permeate your mind and heart,
Even after your success or failure
Is long forgotten.”
— Sri Chinmoy
2026 Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100-Mile Race — final results
Pos.
Name
Country
Distance
Time
1
Andrea Marcato
Italy
3,100 miles
45 days 03:11:28
2
Radu Budan
Moldova
3,100 miles
46 days 10:59:38
3
Lo Wei Ming
Taiwan
3,100 miles
48 days 16:04:48
4
Annabel Hepworth
Australia
3,100 miles
49 days 09:03:02
5
Vasu Duzhiy
Russia
3,100 miles
50 days 13:14:53
6
Nayaja Perugini
Italy
2,862.1 miles
50 days 12
7
Nina Yang Huang-Lan
Taiwan
2,529.7 miles
50 days 12
8
Stutisheel Lebedev
Ukraine
2,306.5 miles
50 days 12
9
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin
Slovakia
2,296.1 miles
50 days 12
Annabel Hepworth was first woman.
Positions 6 to 9 are the distances covered when the race closed on day 51.
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.
Annabel Hepworth finishes and becomes the 4th fastest woman in the history of the 3100 mile race.
Day 50 — Sri Chinmoy 3,100-Mile Race
Annabel Hepworth finishes and becomes the 4th fastest woman in the history of the 3,100-mile race
Australia’s Annabel Hepworth is the first woman to finish this year’s Sri Chinmoy 3,100-mile race. Her winning time of 49 days, 9 hours, 3 minutes and 2 seconds makes her only the 12th woman to finish the race, and ranks her the 4th fastest woman ever to complete the 3,100-mile distance.
It really is a case of perseverance rewarded, and third time lucky. Annabel had to withdraw from the 2024 race after covering 2,185 miles. She then entered the 2025 race but picked up an injury close to the start and was unable to begin. In 2026, the stars aligned, and she accomplished a long-held dream.
Six fastest women at the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-mile race
Pos.
Name
Country
Time
1
Tsai Wen-Ya
Taiwan
45 days 12:28:44
2
Kaneenika Janakova
Slovakia
48 days 14:24:10
3
Surasa Mairer
Austria
49 days 07:52:01
4
Annabel Hepworth
Australia
49 days 09:03:02
5
Suprabha Beckjord
USA
49 days 14:30:54
6
Sarah Barnett
Australia
50 days 03:55:08
Annabel Hepworth — 500-mile splits
Distance
Time
Split
500 miles
7 days 10:29:38
7d 10:29:38
1,000 miles
15 days 07:44:50
7d 21:15:12
1,500 miles
23 days 06:47:47*
7d 23:02:57
2,000 miles
31 days 07:42:41*
8d 00:54:54
2,500 miles
39 days 09:31:41*
8d 01:49:00
3,000 miles
47 days 13:51:18*
8d 04:19:37
3,100 miles
49 days 09:03:02*
1d 19:11:44
Annabel Hepworth — 1,000 km splits
Distance
Time
Split
1,000 km
9 days 09:20:48
9d 09:20:48
2,000 km
19 days 05:00:09*
9d 19:39:21
3,000 km
29 days 05:08:40*
10d 00:08:31
4,000 km
39 days 05:29:09*
10d 00:20:29
5,000 km
To be confirmed
—
Times marked * we believe are new Australian best performances at the intermediate distances.
The women’s Australian record for 1,000 miles is held by our own Dipali Cunningham. She set it in September 1997 when she ran 13 days 20:18:24 in the Sri Chinmoy 1000-Mile Race, part of the 700-mile, 1000-mile and 1300-mile ultra trio.
Other daily stats
Lo Wei Ming reaches 5,000 km. After finishing 3,100 miles late the previous evening, Wei Ming returned this morning to run the 13 laps to 5,000 km. His time for 5,000 km was 49 days, 3 hours, 4 minutes and 39 seconds.
Vasu continued to run strong and managed 62.5 miles for the day. He finished the day on 3,058.4 miles. With around 41 miles to go on Monday, he looks set to finish in the late afternoon or early evening. As always, keep an eye on the scoreboard webcam; he may speed up!
Nayaja Perugini reached 2,800 miles around midday in 49 days 06:01:05. She went on to complete 52.1 miles, taking her total to 2,832.5 miles.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan reached 2,500 miles today in 49 days, 11 hours, 20 minutes and 15 seconds. She went on to record 31.8 miles for the day and finished on 2,508.4 miles.
Stutisheel ran 38.9 miles for the day and finished on 2,275.3 miles.
Ananda-Lahari ran 41.6 miles, finishing on 2,264.3 miles.
Monday should be the last day of the race: traditional race rules dictate that when the last 3,100-mile finisher crosses the line, the race finishes. Those who have been unable to complete the full distance finish at that point too, with the distance they have covered recorded as their final total.
For Nina, Nayaja, Stutisheel and Ananda-Lahari, the effort and determination they have shown, despite experiencing many problems, has been clear to see. Their efforts will be fully acknowledged as they finish tomorrow and at the subsequent awards ceremony.
“Failure is only failure
When we stop trying any more.”
— Sri Chinmoy
Vasu Interview
Vasu set to finish late afternoon or early evening
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.
Taiwan’s Lo Wei Ming finishes his 5th Sri Chinmoy 3,100-mile race
On the evening of 17 October, Taiwan’s Lo Wei Ming finished his 5th Sri Chinmoy 3,100-mile race. He finished in a time of 48 days, 16 hours, 4 minutes and 48 seconds.
Ambassador Tom Chih-Chiang Lee, Director-General (ambassadorial rank), Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York and Head of UN Affairs Task Force in New York, was there to see him finish. The ambassador had visited earlier in the week and run a couple of laps with Wei Ming. Members of the local Taiwanese community also came out in support of their countryman.
Lo Wei Ming — 500-mile splits
Distance
Time
Split
500 miles
7 days 14:14:36
7d 14:14:36
1,000 miles
15 days 12:21:10
7d 22:06:34
1,500 miles
23 days 10:25:44
7d 22:04:34
2,000 miles
31 days 04:54:28
7d 18:28:44
2,500 miles
39 days 03:48:11
7d 22:53:43
3,000 miles
47 days 04:38:19
8d 00:50:08
3,100 miles
48 days 16:04:48
1d 11:26:29
Lo Wei Ming — 1,000 km splits
Distance
Time
Split
1,000 km
9 days 12:10:50
9d 12:10:50
2,000 km
19 days 08:48:26
9d 20:37:36
3,000 km
29 days 04:54:55
9d 20:06:29
4,000 km
38 days 17:37:02
9d 12:42:07
5,000 km
To be confirmed
—
Lo Wei Ming's five finishes
Year
Time
Age
2021
48 days 11:52:01
57
2022
46 days 15:01:43
58
2023
45 days 08:41:27
59
2024
45 days 12:37:55
60
2026
48 days 16:04:48
62
(TBC)
Other daily statistics
It was a bitterly cold day as temperatures plummeted and a stiff breeze rolled across the course. The runners wore extra warm layers to counter the cold wind and try to keep their body temperature regulated.
Wei Ming ran a steady 52.6 miles to take him to the finish line.
Annabel Hepworth, running in a padded jacket and tights all day, covered a solid 55.9 miles before leaving to go home and warm up. Her cumulative total is now 3,065.5 miles, leaving her just 35 miles to run today. All being well, she will finish her first Sri Chinmoy 3,100-mile race this afternoon, sometime after 2 pm. Keep an eye on the scoreboard webcam for any updates.
Vasu Duzhiy had the top mileage of the day with 62.5 miles, taking his total to 2,995.9 miles. He will hit 3,000 miles early today and is set to finish early on Monday evening.
Nayaja Perugini ran 44.9 miles, taking her total to 2,780.4 miles.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan, still with a big smile on her face, ran 51.0 miles, finishing the day on 2,476.6 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev, with 44.4 miles, ended the day on 2,236.3 miles.
Ananda-Lahari, with 42.2 miles, totalled 2,222.6 miles.
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.
Lo Wei Ming and Annabel Hepworth hit 3,000 miles
Day 48 started with some light rain. For most of the day it stayed dry but cloudy, with rain returning later in the evening.
With Andrea Marcato and Radu Budan both over the finish line, Lo Wei Ming and Annabel Hepworth edged closer, both passing through 3,000 miles.
Lo Wei Ming was first to reach the landmark mid-morning, clocking 47 days, 4 hours, 48 minutes and 19 seconds. He powered on to record 63.0 miles for the day and finished with 3,047.4 miles.
For Wei Ming it was the 5th time through the 3,000-mile barrier and, barring any last-minute drama, he will complete his 2026 journey around 8 pm on Saturday evening. As always, keep an eye on the scoreboard webcam for updates.
Annabel Hepworth followed the path to 3,000 miles just before 8 pm, recording 47 days, 13 hours, ?mins. She went on to record 60.3 miles for the day and a cumulative 3,009.6 miles. Annabel is still exploring new ground, reaching 3,000 miles for the first time. At her current pace she is on course for her first 3,100-mile finish on Sunday afternoon, shortly after 2 pm.
Vasu Duzhiy continues determinedly. The 13-time finisher has possibly found this 14th race the hardest of all. He has had to pull on all his experience to overcome a few issues during the last 48 days. However, barring any further problems, he looks set to finish sometime on Monday evening. Today he totalled 60.3 miles and finished the day with 2,933.4 miles.
Nayaja Perugini continues to return to normal service after her foot issue. She remains cheerful, knowing a 3,100-mile finish will just elude her this year. She went through 2,700 miles this morning in 47 days, 5 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds, and finished the day with a daily 54.8 miles, her biggest daily total since day 39. It takes her total to 2,735.4 miles.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan ran a daily total of 41.1 miles to finish with 2,425.5 miles.
Stutisheel clocked 38.3 miles to finish on 2,191.9 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin made 40.5 miles today, leaving him on 2,180.4 miles.
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.
Radu finishes in a new Moldovan record
At around 5 pm yesterday, Radu Budan finished the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-mile race. He is the second finisher this year, and his time was 46 days, 10 hours, 59 minutes and 38 seconds.
It was Radu’s second finish. In his first race, in 2024, he ran 47 days 05:58:18 — so this year represents an improvement of almost 19 hours.
Along the way he set new Moldovan national records at every distance above 1,000 miles. (All TBC on final scrutiny.)
Ambassador Gheorghe Leuca, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova to the United Nations, was present to congratulate Radu on his achievement.
Radu's mile milestones
(tbc)
Distance
Time
Split
500 miles
7 Days 03:40:30
7d 03:40:30
1,000 miles
14 days 13:44:01
7d 10:03:31
1,500 miles
22 days 05:17:06
7d 15:33:05
2,000 miles
30 days 01:20:30
7d 20:03:24
2,500 miles
37 days 10:20:56
7d 09:00:26
3,000 miles
45 days 02:20:15
7d 15:59:19
3,100 miles
46 days 10:59:38
1d 08:39:23
Kilometre milestones
Distance
Time
Split
1,000 km
9 days 01:07:35
9d 01:07:35
2,000 km
18 days 07:01:42
9d 05:54:07
3,000 km
27 days 17:31:27
9d 10:29:45
4,000 km
37 days 07:24:55
9d 13:53:28
5,000 km
46 days — to come
—
Other daily milestones
Lo Wei Ming ran the day’s highest mileage of 63.0 miles to finish on 2,984.4. With 115 miles to run, he should finish on Saturday evening, after 7 pm; check the webcam for updates, as this can change.
Annabel Hepworth ran 61.4 miles to finish on 2,949.3 miles. If she maintains her consistent pace, Annabel is scheduled to finish around midday on Sunday. Keep an eye on the scoreboard webcam.
Vasu Duzhiy ran 60.3 miles to finish on 2,873.0 miles. With 227 miles to go, at his current pace he should finish on Monday evening.
Nayaja Perugini ran 45.6 miles to end the day on 2,680.6 miles.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan ran 52.6 miles to finish on 2,384.4 miles.
Stutisheel completed 46.0 miles to end the day on 2,153.5 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin ran 40.5 miles to finish with 2,139.8 miles.
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.
Yesterday, 14 October, Andrea Marcato won the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-Mile Race for the 7th time. Radu Budan is expected to finish today around 5pm (Keep an eye on the webcam for updates.)
Photo: Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
Andrea Marcato won the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-mile race for the 7th time, finishing just after 9 am this morning in a time of 45 days, 3 hours, 11 minutes and 28 seconds. After the usual celebration ceremony, he went on to complete 5,000 km in 45 days 05:48:36.
Andrea Marcato's 500-mile splits, 2026
Distance
Time
Split
500 miles
6 days 09:01:18
6d 09:01:18
1,000 miles
13 days 10:41:52
7d 01:40:34
1,500 miles
20 days 15:55:09
7d 05:13:17
2,000 miles
28 days 14:50:52
7d 22:55:43
2,500 miles
36 days 02:54:26
7d 12:03:34
3,000 miles
43 days 11:50:28
7d 08:56:02
3,100 miles
45 days 03:11:28
1d 15:21:00
Andrea Marcato — 7 finishes, Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race
Average daily mileage in 2026: 68.69 miles / 110.54 km per day.
All stats TBC.
Radu Budan hit 3,000 miles this morning in 45 days 02:20:15. He then went through 4,900 km in 45 days, 14 hours, 8 minutes and 41 seconds. He finished the day with the day’s highest tally of 66.9 miles and a cumulative total of 3,057.3 miles. With 43 miles to go, he is due to finish on Thursday evening, around 5 pm.
Lo Wei Ming reached 2,900 miles in 45 days 11:35:57. He closed the day with 2,921.3 miles after clocking 60.8 miles. With less than 200 miles to go, he is on course at present for a Saturday evening finish.
Annabel Hepworth had another solid day with 60.3 miles to take her to 2,887.9 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy went through 2,800 miles in 45 days, 14 hours, 33 minutes and 47 seconds. He had a strong day, finishing with 64.1 miles and a cumulative total of 2,812.7 miles. All being well, he looks set to finish late on Monday evening.
Nayaja Perugini went through 2,600 miles in 45 days 02:02:39. She finished the day on 2,635.0 miles, having logged a daily total of 39.4 miles.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan hit 2,300 miles early in the day but struggled with some issues, going on to record 34.5 miles and a total of 2,331.8 miles.
Stutisheel reached 2,100 miles in 45 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes and 25 seconds. He then went on to log 42.7 miles for the day, and a cumulative total of 2,107.5 miles.
Ananda-Lahari ran 41.6 miles to finish with a total of 2,099.2 miles.
Day 45 — Andrea Marcato Wins 30th Edition of 3100 Mile Race
By Tejvan Pettingerauthor bio »
14 October
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 Marcato (Italy) wins the 2026 edition of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race in a time of 45 days, 3 hours, 11 minutes and 28 seconds. It is his seventh consecutive win.
Andrea's Finish
Transcript
So, you’re heading for a seventh consecutive first place. How does it feel?
It feels amazing. I have to say I feel really privileged and honoured that I’ve been given this great opportunity to run seven consecutive editions, and to do them well — or relatively well. I have no words, somehow. I’m really grateful.
I’m very happy about the result, and I would just like to improve a little bit. For the past two years that didn’t happen. I’m trying different things, and I try to follow my spiritual teacher’s philosophy — Sri Chinmoy’s philosophy, which is self-transcendence. So I try different ways to improve. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you don’t. But the attitude is the most important thing.
Now, if I look back, it seems like yesterday when I started the race. So the concept of time — let it go. The concept of time is totally different in different moments of the race. It’s really mind-blowing for me.
More than a race, I would say it’s a journey. It’s a physical journey, a mental journey, a spiritual journey above all — and basically it never ends. From today I will have finished the race, but somehow in my inner feelings the race keeps going, over and over again. It’s like life. It’s like a river which is constantly flowing. This is just a little chunk of a never-ending journey. This is my field.
Photo: Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo
At the finish line:
Thank you everybody for being here. It’s an amazing privilege for me. I did seven consecutive editions and I managed to do them all well, and I’m really honoured and privileged.
I just want to say thank you to Sri Chinmoy, who started the race in 1997. I believe that without his grace and inner help, this achievement would not have been possible for me. I know it’s something difficult to understand, but beside the energy of the body there is something very subtle, which a spiritual teacher gives to all the runners, to be able to accomplish this kind of feat.
And thank you so much to my dearest friend, coach and nutritional adviser, Arpan.
Andrea went through 4,900 km in 44 days 05:54:53 and ran 64.1 miles for the day to reach a cumulative total of 3,086.4 miles, leaving just 13.6 miles to run on Wednesday morning.
Radu, after running 65.8 miles, the best of the day, finished with a cumulative total of 2,990.4 miles. With 110 miles to go, he looks set to finish on Thursday evening.
Lo Wei Ming continues to look in control, steadily logging up the miles each day. Today he logged another 57.0-mile day to finish with a total of 2,860.5.
Annabel Hepworth still looks as focused as in week one, reaching 4,500 km in 44 days 07:18:14 and then 2,800 miles in 44 days 08:51:01. She logged another 60.3-mile day by 10.30 pm and, as usual, headed home to make the most of the overnight downtime hours. Her total is now 2,827.5 miles.
Vasu reached 2,700 miles in 44 days 02:57:35. Another day of 59.6 miles took him to 2,748.6 miles. He now has just over 350 miles to run.
Nayaja’s foot issue has worsened again today. Her daily total of 27.9 miles is indicative of how much she has slowed, although she is still laughing and joking with her crew and the volunteers. There is a growing realisation that, barring a miracle, she will not make it to 3,100 miles by the 52-day cut-off. She finished the day with 2,595.6 miles.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan ran right up to midnight, clocking 46.6 miles to leave her with 2,297.2 miles.
Stutisheel was a little under the weather today, finishing the day with 32.9 miles to total 2,064.7.
Ananda-Lahari ran 38.9 miles to finish on 2,057.5, closing the gap with Stutisheel to 7.2 miles.
“The finish line is at once
Blissful to see but painful to reach.”
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.
The rain relents, Andrea reaches 3,000 miles, and Nayaja seems rejuvenated.
Photo: Arpan
The Sunday storm relented, giving way to a wonderful sunny day. The battering the runners took in the storm had taken its toll, both physically and mentally, and all of them seemed grateful for the chance to reset and relax into a good day’s running with no weather to contend with.
Nayaja, Harita. Photo Utpal
Andrea Marcato continues to forge ahead. Today he passed 3,000 miles in 43 days, 11 hours, 50 minutes and 28 seconds. He finished the day with 68.5 miles — the highest daily total — and a cumulative total of 3,022.2 miles. If he continues at a similar pace, he will finish early on Wednesday morning.
Radu Budan reached 2,900 miles in 43 days, 11 hours, 09 minutes and 17 seconds. His daily total was 67.4 miles, leaving him on a cumulative total of 2,924.6 miles.
Lo Wei Ming reached 4,500km in 43 days, 15 hours, 58 minutes and 51 seconds. He ran 63 miles for the day to give him a total of 2,803.4 miles.
Annabel Hepworth ran strongly all day and clocked up 61.9 miles to leave her on 2,767.2 miles.
Vasu has found the last few days difficult but still managed 55.9 miles, leaving him on a cumulative total of 2,689.3 miles.
Nayaja Perugini was looking much stronger today, despite her lingering foot issue. She completed 47.1 miles and now sits on a total of 2,567.6 miles.
Nina just missed the 50-mile mark with 49.9 miles, leaving her on 2,250.6 miles.
Stutisheel and Ananda-Lahari both reached 2,000 miles today. Stutisheel led the way in 43 days, 05 hours, 17 minutes and 05 seconds; Ananda-Lahari followed in 43 days, 07 hours, 44 minutes and 22 seconds. Stutisheel ran 50.4 miles to leave him on a cumulative 2,031.8 miles, while Ananda-Lahari, with 38.3 miles, now sits on 2,018.6 miles.
Radu Interview
Q: So, are you enjoying the race?
Yes, a lot. And this year it’s a discovery for me. Many hours I was running in some flow, some new reality from the running. It opens up — I don’t know — in my heart, in my body, in my soul. And this is a very, very good discovery for me. I can feel how good it is, like a new reality, how to be. It’s running, but it’s one more mode of being. And this is amazing. Something which was real before, but was just some moments — and now it can be hours.
Q: Why do you like to do such a difficult race?
It’s an inner feeling, to do it. This race is so big, and if only a few people can do it, then they have to do it — to show other people it’s possible, to inspire them, to motivate them to come and try. And here you can develop some capacity you didn’t know you had.
Q: And what do you expect to get from doing a race like this? What do you hope to achieve or gain, if anything?
Transformation. To discover yourself, and some transformation. You see how the body transforms itself, how it calms the mind.
Because yesterday I discovered — when there was a lot of rain, I don’t know, 16 hours of rain — and in the evening I started to shout: “Ah, why? Why do we have to suffer?” And then you discover another part of you. You think you are very soft, very zen — but it’s not like this, and you discover this other part. And you say, “Oh, oh, we have to transform [this]. How to work with that, to be better in the future?”
Average mileage and potential projected finishes
Note: the estimated finish is only a projection based on current daily averages and will of course change as the race progresses.
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.
Race Report by Tarit
Rain returned. Heavy rain. Rivulets ran down the edge of the sidewalk as the runners battled the weather for most of the day. At times it was just drizzle; then, as if a switch had been flicked, the heavens would open. Thunderclaps echoed through the middle of the evening.
(video Utpal)
It’s the sort of rain that would have most of us looking out of the window, wondering whether to venture out for a short 5 or 10km.
For 3,100-mile runners, it is simply one more challenge among the many they have to face.
Andrea reached 2,900 miles early this morning in 42 days, 02 hours, 25 minutes, 58 seconds. He went on to record 63 miles for the day and has a cumulative total of 2,953.7 miles. With around 150 miles still to run, estimates are that he will finish sometime on Wednesday morning.
Radu is almost 100 miles behind and reached 2,800 miles this morning in 42 days, 01 hours, 43 minutes, 13 seconds. He finished the day on 2,857.1 miles, having run the highest daily total of 64.1 miles.
Wei Ming reached 2,700 miles close to midday in 42 days, 05 hours, 57 minutes, 33 seconds. He clocked 63 miles for the day and had reached 2,740.3 miles by midnight.
Annabel also reached 2,700 miles in the middle of the evening, in 42 days, 15 hours, 26 minutes, 26 seconds. She finished the day with a daily total of 58.1 miles and a cumulative total of 2,705.2 miles.
Vasu went through 2,600 miles in 42 days, 05 hours, 53 minutes, 53 seconds. Affected by the rain, he was slightly down on his usual daily total, clocking 49.3 miles for a cumulative 2,633.4 miles.
Nayaja, despite her foot issue, is battling on and reached 2,500 miles today in 42 days, 06 hours, 56 minutes, 13 seconds. She completed 34 miles for the day and now stands at 2,520.4 miles.
Nina hit 3,500km in 42 days, 08 hours, 55 minutes, 03 seconds and recorded 55.9 miles for the day. This brings her cumulative total to 2,200.7 miles.
Stutisheel ran 36.7 miles for a cumulative 1,981.3 miles.
Ananda-Lahari ran 41.6 miles to finish on 1,980.2 miles.
Ananda-Lahari Interview
On Day 42 (day before the rain)
Q: And what has given you the greatest joy during this year’s race?
The greatest joy is this self-transcendence that is in this race — that you go from 6 a.m. until midnight, no matter what. If you feel tired, if you feel sick, if you are fast, if you are slow. It’s a very powerful life experience.
It looks in a way very boring. You just move, you just go, you just walk, you just run — not fast, like a marathon or a two-mile race. You just go through it. It’s very slow and long, but it is very precious in life that somehow you go through it. And I cannot say there was some idea behind it, that I want to do the race because of something, that I want to get the experience or I want to get stronger. I just felt I want to do it. This, I would say, is the most powerful thing — this self-transcendence.
And then here in this race you are with yourself basically 24/7, so in a way it is pushing me to go inside as much as I am able to: to have this inner cry or smile, to cry for a more fulfilling life, to be more in touch with my soul, to be a better person, to be in tune with myself. It means — we have body, vital, mind, heart, soul. We don’t really know these things. But anyway, that I am one with myself, and that I will do my best in whatever I do. And here it’s really the opportunity, because you do nothing else. You just move. So it’s a very, very simple thing, and very hard: that you have to do your best. It pushes me into that situation where I’m trying to go inside — which doesn’t mean I can go deep inside, but anyway, I keep trying. It’s very, very satisfying.
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 Marcato led the pack with 69 miles. Radu was close behind with 66.9 miles, and is closing in on 2800 Miles
Nina's Interview
Nina: Even if I am dissapointed a little bit, I still feel… I still keep hope, and I still want to challenge myself. I still want to run my best. I still do my best every day. Even when sometimes I feel exhausted — no matter whether I feel happy or not, no matter whether I sleep enough or not — I feel it’s just like everyone’s life: you need to understand something is coming. Maybe God wants you to endure more. Endure, right? Endure more. And He wants you to control your mind. Control your mind. And He wants you to be the best.
Photo: Sri Chinmoy Ultra
So I feel grateful, and I cherish my chance to run the 3,100 Mile again, and I accept all the things that are happening. But I try to run faster, and I try to listen to music with a different tempo, and I try to advance myself.
Interviewer: Thank you so much. I just want two more [questions]. What has given you the most joy in this race?
Nina: Even though this is so difficult — sometimes I feel a little bit tormented, and even if it’s a little bit bitter — I still taste the sweetness. I taste all the sweetness from the people around me, the counters. And when I am running well, I relax myself, I give joy, I receive love, and I feel wonderful.
So I think, why not? We still have 10 days — we still have so many days. We need to enjoy every moment. Don’t despair, don’t give up, because you never know how many challenges are waiting for you. Really, if you don’t accept all the things, you will not realize… when you achieve it, the happiness will come. Yeah. I hope, and I still believe, the happiness is coming soon, and you can grab the happiness anytime.
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 has less than 300 miles to go
Andrea Marcato still leads the race. After 41 days you feel he must be sensing that the finish is within reach. He ran 65.4 miles yesterday to finish on 2,821.6 miles, leaving him with less than 280 miles to go.
Radu Budan recorded the day’s highest mileage, running one lap more than Andrea with 65.8 miles. That leaves him with a cumulative total of 2,726.1 miles, around 95 miles behind Andrea.
Lo Wei Ming finished the day with 63.7 miles and a cumulative total of 2,613.2 miles.
Annabel Hepworth closed out the day with 59.8 miles and a cumulative total of 2,585.7 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy ran a slightly below-par 55.5 miles, but still looks very solid. He joins the four others who have now reached 2,500 miles, finishing the day on 2,522.2 miles.
Nayaja Perugini is still troubled with a foot issue, which slowed her to 35.8 miles for the day. She has a cumulative total of 2,445.4 miles.
Nina ran 44.5 miles, leaving her on 2,092.2 miles.
Stutisheel topped 50 miles again yesterday with 50.5, to finish on 1,900.8 miles.
Ananda-Lahari ran 44.6 miles to finish on 1,894.7 miles.
They both had the satisfaction of reaching 3,000 kilometres.
— Tarit Stott
Interview with Andrea Marcato
Can you say something about the philosophy behind the race?
Of course. Sri Chinmoy's philosophy is about Run and Become — accept the outer world and proceed, but in the inner world as well. So as Sri Chinmoy students we try to unite the inner world and the outer running, so that we get more inner strength and can put it into the outside world, into the outside running.
And of course there is also the self-transcendence philosophy, which is part of the name of the race. This is the 3,100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race. Over such a long distance it is not always possible to do better, but somehow that is part of the game.
The most important thing that Sri Chinmoy stressed, I guess, is the never-give-up attitude. Whatever happens, accept and go forward, accept and go forward. Don't complain, don't get depressed. Whatever happens, just accept it and think of the next step, and try to go forward. And eventually, at the end, you will see that you have completed the whole picture. So that is the main thing, the most important thing.
So how has your race been going this year?
Well, it was very intense. We had a few days of rain. So far it is kind of okay — I mean, it is not my own standard, but what can I do? You have to accept whatever comes. And it is still very long. I don't think about the end, I think day by day. So let's see how it evolves. Today is a very nice day, so I'm happy.
And why do you like to do such a difficult race?
Well, you know, I did well in the past few editions, so I just try to keep going somehow. And this is part of my sadhana, part of my spiritual practice, and it is very important for me. I take it as a spiritual endeavour, a spiritual discipline, and I'm really happy. It gives me joy and I feel I am doing something worthwhile.
And what do you get at the end of a race like this? How do you feel? How is it different?
Well, I have to say that every year you get something different. But somehow at the end of the race I always think that things will change — that you have become a better person, and so on. And then after a while, after two weeks, I realise you are just the same fool as before.
So I have to say there are many, many things to learn from the race, but it is hard to preserve the experience. I realise, year after year, that I am very positive and very enthusiastic for the two weeks after I finish, and then slowly life brings you back to the old mode, so you have to strive again.
And how is life during the race different from ordinary life?
Oh well, I'm actually quite happy here. It is much simpler. Life is just run, eat, that's it — that is my only thing. I'm not on devices, I don't check anything online. I mean, very rarely I check something. So in my case it is a very simple life and I really like it.
I really try to enjoy every moment — you know, to feel the air, the energy from the trees, from the grass, from people, even from the cars. I try to be part of the whole environment somehow. And it's really good. It's a really nice feeling.
What is the hardest thing about doing this race, and how do you try to overcome it?
The hardest thing is to accept, for example, a very low mileage day. I got sick in the middle of the race, for a couple of days, and in that particular case you cannot perform — or you can perform maybe fifty per cent of what you usually give. And then mentally it is very hard to accept these kinds of things, or to overcome them, because the mind makes you feel that it will always be like this.
So something goes wrong, and then immediately the mind says: okay, everything is lost, and it is going to be like this until the end. These are the darkest moments of the race. But afterwards you see that actually it is not so bad, and slowly you regain your own capabilities and performances.
And do you have anything to get you through those difficult days? Does anything help make it a bit easier?
Well, I like to think about my family, mother and father, and friends and relatives. I try to think of the nice things that all of us have, more or less, in life. And yes, to stay positive is also part of the challenge, in a way. You have to really remind yourself that everything is going to be okay, and that life goes on whatever happens in the race. Afterwards you have another ten and a half, eleven months in regular life. So yes, I just think to think positively. That's it.
And what has given you the most joy during the past few weeks of this race?
The most joy — you know, you see that you are doing something really extraordinary. So it is a real privilege to be capable of running such a distance. Just to be on the starting line is a very, very big privilege.
Most of us are Sri Chinmoy students, and I guess that through meditation and spiritual practice we have this kind of extra capability to accept more and more distance. So I feel real gratitude about it, and I'm really happy.
And if someone is following this race and getting inspired to run long distances, what advice would you give them?
Oh, I would definitely give the advice to start small, not to think of the big picture, and to be consistent. Consistency over a huge effort. It is better to make small efforts, but with consistency over a span of time.
Let's say you decide: okay, I am going to run each day of the year, for example 365 days, and every day I am going to run a minimum of maybe two miles, and a maximum of whatever you want. That is a good approach. I started more or less like this twenty years ago. I didn't want to run a hundred miles in a chunk, or whatever. I just thought about a small thing, but repeating it each and every day of the year.
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.
Two more runners reach 2,500 miles
Day 40 saw two more of our runners go past the 2,500-mile mark.
Lo Wei Ming at 2500
Lo Wei Ming was first, mid-morning, recording 39 days 3 hours 48 minutes 05 seconds.
Mid-afternoon saw Annabel Hepworth post another Australian best performance for a landmark distance, clocking 39 days 9 hours 31 minutes 47 seconds.
Andrea and Arpan, photo Arpan
Earlier in the week, Andrea Marcato reached 2,500 miles in 36 days 2 hours 54 minutes 26 seconds, and Radu Budan added to his growing list of Moldovan bests with 37 days 9 hours 20 minutes 54 seconds.
Daily mileage statistics
Andrea again led the way with a daily total of 68.5 miles, taking him to 2,756.2 miles.
Radu Budan finished with 66.9 miles for the day and a cumulative total of 2,660.3 miles.
Lo Wei Ming once again hit 63.1 miles to finish the day on 2,549.5 miles.
Annabel Hepworth consolidated her progress with a 62-mile day, leaving her on 2,525.9 miles.
Vasu had a good day, reaching 65.3 miles, his best daily total since day 10 of the race. He is now on 2,466.7 miles.
Nayaja Perugini had another challenging day, recording 49.9 miles, leaving her on 2,409.6 miles.
Nina recorded 47.2 miles to finish on 2,047.7 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev ran 43.9 miles to stay just over half a mile ahead of Ananda-Lahari, on 1,850.3 miles.
Ananda-Lahari, with 44.5 miles, is now on 1,849.7 miles.
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.
Race report by Tarit Stott
Day 39 — Sri Chinmoy 3,100-Mile Race
Andrea Marcato remains in the lead, clocking 64.2 miles to take his race total to 2,687.7 miles.
Radu Budan topped the daily rankings with 66.9 miles, bringing his total to 2,593.4 miles.
Lo Wei Ming stayed steady with 63 miles, taking his cumulative distance to 2,486.4 miles.
Annabel Hepworth hit 61.9 miles for the day, finishing on a total of 2,463.9 miles.
Both Lo Wei Ming and Annabel should pass 2,500 miles later today.
Vasu Duzhiy maintained his metronomic pace with 61.4 miles for the day, taking him to a race total of 2,401.4 miles.
Nayaja Perugini had a few issues, resulting in a slightly lower daily mileage of 53.7 miles. Her race total now stands at 2,359.7 miles.
Nina clocked 50.4 miles to reach 2,000 miles just before the end of the day, finishing on 2,000.5 miles.
Stutisheel also clocked 50.5 miles, leaving him on 1,806.4 miles.
Ananda-Lahari ran 44.9 miles to finish on 1,805.2 miles, just over a mile behind Stutisheel.
Annabel with Harita, part 1
Annabel, photo Ben Cross
HARITA: Okay, hi Annabel. So, you're doing fantastically, and we've got a few questions for you, because you've got so many fans who are watching you and are so proud of you, and all struck by how strong and determined you are and how much energy you have. These are offered by Tarit, all the way from Scotland.
So — in this race you have now run further than you've ever run before.
ANNABEL: Indeed, yes.
HARITA: In 2024 you had an injury, so you had to pull out. What would you say was the most important thing you learned from that experience, and how do the two races compare? It seems to me you're almost a completely different person in this race.
ANNABEL: I feel like a different person in a lot of ways. I'm just in a really different place to where I was in 2024.
2024 — what can I say? I had a lot going on. I had an inappropriate foot care setup, to put it mildly. And that was as much on me, because I asked for it. I can be elbows out. It actually takes a bit, I think, for someone to say no to something I've asked for. And I'd asked for something I had no business asking for in a foot care setup.
HARITA: Maybe you could say a little more specifically what it was, because that's interesting for people in the future.
ANNABEL: There was a lot going on with my feet. They're an engineering marvel, really — pretty crazy feet. My toes are at funny angles, bunions, flat feet, and I'm seriously double-jointed. There's so much there, it's not funny.
But I had specifically asked somebody to make me an orthotic with a metatarsal dome, which is a thing that sits under the forefoot and, in theory, deloads it. Nothing wrong with metatarsal domes — they work for a lot of people. In this context they didn't work for me. And I had an ulcer going on under the foot where that was.
As I say, this is as much a reflection on me. I asked for it, thinking it would be the best thing ever. It wasn't — it didn't work out. And then you overlay all the things that are wrong with my feet, and that were wrong with the left foot in particular. There are a lot of them. You just had a bit of a ticking-time-bomb situation: that device, that foot, this surface, that distance. It was a recipe for disaster, really.
HARITA: Let's just say you learned a lot from it.
ANNABEL: I learned a huge amount, because I came out of 2024 thinking: what can we change, and what is absolutely baked in? All the structural stuff is only progressive. That's loose tissue, years of pounding. It isn't going to get better — realistically, it's going to get worse.
So what could I change? I did a few things. I did gait retraining. I went to a physiotherapist who does that, and he said, you know, I run a bit like a crab. I went in thinking I'd be told, "Just keep on running like a crab — there's the door." Actually he said no, we can definitely change this. So we changed it, so that my running mechanics are actually running mechanics, leaving my walk to be a walk.
HARITA: As an observer, you really did change it — you did some amazing work on that.
ANNABEL: I'd been in a kind of schism, doing this weird hybrid of the two, and I sort of sensed it wasn't optimal. So I changed that.
What else? I finally started seeing a PT. I'd had a programme from the physio for strength, but I cut a lot of corners. If it said single leg, I'd think double leg, and make it easy on myself. So I needed to pay someone to stand over me and put a stop to that nonsense.
And the other thing — I found a really good podiatrist in Sydney, who came highly recommended. I bowled on in and said, "So, you're going to make me an orthotic, and you're going to put a met dome in it." And I was really fortunate, because he said to me, here's why I don't think that's the right thing to do in the circumstances. It was what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear.
So quite a few things changed in how I approached the foot care and the whole chassis situation. And look, I'm fuelling better than I did in 2024. In the running world at the moment there's a stress fracture epidemic out there, and everyone's talking about energy availability. So I came into this race with a lot more awareness about energy and eating — a lot more carbs.
And I think a lot of what happened with my foot in 2024 was actually about unresolved issues I had in my life that were affecting me.
I guess this year I just had to confront things, and they've diminished. They've diminished from having been confronted — as opposed to this being the thing that nobody talks about. It's opened up a whole level of honesty about what's going on. It's really quite strange, actually. Quite profound for me. And it's influenced the whole way I've approached the foot care situation.
HARITA: Well, in a way that shows the connection with Sri Chinmoy's philosophy of the inner life — that everything starts from inside you.
ANNABEL: It does, yes. When you have these unresolved issues taking away your peace of mind and your focus from the race, they really do affect your experience. What's going on internally influences, in a really compelling way, what's going on externally: how you deal with the world, and how you deal with somebody who's there to give you advice and help you make a foot care device, if that's what you want.
It does influence whether you go in there elbows out and, through sheer force of personality, try to get someone to give you the service you want — or whether you actually use such a device once you've got it.
HARITA: Let me ask you something on a completely different level, because we're nearly at the end of this lap. What are your favourite shoes? And how many pairs do you think you'll have used?
ANNABEL: There are two. I wear Topo shoes because of my very wide, crazy toes — very much the Atmos and the Aura models at the moment. They're boring shoes, and boring is really good sometimes in a race.
I was wearing a shoe with more of the magic foam, from a super-shoe perspective, partly because I wanted to feel fast and tell myself I was doing laps at speeds greater than nine kilometres an hour or whatever. We're doing more like nine-minute kilometres, aren't we? And I wouldn't feel like I was going faster than nine-minute kilometres, which isn't really happening anyway. So that just felt too aggressive at the moment. I'm sticking with my boring shoes, and boring is fantastic.
HARITA: How many pairs do you think you'll have used by the end of this race?
ANNABEL: I've probably got twelve. I've got a feeling I'm going home with more than I came with.
HARITA: Right.
ANNABEL: I can't even go there. This is not going to go well for me when I get home.
Vajra and Aharan
The race has quite a few helpers who do an indispensable job in the background. Vajra cleans the course early in the morning and offers massage to runners. Aharan has become an expert in adjusting shoes to make it easier for the runner, this may involve making holes in the toes and other adjustments.
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.
Race report by Tarit
Radu passes 2500
Andrea Marcato ran 69.1 miles to finish on 2,623.5 miles. He now has fewer than 500 miles to run, and onlookers are already playing the game of predicting when he might finish. Andrea, with experience of six previous 3,100-mile races as well as many six-day and ten-day races, knows full well that anything can happen in 500 miles.
Radu Budan totalled 66.4 miles yesterday and passed 2,500 miles on the way, ending the day on 2,526.5 miles.
Lo Wei Ming once again hit 64.2 miles, bringing his cumulative total to 2,423.4 miles.
Annabel Hepworth managed 63.1 miles to finish on 2,402 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy continues to put in 60-mile days, with a solid 62 miles taking him to 2,340 miles.
Nayaja Perugini ran 62 miles to finish on 2,306 miles.
Nina, with 47.7 miles, is edging closer to 2,000 miles, finishing the day on 1,950.1 miles.
Ananda-Lahari, with 43.8 miles for the day, finished on 1,760.3 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev had a challenging day, logging 31.8 miles to finish on 1,755.9 miles.
There is only
One perfect road,
And
That road is ahead of
You.
Always ahead of you.
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.
Report by Tarit
Day 37 — Andrea Marcato and Radu Budan tie for the day's highest mileage
They both finished with a daily total of 65.8 miles. Andrea passed 2,500 miles in the morning to finish the day on 2,554.4 miles. Radu, who lies in second place, finished on 2,460.1 miles.
All the runners continue to be consistent in their own way.
Lo Wei Ming clocked up another 63-mile day to finish on 2,359.2 miles.
Annabel Hepworth, our leading lady, with 62.5 miles, finished the day on 2,338.9 miles.
Vasu, with a daily total of 61.9 miles, took his race total out to 2,278 miles.
Nayaja clocked a solid 63 miles to finish on 2,244 miles.
Nina, with 44.5 miles for the day, now sits on 1,902.4 miles.
Stutisheel's 50.4 miles leaves him on 1,724.1 miles.
Ananda-Lahari, with 49.9 miles, has reached 1,716.5 miles.
Enthusiasm and eagerness
We have reached day 37 of the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-Mile Race. After more than five weeks, the enormity of the task still ahead is sometimes hard for the runners to comprehend. Fatigue and tiredness are almost natural companions from the moment they wake. The mind can play games for fleeting moments, and running for another two weeks or more can seem unfathomable.
Suprabha with Sri Chinmoy. Photo Adarini
The race founder, Sri Chinmoy, often sought to reassure runners that the task was indeed possible, offering advice and encouragement on a regular basis. Thirteen-time finisher Suprabha Beckford once put the following question to him.
Is there some spiritual quality that I can invoke during the 3,100-mile race this year, or something new I can do to really please the Supreme? Outwardly, I know my goal is to finish the race and to transcend my best time and so forth, but is there something I can do inwardly to please the Supreme?
Sri Chinmoy: "Now, the question is, what qualities do you need to bring forward from your inner life when you are running? The first one is enthusiasm. Who embodies enthusiasm? A little child. Who can be more enthusiastic than a child? He enters into a garden and runs here and there, appreciating everything that he sees. Then, in addition to enthusiasm, you need eagerness. Again, who has more eagerness than a little child? If he plays with a toy, he is so eager. His whole world is the toy.
"Now, while running 3,100 miles, you have to deal with fatigue — when you are tired, exhausted, dead. As long as you are in the mind, you will always have fatigue, tiredness, weariness and everything. But the moment you enter into your heart, there is no fatigue. What you will find is constant energy.
"If you can feel that you are a five- or six-year-old child, tiredness will not come into your mind. A child does not know what tiredness is; he only knows enthusiasm and eagerness. Never think of 60 miles or 3,100 miles. Never take the distance in that way — never. Only run for the joy of it."
Sri Chinmoy, Run and Smile, Smile and Run, Agni Press, New York, 2000
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.
Rupantar, race director takes video at start of day
Race report from Tarit
2,000-mile stats, and the rain returns
As we enter week six of the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-Mile Race, our top six runners are all through 2,000 miles and currently on track to finish within the 52-day cut-off. As we have said before, it is easy to become complacent about what the runners have achieved. Several still have the best part of 1,000 miles to go. Just contemplating 1,000 miles as a one-off run is mind-boggling, even for experienced 100 km, 100-mile or 24-hour runners. The 3,100-mile runners are undertaking that final 1,000 miles having already run more than twice that distance.
Aside from the obvious physical challenge, the very essence of the 3,100 is its constant, relentless nature — simply dealing with yourself, hour by hour and day by day, without letting your mind be overwhelmed by the apparent immensity of the task at hand. Of the six runners who have reached 2,000 miles, four have been there before and gone on to finish 3,100 miles, so they have some memory of what lies ahead. To the best of our knowledge, the last week has seen new national 2,000-mile records — or best performances, as they are technically called — from three of our runners. This adds to the many world and national bests set in the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-Mile Race over the years.
Harita and Annabel Hepworth
Andrea Marcato, with six previous times over 2,000 miles, reached the distance in this race in 28 days, 14 hours, 50 minutes and 52 seconds. His previous best was 27 days 06:24:13, set in 2024, which is the current Italian men's record.
Radu Budan has a previous time of 30 days 07:25:25 at 2,000 miles, from 2024. At the time this was a new Moldovan men's 2,000-mile record, and he has now improved it by just under five minutes, recording 30 days 01:20:30 this year.
Lo Wei Ming reached 2,000 miles in 31 days 04:54:28 — the fifth time he has passed the mark. His best time of 29 days 07:00:01, set in the 2024 race, is the current Taiwanese record and also the world best for a 60-year-old male.
Vasu Duzhiy, with 13 previous times over 2,000 miles, reached it in this race in 32 days 07:18:59. His previous best was 28 days 16:38:41, from 2018, which is the fastest time by a Russian athlete.
Annabel Hepworth has one previous 2,000-mile time, of 32 days 03:23:29 from 2024. Her mark this week of 31 days 07:42:41 improved her existing Australian women's time by just under 20 hours. Over the weekend she passed her previous best distance of 2,185 miles, so she is now in new territory.
Nayaja Perugini has been in new territory for a while, having surpassed her 10-day best of 600.599 miles. She has now set a new Italian women's 2,000-mile mark of 33 days 01:27:01.
Both Annabel and Nayaja are pioneers for women's multi-day running, following in the footsteps of other great multi-day runners.
Daily statistics
Light rain returned to the race yesterday. Nothing like the storms of the previous weekend, but enough to show once again that Mother Nature and her weather systems are always on hand to give the runners extra food for thought as they go about their daily run.
Andrea Marcato once again led the way with 67.4 miles. His end-of-day total of 2,488.6 miles took him to within touching distance of 2,500.
Radu Budan, with 65.8 miles, finished the day on 2,394.3 miles.
Taiwan's Lo Wei Ming once again put in a solid 63.6 miles to finish on 2,296.1 miles.
Women's leader Annabel Hepworth's 59.8 miles gave her a total of 2,276.4 miles.
Vasu Duzhiy also clocked 59.8 miles, taking his cumulative distance to 2,216.1 miles.
Nayaja Perugini, with a 61.5-mile day, is showing that she remains strong as she enters the final third of her race. She now sits on 2,181 miles.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan achieved 47.7 miles, to leave her on 1,857.9 miles.
Stutisheel Lebedev, with a 41.7-mile day, is on 1,673.7 miles, and Ananda-Lahari Zuscin topped 50 miles again with 51.0, to sit on 1,666.6 miles.
Race Cooks
There could be no race without constant cooking. As mentioned a runner may get though 6,000 to 10,000 calories per day, that is a lot of food. Because of the demands on the body, it is important that the food is healthy, tasty and good energy. A team of cooks work through the day, providing food for the entirety of the race. It is its own marathon effort, though more often working in the background.
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.
As we finish day 35, the nine runners have covered a cumulative total of 33,769 laps or 18,532.4 miles, which to put in context a distance 75% of the earth's equator (24,901 Miles). However, far from running to exotic locations, our great runners have been running continual loops around the famous block in Jamaica, New York. They have really got to know every aspect of the race course. For a half mile course it is surprisingly varied with a school, playing field and busy road all intersecting the race. In fact, Sri Chinmoy the race founder suggested to the runners that they should find a particular part on the course they like and feel gratitude at that particular spot.
Yesterday, the top six runners all covered more than 60 miles, with Andrea Marcato leading the pack with 66.9 miles. He passed 2,400 miles later in the day. After the recent rain, the weather was more favourable with a welcome sun, shining through.
Daily average after 35 Days
This shows a runner's daily average compared to the 59.6 miles a day needed to finish. It shows the top six runners are currently on course to finish. Nayaja Perugini has managed to improve her notional mileage buffer from 18 miles last week to 33.5 miles this week. .
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 Marcato was the day's leading runner with 70 miles, pushing him past 2,300 miles. On his current pace he is on course to finish inside 11 more days, somewhere around day 45 — though it is worth emphasising that anything can happen in this race. Radu Budan, running his second race and looking set for another good finish, managed 66.9 miles.
In third place, Lo Wei Ming ran 62.5 miles. He is currently just ahead of the leading woman, Annabel Hepworth, who now has 2,153 miles. Her furthest distance in this race was 2,185 miles, in 2024. She was keeping a good pace that year until her feet suffered serious sores because of unfamiliarity with the concrete surface. This year she has been running a very steady pace, and will hope to transcend her previous best today.
Nayaja Perugini - 2000 miles
Nayaja Perugini passed 2,000 miles for the first time in her career and is progressing nicely in her first attempt at the ultimate race. Vasu Duzhiy, one of the race's veteran runners, ran 57 miles. Nina Yang Huang-Lan logged 53.1 for 1767 miles. Ananda-Lahari Zuscin's ran 42.7 and Stutisheel Lebedev's 39.4 miles.
But, although we can report mileage, it only captures one part of the race. Firstly, there is a hidden team of helpers and volunteers providing food, counting and support for the runners. If you visit the race, you will see it is a constant hive of activity; something is always happening. It is definitely worth vising the race in person.
Also for the runners, the race is much more than records and finishing. The value of such a long race is its opportunity for self-transcendence and learning more about yourself. Sri Chinmoy writes
"Self-transcendence means
Self-expansion
In every way"
— Sri Chinmoy
And that is very true of this race, you are not just testing your physical limits but also the mental and spiritual reserves that are needed in such a tough challenge.
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.
After intense weather over the past week, the runners enjoyed calmer conditions — and Vasu Duzhiy went past 2,000 miles in his usual unhurried way, reaching the mark at 32:07:18:59. He ran 61.9 miles yesterday, very close to his race average of 61.8.
Nayaja Perugini closed the day on 1994.5 miles and will cross 2,000 for the first time tomorrow morning.
At the head of the race, both Andrea Marcato and Radu Budan recorded 65.8 miles, leaving Marcato on a daily average of 69.2 miles with (just) 815.9 miles left to run. Lo Wei Ming sits in third place and continues to impress with another 62.5-mile day. Annabel Hepworth, first lady, has also been remarkably consistent through the race: she has run every day above the 59.6-mile average needed to finish inside 52 days. She is currently averaging 63.4 miles, with 1,008 still to go.
Nina Yang Huang-Lan covered 50.4 miles, Stutisheel Lebedev 46 and Ananda-Lahari Zuscin 43.3.
The History of Concrete
Fix to concrete
The 3100 Mile Race often appears in unexpected places. Recently it featured in John Wilson's documentary The History of Concrete, which draws out entertaining threads of modern life, all focused on the role of a material that is everywhere and that we usually take for granted.
Harita Davies former runner with shoe collection
For the runners of the 3100, the concrete surface is something that literally becomes part of their life. It is hard, unrelenting, and one of the many factors that make the race so challenging. It also has practical implications: a rough surface wears away the soles of shoes much faster, and a runner can go through multiple pairs over the course of the race — sometimes a pair in just a few days. The 3100 is a true amateur event, unencumbered by commercial sponsorship, but seeing how many shoes the runners get through, you suspect it would be a dream for the manufacturers.
The roughness also creates a real trip hazard. This year the surface is in better condition than in many previous years, helped by some DIY repairs to the ragged edges, smoothing things out and reducing the risk of a fall.
If you were choosing to run, no-one would choose concrete as first choice. But, if you want to run the 3100 Mile race it is something a runner needs to accept and learn to deal with. Because whether you like it or not, it will become your daily, unchanging companion. It might not seem the most obvious subject for a film, but here at the race, concrete literally provides the backdrop for great stories of self-transcendence and patience.
Patience, patience, patience!
Patience
Is the ultimate victory.
Annabel Hepworth finishes and becomes the 4th fastest woman in the history of the 3,100-mile race
Daily mileage statistics
As we finish day 35, the nine runners have covered a cumulative total of 33,769 laps or 18,532.4 miles, which to put in context a distance 75% of the earth's equator (24,901 Miles). However, far from running to exotic locations, our great runners have been running continual loops around the famous block in Jamaica, New York. They have really got to know every aspect of the race course. For a half mile course it is surprisingly varied with a school, playing field and busy road all intersecting the race. In fact, Sri Chinmoy the race founder suggested to the runners that they should find a particular part on the course they like and feel gratitude at that particular spot.
But, although we can report mileage, it only captures one part of the race. Firstly, there is a hidden team of helpers and volunteers providing food, counting and support for the runners. If you visit the race, you will see it is a constant hive of activity; something is always happening. It is definitely worth vising the race in person.
