- Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team USA

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.

"Sri Chinmoy 70-Miler, May 10, 1985" (Press Release). 31 May 1985. Retrieved 2012-09-14. Archive copy at the Sri Chinmoy Marathon office, Queens, NY.

Luis Rios once again did himself proud by clocking the second fastest time in the 5 year history of the Sri Chinmoy 70-Mile Race, held May 10 in Flushing Meadow Park, Queens, New York. The Prospect Park Ultra Team 37-year old ran 9:23:40, shy only of Stu Mittleman's 8:11:31 victory in the 1981 premiere event.Cortland TC. His 10:46:55 finish was the result of intensive training on the Prospect Park turf - home also of Al Prawda, third man with 11:08:03 and sixth place John Kenul, with 12:28:52.

First woman and 6th overall was Pippa Davis of Livingston, NJ, who knocked 23 minutes off her Lake Waramaug PR with an 8:05 50-mile split. Her time for the full 70-mile was 12:14:42. Second woman was Christina Gibbons, better half of Wayne Gibbons who ran a goodly part of the race with her. She was on her own when she hit the finish at 13:57:34 - husband Wayne was 9th overall with 12:31:06.

The 70-mile race shared the same one-mile loop on which the Sri Chinmoy 1,000 Mile Race was being run. Runners of the two races mingled and inspired each other. 'They look like sprinters,' said Nathan Whiting, who was hovering somewhere around 500 miles. Ed Furton, 70-mile runner from N. Carolina, was overheard telling Bob Wise, our Georgian 1,000 mile race walker, 'I could never do what you are doing!' Bob drawled back, 'Maybe if I could do what you are doing, I wouldn't be doing what I am doing!'

From our race brochure....

The Sri Chinmoy 70 Mile Race, May 10, 1985" (Brochure). May 10, 1985. Retrieved 2012-9-13. Archive copy at the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team office, Queens, NY.

Flushing Meadow Park, Queens, NY. The Sri Chinmoy 70 mile race is one of the few 70 mile events in the country. The race was first held in 1981 on a paved loop around the lake at Rockland Lake State Park, NY. It was moved to Flushing Meadow Park in 1983. Coincidentally, three of the runners taking part in the 1,000 mile race being held concurrently with this year's event have been past 70 mile competitors. Trishul Cherns has taken part from 1981 on, Nathan Whiting in 1983 and 1984, and Emile Laharraque in 1983.

The 1981 race was an exciting one, as Stu Mittleman, the US 100 mile road champion, faced George Gardiner, the US 100 mile track champion. As the hours wore on, Mittleman finally opened a small lead, finishing first in 8:11:31 to George's 8:40:58. Mittleman's race record still stands today. Coming in first for the women was Sue Medaglia in 11:17:17.

The 1982 race was cold and damp, with times dipping as a result. Ken Littlefield won this event in 9:24:16. The 1983 event was shifted to a one-mile loop in Flushing Meadow Park, where, warmed by the city, the weather was milder. The race was a closely contested one, with the lead see-sawing back and forth between Mile Sekulsky, Nathan Whiting and Don Jewell. At 57 miles, Don pulled ahead, finally winning by a lap in 9:21:36. Nathan Whiting finished 2nd (9:34:03), Emile Laharraque 5th (10:19:25) and Trishul Cherns 6th (11:14:09). The 1984 event was won by James Dempsey in 9:59:13. Trishul finished 6th and Nathan 7th.