2011 Self-Transcendence 5k Results

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.

Place	Name		Time	Pace (/mile)	Age Group	Age Place
1	Brendan Donoghue	Queens NY	18:21	3:40/K	Men 30 to 39	1
2	Eduardo Aponte	Brooklyn NY	18:48	3:46/K	Men under 20	1
3	John Werner	Brookline MA	18:51	3:46/K	Men 40 to 49	1
4	Joshua Fox	Jackson Hts. NY	18:59	3:48/K	Men 20 to 29	1
5	Agnikana Senkyrova	Zlin 76001 Czech Republic	19:31	3:54/K	Women 30 to 39	1
6	Gregory Rozlonowski	Bellerose NY	19:48	3:58/K	Men 30 to 39	2
7	Antara-Prabhat Kalajian	Jamaica NY	20:02	4:00/K	Men 20 to 29	2
8	Spencer Korwin	New York NY	20:30	4:06/K	Men 20 to 29	3
9	Arpan DeAngelo	Jamaica NY	20:37	4:07/K	Men 50 to 59	1
10	James Spencer	Forest HIlls NY	20:38	4:08/K	Men 20 to 29	4
11	Felipe Juarez	Corona NY	20:45	4:09/K	Men 40 to 49	2
12	Jonathan Cano	Corona NY	20:53	4:11/K	Men 20 to 29	5
13	Ryan Roslonowski	Bellerose NY	21:04	4:13/K	Men under 20	2
14	Angel Cumbe	Queens NY	21:11	4:14/K	Men 30 to 39	3
15	Julie Threlkeld	Yonkers NY	21:15	4:15/K	Women 40 to 49	1
16	Shashanka Karlen	Jamaica NY	21:35	4:19/K	Men 50 to 59	2
17	Matt Mandel	Brooklyn NY	21:38	4:20/K	Men 50 to 59	3
18	Patricia Alcivar	Forest Hills NY	21:50	4:22/K	Women 30 to 39	2
19	Will Havey	Astoria NY	21:55	4:23/K	Men 50 to 59	4
20	John Montoya	Corona NY	22:03	4:25/K	Men 20 to 29	6
21	Erika Werner	Brookline MA	22:09	4:26/K	Women 30 to 39	3
22	Jason Dunn	Jackson Hts. NY	22:14	4:27/K	Men 30 to 39	4
23	Sal D'Amico	Valley Stream NY	22:30	4:30/K	Men 30 to 39	5
24	Michael Forman	Jamaica NY	22:33	4:31/K	Men 20 to 29	7
25	Prapti Jensen	Ottawa ON Canada	22:34	4:31/K	Women 40 to 49	2
26	Matthew Kilkelly	Briarwood NY	22:54	4:35/K	Men 40 to 49	3
27	Johnny Schulz	Boca Raton FL	23:04	4:37/K	Men 40 to 49	4
28	Randolph Rosarion	New York NY	23:07	4:37/K	Men 40 to 49	5
29	Andrea Toro	Baltimore MD	23:30	4:42/K	Women 20 to 29	1
30	Navinchandra Gadkari	Jamaica NY	23:33	4:43/K	Men under 20	3
31	Dhanu Alaimo	Jamaica NY	23:38	4:44/K	Men 50 to 59	5
32	Tanya Higgins	Forest Hills NY	23:41	4:44/K	Women 30 to 39	4
33	Stephan Galicea	Bellerose NY	23:50	4:46/K	Men under 20	4
34	Antana Locs	Jamaica NY	24:15	4:51/K	Women 50 to 59	1
35	Kanala Bolvanska	Jamaica NY	24:20	4:52/K	Women 30 to 39	5
36	Eric Ohlson	Astoria NY	24:34	4:55/K	Men 60 to 69	1
37	Steven Cercy	New York NY	24:58	5:00/K	Men 40 to 49	6
39	Pulak Viscardi	Jamaica NY	25:33	5:07/K	Men 60 to 69	2
40	Nancy Alcivar	Rego Park NY	25:36	5:07/K	Women 30 to 39	6
41	David Kalvert	Melville NY	25:40	5:08/K	Men 30 to 39	6
42	Jennifer Vichinsky	Rego Park NY	25:44	5:09/K	Women 30 to 39	7
43	Mark Dunn	Astoria NY	25:46	5:09/K	Men 30 to 39	7
44	Javier Werner	Brookline MA	25:51	5:10/K	Men under 20	5
45	Maria Romano	Jamaica NY	25:52	5:10/K	Women 50 to 59	2
46	Salvatore Carretta	Yonkers NY	25:53	5:11/K	Men 50 to 59	6
47	James Babis	Forest Hills NY	26:10	5:14/K	Men 30 to 39	8
48	Noah Sheroff	Franklin Square NY	26:14	5:15/K	Men 20 to 29	8
49	Samahita Bender	Jamaica NY	26:18	5:16/K	Women 40 to 49	3
50	Dana Marriotti	Astoria NY	26:19	5:16/K	Men 30 to 39	9
51	Kevin Quinones	New York NY	26:25	5:17/K	Men 30 to 39	10
52	Anya Zaitsev	Flushing NY	26:32	5:18/K	Women 20 to 29	2
53	Sabrina Martin	Jamaica NY	26:44	5:21/K	Women 20 to 29	3
54	Itaiguara Dayns	Briarwood NY	27:00	5:24/K	Men 40 to 49	7
55	Alysha Reid	Brooklyn NY	27:03	5:25/K	Women 20 to 29	4
56	Mike Riina	Flushing NY	27:13	5:27/K	Men 40 to 49	8
57	Christine Yap	Astoria NY	27:18	5:28/K	Women 30 to 39	8
58	Simon Bacarella	Bayside NY	27:22	5:28/K	Men 40 to 49	9
59	Ahreum Kim	Bayside NY	27:31	5:30/K	Women 20 to 29	5
60	Liana Lien	Brooklyn NY	27:32	5:30/K	Women 20 to 29	6
61	Kevin Harford	Bayside NY	27:39	5:32/K	Men 40 to 49	10
62	Govinda White	Jamaica NY	27:47	5:33/K	Women 40 to 49	4
63	Melanie Hochwald	Berlin NY	27:55	5:35/K	Women 30 to 39	9
64	Josephine Smith	New Hyde Park NY	28:25	5:41/K	Women 30 to 39	10
65	Deborah Wyatt	Corona NY	28:26	5:41/K	Women 50 to 59	3
66	Reese Huebsch	Astoria NY	28:32	5:42/K	Men 30 to 39	11
67	Ray Howell	Jackson Hts. NY	28:37	5:43/K	Men 30 to 39	12
68	Morgan Strecker	Brooklyn NY	28:37	5:43/K	Women 20 to 29	7
69	Claudelle Trotman	Jamaica NY	28:40	5:44/K	Women 40 to 49	5
70	Katrina Hall	Alhambra CA	28:41	5:44/K	Women 30 to 39	11
71	Patrina Hall-Madry	Middle Village NY	28:41	5:44/K	Women 30 to 39	12
72	Stephen Rosenfeld	Olympia WA	28:47	5:45/K	Men 50 to 59	7
73	Valerie Fristachi	Bayside NY	28:53	5:47/K	Women 30 to 39	13
74	Susan Davidson	Astoria NY	28:56	5:47/K	Women 30 to 39	14
75	Yesenia Rodriguez	Woodside NY	29:03	5:49/K	Women 30 to 39	15
76	Joanne Contreras	Forest Hills NY	29:04	5:49/K	Women under 20	1
77	Michelle Bressler	Brooklyn NY	29:12	5:50/K	Women 30 to 39	16
78	Sarah Roslonowski	Bellerose NY	29:14	5:51/K	Women under 20	2
79	Lana Schwartz	Fresh Meadows NY	29:29	5:54/K	Women 20 to 29	8
80	Natalia Macrynikola	Astoria NY	29:30	5:54/K	Women 20 to 29	9
81	Angela Gallo	Bayside NY	29:31	5:54/K	Women 30 to 39	17
82	Mary Deyns	Briarwood NY	29:43	5:57/K	Women 30 to 39	18
83	Jose Serrano	Bronx NY	29:49	5:58/K	Men 60 to 69	3
84	Punya Kruglova	Moscow Russia	29:56	5:59/K	Women 50 to 59	4
85	Yuehao Wong	New York NY	30:20	6:04/K	Men under 20	6
86	Adhiratha Keefe	Kew Gardens Hills NY	30:27	6:05/K	Men 60 to 69	4
87	Thomas Wilkinson	New York NY	30:33	6:07/K	Men 30 to 39	13
88	Thomas Fleming	Jamaica NY	30:42	6:08/K	Men 30 to 39	14
89	Boreum Kim	Bayside NY	30:45	6:09/K	Women 20 to 29	10
90	Bhashwar Hart	Jersey City NJ	30:49	6:10/K	Men 60 to 69	5
91	Karen Babia	Forest Hills NY	30:53	6:11/K	Women 20 to 29	11
92	Jose Taveras	Jamaica Hills NY	30:57	6:11/K	Men 30 to 39	15
93	Jennifer Tsang	Uncasville CT	31:05	6:13/K	Women 20 to 29	12
94	Laila Faerman	Brooklyn NY	31:09	6:14/K	Women 20 to 29	13
95	Ana Garcia	Ringwood NJ	31:11	6:14/K	Women 20 to 29	14
96	Tiffany Rosenquist Torr	Astoria NY	31:16	6:15/K	Women 30 to 39	19
97	Christina Rufo	Whitestone NY	31:26	6:17/K	Women 20 to 29	15
98	Jennifer Schanke	Nashua NH	31:41	6:20/K	Women 20 to 29	16
99	Kate O'Donoghue	Bayside NY	31:43	6:21/K	Women 30 to 39	20
100	Michelle Carver	White Plains NY	32:07	6:25/K	Women 50 to 59	5
101	Michiko Satake	Rego Park NY	32:09	6:26/K	Women 20 to 29	17
102	Alyssa Pack	Astoria NY	32:17	6:27/K	Women 30 to 39	21
103	Don Hansen	College Point NY	32:43	6:33/K	Men 40 to 49	11
104	Will Kastner	Brooklyn NY	32:57	6:35/K	Men 30 to 39	16
105	Bhagirathi Savage	Jamaica NY	33:01	6:36/K	Women 50 to 59	6
106	Cristaly Trinidad	College Point NY	33:25	6:41/K	Women 20 to 29	18
107	Tricia Rhoden	Springfield NY	33:29	6:42/K	Women 20 to 29	19
108	Abdool Jabar	Queens Village NY	33:30	6:42/K	Men 50 to 59	8
109	Mark Du	Rego Park NY	33:30	6:42/K	Men 20 to 29	9
110	Annaliza Huffnaggle	Elmhurst NY	33:37	6:43/K	Women 30 to 39	22
111	Joshua Herman	Brooklyn NY	33:53	6:47/K	Men 30 to 39	17
112	Kristal Aliyas	New York NY	33:56	6:47/K	Women 30 to 39	23
113	James Messerscmidt	Astoria NY	34:04	6:49/K	Men 40 to 49	12
114	LaShonda Krokan	Bayside NY	34:07	6:49/K	Women 30 to 39	24
115	Snigdha Fitch	Jamaica NY	34:12	6:50/K	Women 60 to 69	2
116	Josephine La Tempa	Bayside NY	34:16	6:51/K	Women 40 to 49	6
117	Irapaul Turner	New York NY	34:17	6:51/K	Men 40 to 49	13
118	Barbara Cullinan	North Bergen NJ	34:17	6:51/K	Women 50 to 59	7
119	Kevin Kiernan	Woodhaven NY	34:36	6:55/K	Men 30 to 39	18
120	Janssen Tam	Brooklyn NY	34:40	6:56/K	Men 30 to 39	19
121	Gayle Kalvert	Melville NY	35:03	7:01/K	Women 30 to 39	25
122	Evergreen Chou	Flushing NY	35:16	7:03/K	Men 40 to 49	14
123	Jackie Chan	Jamaica NY	35:48	7:10/K	Women 30 to 39	26
124	Sumanas Sugar	Jamaica NY	36:02	7:12/K	Men 60 to 69	6
125	Tena Rufo	Whitestone NY	36:10	7:14/K	Women 30 to 39	27
126	Michele Calamari	Washington Towns NJ	36:16	7:15/K	Women 20 to 29	20
127	Erin Ritola	Glenhead NY	36:33	7:19/K	Women 20 to 29	21
128	Sylvia Romy	Glendale NY	36:34	7:19/K	Women 30 to 39	28
129	David Davidson	Astoria NY	36:47	7:21/K	Men 30 to 39	20
130	Ilana Goldfarb	New York NY	36:53	7:23/K	Women 30 to 39	29
131	Bobby Zouvelos	New York NY	36:57	7:23/K	Men 40 to 49	15
133	Adam Schear	Brooklyn NY	36:59	7:24/K	Men 30 to 39	21
134	Avital Lewis	Brooklyn NY	36:59	7:24/K	Women 20 to 29	22
135	Danielle Howell	Flushing NY	37:01	7:24/K	Women 30 to 39	30
137	Andra Brumberg	Rego Park NY	37:48	7:34/K	Women 20 to 29	23
138	Daryl Pasaylo	Safford AZ	37:52	7:34/K	Women 40 to 49	7
139	Dorothy DeNoto	Huntington Stn. NY	38:06	7:37/K	Women 50 to 59	8
140	Jide Alakw	Far Rockaway NY	38:58	7:48/K	Men 20 to 29	10
141	Michael Kalvert	Melville NY	39:02	7:48/K	Men 60 to 69	7
142	Paul Mager	Plainview NY	39:25	7:53/K	Men 20 to 29	11
143	Theresa Fleming	Astoria NY	39:54	7:59/K	Women 30 to 39	31
144	Carley Shepard	E. Quogue NY	40:01	8:00/K	Women under 20	3
145	Johanna Guardado	Bayside NY	40:34	8:07/K	Women 30 to 39	32
146	Catherine Fleming	Astoria NY	40:48	8:10/K	Women 30 to 39	33
147	Sean Fleming	Jamaica NY	40:48	8:10/K	Men 30 to 39	22
148	Richard Silbert	West CT	41:18	8:16/K	Men 50 to 59	9
149	Emilia Toro	Washington DC	41:18	8:16/K	Women 20 to 29	24
150	Camilla Rosenfeld	Olympia WA	41:20	8:16/K	Women under 20	4
151	Julia Silbert	West CT	41:21	8:16/K	Women under 20	5
152	Kate Rosenfeld	Olympia WA	41:45	8:21/K	Women 50 to 59	9
154	Pranika Baum	Jamaica NY	41:53	8:23/K	Women 50 to 59	10
156	Hashi Roberts	Jamaica NY	42:12	8:26/K	Women 60 to 69	3
157	Ernie Jab	Brooklyn NY	43:27	8:41/K	Men 30 to 39	23
158	Marcia Lee	Flushing NY	43:55	8:47/K	Women 20 to 29	25
159	Gloria Martinez	Stamford CT	45:37	9:07/K	Women 30 to 39	34
160	Cindy Bonzer	Bayside NY	45:56	9:11/K	Women 30 to 39	35
161	Abakash Konopiaty	Jamaica NY	47:13	9:27/K	Men 60 to 69	8
162	Carol Martzinek	College Point NY	48:12	9:38/K	Women 40 to 49	8
163	Susan Burris	Astoria NY	48:14	9:39/K	Women 40 to 49	9
164	Michael Shvartsman	New York NY	48:18	9:40/K	Men 20 to 29	12
165	Kay Katner	Brooklyn NY	48:19	9:40/K	Women 30 to 39	36
166	Jennie Huang	Chicago IL	49:44	9:57/K	Women 30 to 39	37
167	Day Star Chou	Flushing NY	51:13	10:15/K	Women 30 to 39	38
168	Shenelle D'Amico	Valley Stream NY	51:37	10:19/K	Women 30 to 39	39
169	Janene Smith	Brooklyn NY	51:39	10:20/K	Women 20 to 29	26
170	Marissa Kaplan	Brooklyn NY	51:40	10:20/K	Women 30 to 39	40
171	Joan Huang	NewYork NY	53:42	10:44/K	Women 20 to 29	27
172	Vera Huang	Maspeth NY	55:06	11:01/K	Women 60 to 69	4
173	Nilima Silver	Jamaica NY	55:19	11:04/K	Women 60 to 69	5
174	Amy Wyatt	Washington DC	57:25	11:29/K	Women 30 to 39	41
175	Josh Rosenblum	Washington DC	57:25	11:29/K	Men 30 to 39	24
176	Susan Rosenblum	Bayside NY	57:27	11:29/K	Women 60 to 69	6
177	Jeffrey Rosenblum	Bayside NY	57:29	11:30/K	Men 60 to 69	9
178	Maria Guevara	Middle Village NY	1:00:44	12:09/K	Women 60 to 69	1
179	Snehashila Alaimo	Jamaica NY	1:08:35	13:43/K	Women 70 and over	1

Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team articles - more articles

About the author:

Rupantar has been the race director of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team since 1985, having been asked by Sri Chinmoy to serve in that capacity. As well as working on the big races the US Marathon Team organise each year - the 3100 Mile Race and the Six and 10 Day Race - he also spends a considerable amount of time archiving the Marathon Team's 40 year history on this website.

A few personal impressions from this years 6 day race in New York’s Flushing Meadows Park, 18–24 April 2022, by Shashanka Karlen

A multi-day race is a good way to discover the flexibility and fluidity of time. In the beginning, when you have covered your first 6-10 hours and realize what you have gotten yourself into, the look forward to the end of 6 days can be really frightening. At least for the mind. It seems an infinity of time away and mentally you may wonder how you can actually ever reach that goal. There are moments during the race where time does not seem to move, where each lap is just simply very hard work and there seems to be no way out, no person to talk to, no special food that would uplift you, no piece of music that would carry you forward. Don Winkley, the American Ultra runner, still running at 83, calls these “the character-building miles”. I thought of him several times during the race also because he had so many great stories to tell when we met 10 years ago during the Self-Transcendence 10 day race.

On the other hand, when you look back after 3 or 4 days to the beginning of the race it seems that time practically flew by, that all went so quickly that you could hardly grasp it. And even now, the second day after the race time has already moved on and we try to quickly preserve all the treasures that have come along the way of these 6 days.

The bathtub by Don Winkley
Don Winkley told me this story back in 2012 and it remained anchored in my memory ever since. Don said that once he had a very difficult race, the weather was miserable and at some point he said to himself “After this is over I will get a nice suite at a hotel and enjoy myself.” Once the race was over he did exactly that, checked in at the hotel and got a very large beautiful suite. The problem was that Don was in such a bad physical shape and the bathroom was very far away from his bed. As he needed the bathroom frequently and the distance was too far he finally decided to sleep in the bathtub...Poor Don!

Ode to Joy

One evening, I believe it was on the 3rd day, around midnight I got the inspiration to listen to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. I thought, good, this will take care of the race for 1 ½ hours, the total length of the four movements. There is a special live recording from December 1989, recorded in Berlin just after the Berlin Wall came down and includes musicians and singers from both East and West. The conductor is the famous Leonard Bernstein. Feeling the pulse of time, he took the freedom to change the name from “Ode to Joy” to “Ode to Freedom”. It is indeed a very special recording of a very special symphony in a very special moment of human history. This symphony has become a global hymn to freedom and the brotherhood of man and is loved more than ever.

Interestingly enough the next morning Kodanda, the “race-musician” played the theme of Ode to Joy, without knowing anything about my experience the night before. I thought it was a nice proof how on an inner level feelings and thoughts travel freely and are picked up, it may be as close as a few meters like in this case or it may be on the other side of the globe.

“Somehow it must be possible for us to learn from his [Beethoven’s] music by hearing it, no, not hearing it but by listening to it with all our power of attention and concentration. Then perhaps we can grow into something worth being called “the human race”. ...In this time of world agony and hopelessness and helplessness, we love his music and we need it. As despairing as we may be, we can not listen to this 9th Symphony without emerging from it changed, enriched, encouraged.” - Leonard Bernstein 1979

I think also for many other Ultra runners listening to music is an important support. I don’t know what other runners listen to, except maybe from the story that Grahak told from the 3100 mile race. He was listening to heavy rock music and was suddenly called to Sri Chinmoy’s car to get Prasad (blessed food) and he somehow did not manage to turn off the music. Even though it was only in the earphones, the music was clearly audible and he felt embarrassed... Like in the case of the perception of time, a multi day race also makes you much more sensitive to music and different kinds of music and their effect on yourself. I listened a good amount of time to Sri Chinmoy’s music and I liked particularly his singing. I could make a very easy connection to him through his singing. It just goes directly to your heart and soul.

Sometimes I would listen to popular music. “Paradise” by Coldplay came up, “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits, “Comfortably Numb” and “Echos” by Pink Floyd (bringing back memories from long forgotten times). Later I discovered “Deja Vu” by Crosby, Still, Nash and Young and this worked very well with its rhythm and lightness. I was very careful not to cross a certain line, because I felt it would have a detrimental influence on my inner state of being. For example, Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” was beyond that red line even though I enjoyed this song 40 years ago when I was DJ in a Club.

The fourth dimension

One evening when Patanga came to the counting area he had a mystical, otherworldly look on his face. He suddenly looked up, lifted his right arm and pointed to the sky. He did not say anything. I was reminded of a scene in Martin Strel’s movie about swimming the entire length of the Amazon river (3273miles/5268km) in 2007. There is a moment in the film where he is alone standing on the shore of the Amazon in the middle of the Jungle and you see him from the back, immersed in this glorious nature, pointing with both hands to the sky. They are declaring in the film that Martin has entered “the fourth dimension”. For me the “fourth dimension” signifies the moment when there is no more separation between Paradise, you and nature, you become completely part of it. It is a direct, authentic, immediate experience of nature as it really is and you are part of it.

A multi-day race or other similar events (or even long training runs in beautiful nature) help greatly to become more subtle and receptive to this kind of experience. There were moments in this year’s race where these “ecstatic” moments of grace appeared, mainly in the morning at dawn.

The “4 Lap Interview” with Ananda Lahari

Ananda Lahari does not speak much during a race, his smile though has become legendary. I feel privileged therefore to have had the opportunity to do 4 laps with him. Maybe this exception happened because it was meant to be, like the fact that we were neighbours both on our race tables as well as with our tents, both totally “by chance”. I had just come out of the medical tent, in the morning of day 3. After a good early session of 8-9 laps of “refreshed” running, I suddenly felt a shooting pain in the shin of my right leg... I had become one of the many victims of shin splints and was not happy about it. In the corner after the medical tent and the bathrooms, Ananda Lahiri was just appearing and we started to walk together. He gave me an insight into his unique life and running universe and also greatly encouraged me concerning my shin splints. He gave me an overview of how people have dealt with it both physically as well as mentally. He mentioned cases where runners were able to get rid of shin splints within hours! (Some of us may remember just the opposite - the 14 days Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk was walking because of shin splints during one of the 3100-mile races in New York...).

Ananda Lahiri also concretely gave me tips for the best foot movement so that the foot would be relaxed but still locked to avoid the stress on the shin when rolling up. I used all of the advice as good as possible and it felt almost like a miracle that the pain almost disappeared and I could keep a good walking pace. Running though was out of the question. That is why this article is called “A long walk to myself ”.

The Master's Breath

One other thing Ananda Lahari mentioned was that he would sometimes focus simply on his breath. Then, he said, everything becomes completely simplified and focused.

There was a moment when the race was really difficult and I started to focus also on the breath. I started to breathe through the nose which I did not normally do before and I started to repeat mantras in rhythm with the breath. “Supreme” did not work so well but “Guru” worked very well. I would breathe in with Gu- and breath out with -ru. After having done this for a while I suddenly felt the Master totally close. It felt like he was opening some inner chambers for me to come in. That was probably my most fulfilling experience of the whole race.

Love and Serve

I love running the nights where all is more quiet and there are less distractions. One early morning, maybe around 2 am, Rupantar (the SCMT director) was just leaving from the counting station where he had jumped in and we met for a few seconds. I thanked him for putting on this great event and mentioned that it is simply “invaluable”. It is valuable beyond measure. Just the experiences of even one runner seem so tremendously beneficial. He was smiling and it became a treasured moment. I felt what others have said before: there is so much love, dedication, and service going into an event like that. I felt this from the set-up crew that was extremely helpful with putting up the tents, to the great cooking teams, the medical staff and also the counters. Specially those that were announcing the miles were all great and really added a very supportive energy. More generally, you can see Sri Chinmoy’s signature in all of that. His teaching, his love, love for the world but also very specifically love for the running world, for the runners and also for the ideal of self-transcendence. In the difficult times of a race it is extremely rewarding and consoling to experience this generosity of heart and soul.

The Car Racers Flash Mob

During the last night, from Saturday to Sunday, shortly after 1 am, an avalanche of cars arrived in the parking lot. Very soon there were probably close to a hundred cars. In the middle, some cars with howling motors started to make sliding manoeuvres or demonstrated fast starts. Of course they had no idea that there was a running race going on and that a part of the parking lot was actually a running course. Imagine the runners, in the final period of the race, quite sensitive to what is going on in- and outside themselves. It felt to me like a sudden invasion, a hostile attack before the end of the race. Fortunately the people seemed to be all quite friendly and when the police finally arrived they all left, almost as fast as they appeared.

The Uniqueness of Flushing Meadow

The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team has held Ultra races in Flushing Meadow park since 1985, for nearly 40 years. Countless races have been held here, and many epic battles between runners or even between runners and nature have taken place here. In 1985 Yiannis Kouros and a few dozen other runners battled through a hurricane, Kouros ending up with a world best of 178 miles (285km). Personally, I always struggle to get used to the permanent noise of the cars from the highways on three sides, the planes that are coming in or starting very low from close by La Guardia airport and also to the unpredictable, extremely fast changing and often cold wind that rattles through the park much of the running time. It adds definitely a layer of challenge on top of the running itself. Fortunately, the noise cancellation headphones are a big help and it is also astounding how quickly the body and the whole system adjust to these new conditions.

Each Journey is different

One thing that I find really fascinating is to see the vast differences in runners; the different nationalities, running styles, attitudes and ambitions and goals. You can clearly see that each runner is on his or her own journey. One day they are flying, the next day they may be nearly dying. Sometimes it seems that all are feeling a new breath of energy at the same time, it is like somebody is infusing energy into the runners or even breathing through the runners and suddenly the faces are lightening up and the bodies are cooperating. I must say I could not see enough of Wei Mings' absolutely incredible running style. His absolutely smooth and harmonious movements were of such grace and beauty it really felt like running in perfection.

Inner World and Outer World

I did not watch any world news, specifically about the war in Ukraine during the entire race. I saw the danger that it would have a negative influence on my mental state and performance. On the other hand I felt clearly that all the runners (and helpers in any function) created such an incredibly positive energy through their efforts and aspiration. It was like a dynamo that was continually charged. I am sure that this positive energy will now continue to do its work in the world atmosphere and help to strengthen the positive forces and energies.

The Golden Shore

I think many if not most of the runners start longing from day 1 for the end of the race. The challenge is huge, the mind is unable to grasp the task, the problems set in soon... I think the longing remains for the duration of the race but then so many incredible things happen during these 6 days: there is an extraordinary depth of experience, there is the wonderful camaraderie, the team spirit, the smiles and warm support from all the helpers, the sense of achievement with each mile that has been put in the personal account. Then you start to realise that you will miss something when it is over, you may realise that something within you just opened up and is now ready to fly, you want to continue...I love running and running has given me so much over the last 40 years. I hope I can run or at least walk to the last day of my life!

I encourage all runners who feel the inspiration to move up to the Ultra level, to multi day running. It is worth the step, a deep, fulfilling experience is almost certainly guaranteed.

Shashanka, 24th April 2022 6 days: 278 miles / 448 km

Author's note: May it be duly noted that these notes were strongly encouraged, if not demanded, by my spiritual brother Devashishu. Several of the topics appeared in creative exchanges while he was a lap announcer in the morning shifts.

Photo Credit: Jowan, www.srichinmoyultraphoto.com / Utpal Marshall, https://perfectionjourney.org
Design of PDF: Bijoy, Zurich, Switzerland / Bird Drawings by Sri Chinmoy

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About the author:

The 23rd Sri Chinmoy Six-Day Race was held from April 18-24, 2022, on a new running course at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, just under a mile in length, and ready to be deployed. A group of 29 runners- 19 men and 10 women, comprised the international field from 17 countries, to seek new abilities in the multi-day format of run and ’go-as-you-please. The six-day world leader for 2021 was back in New York. Budjargal Byambaa from Ulaanbaatar Mongolia led the multi-day lists for the previous year with a sparkling PB of 561.7 miles/904.07km. He had won 10 of his previous 15 multi-day excursions, throughout the States, Europe and China.

Mr Byambaa’s 102.5 miles on Day 1 set the tone, as the pleasant running weather from the start took a deep dive after midnight, and a twisting, windy rain-storm pulverized the course and its occupants for 10 hours of flooding, wailing water, and winds off of Meadow Lake which tried any athlete to continue in such conditions. Plank bridges helped the runners get along the course. The sun did not really make a daytime appearance for 48 hours, but that did not halt the runners either.

The overall second place on Day 2 belonged to Andrea Marcato, the Italian phenom who blitzed the 3100 Mile Race in September/October of 2021 here in New York with a third –fastest finish and a star bright presence in this multi-day super-long events. However, six days is six days- not 42 days, so you had to be pushing the envelope to stay with stars like Budjargal, and likewise the elite women. Annabel Hepworth and Susan Marshall - both from Australia - were the pre-race favourites, and Miss Marshall, a Kiwi at birth and in heart, knew it would take all her abilities and more to stay with the experienced Annabel. Her resume brims with world-class performances and national dominance. After two full days the two ladies were one lap apart. They were also third and fourth best overall, as the difficulty and lack of sleep took its toll on the 29 runners.

At the halfway mark Budjargal Byambaa had a 50km lead on Mr Marcato, which would not be bridged all the way to the end. The excellent running by the top men pulled the other stalwarts along. Romanian Adrian Papuc emerged as a bona-fide talent. Wei-Ming Lo, the remarkable Taiwanese national icon, showed good form throughout the first four days, but his last day was the best men’s final day with 80.3 miles/ 129.2km. He moved to fourth for the gentlemen at age 58.

The women’s battle for the top spot continued. By the end of Day 5, Annabel Hepworth had a six-mile lead but Susan Marshall had placed her fitness and talent all in for the last day. She upped her pace and refused to stop for any duration throughout the last night. Annabel had pushed herself beyond the ability to stay on the track. After a pair of falls, while moving, she was forced to sleep for a few hours, which fueled Susan Marshall’s all-out attempt. Susan had the best final day of all the runners, reaching 84.2 miles, and a six-day PB by 34 miles at 442.3.

Taiwanese veteran Wen Ya Tsai pushed hard the last two days after getting through a bout of shin splints. She set a national record W50 of 385.21 miles/ 619.985 km to nail the mark. Budjargal topped 500 miles for the second time in his running career with 502.3 miles/ 808.37km- and another trophy for his burgeoning awards list. Andrea Marcato set a PB with a 463.6 miles/702.63km effort.

There were 10 PB’s reached in a race with difficult beginnings but promising ends. The SCMT is blessed to have had such wonderful volunteers and staff who gave of themselves for the duration. Next year the 10-Day Race will hopefully return to the fray, so that athletes will again test their abilities in longer phases, and those physical and mental bars set by previous performances will be equalled or surpassed. Thanks to Sri Chinmoy for the unwavering challenges and the inspiration to continue the fight to do more. Each goal attained becomes a new starting point. Good luck to all multi-day runners. Never give up.

Photos by: Jowan

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