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Founded by Sri Chinmoy in 1977, the Marathon Team is one of the world's largest organisers of endurance events.
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Self-Transcendence 2-mile race Seattle, Race 6
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Results for the Sri Chinmoy 7 & 13-Hour Races May 23, 2026
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Galleries and Video from 3100 Mile Race

By Anonymous
7 September
Photo Galleries Video
Finish Galleries:
Asprihanal, Michael, Smarana, Madhupran, Arpan
 
Day 37 - July 19 Asprihanal final 24 hr
Day 22 - July 4 Oleg Chat with Matt
Day 18 - June 30 Sri Chinmoy meditates
Day 10 - June 23
Stefan Abichal
Day 2 - June 14 Smarana and Michael Music video
Day 1 - June 13 Matt July 3
Abakash's photos from the start Arpan Video of the Start
  Virendra Abichal Matt
   

Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team articles - more articles

32nd Anniversay of Sri Chinmoy's Chico Marathon

By Medur Wilson author bio »
7 March

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.

New York Celebrates Sri Chinmoy’s Chico Marathon Anniversary

Oneness Fountain-Heart team.JPGOn Saturday morning, March 5, 2011, in Jamaica, Queens, the New York members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team celebrated Sri Chinmoy’s first Marathon (Chico, California, March 3, 1979). About 50 runners participated throughout the morning. Eleven runners ran the full marathon distance of 26.2 miles (42 Km), four men and seven women. There were many others who joined teams, each team completing at least the whole distance of an official marathon, running or walking.

running_field.JPG

Although this was not part of the Marathon Team’s official schedule, it has always been an annual celebration of what is for us an important and historical marathon event: Sri Chinmoy's first official marathon race in Chico, California. It allowed individual runners as well as different teams to take part and enjoy the occasion – which they did with tremendous enthusiasm, joy and the feeling of oneness.

Bharat and Daughters

There were seven teams with at least two members on each team: Annam Brahma Restaurant Team, Aspiration Team, Govinda’s Team, Pragati’s Team, Pulak’s Team, Oneness-Fountain-Heart Restaurant Team, and the Oneness-Heart Centre Team.

 

 Our newest meditation Centre, the Oneness-Heart Centre, had 15 runners and walkers, including the youngest and the oldest runners as well. Ankita, a seven year old girl, and her nine year old brother Aninda, did four laps, or 3 ½ miles, each. IMG_7651.JPGSnehashila, who is one of the many veteran disciples attending and supporting the Oneness-Heart Centre, completed five laps walking. That’s about four ½ miles, at age 85!!!

IMG_7674.JPGAbdul from Oneness-Heart Centre Team.JPGOneness-Heart Centre Members take a break.JPGKaneeneeka was second woman.JPG

 

The results of the individual runners are:

Women:                                           Men:

Dipali- 3:43:27                               Arpan- 3:51:15

Kaneenika- 3:58:41                        Galya-  3:51:45

Keertivati-   4:04:29                       Deepra-3:57:43

Boijayanti-   4:10:40                       Dhanu- 4:48:28

Palash-        4:51:57

Antana-       4:55:07

Suprabha-    5:24:14

 

Chico_logo_final.jpg“The spiritual life is a marathon,
An inner marathon which never ends.
The Supreme is begging
All His seeker-children
To be excellent runners-
To run speedily, like deer-
In this eternal inner journey.”
                                   Sri Chinmoy

 

(Thanks to Arpan who wrote this story and organized the marathon events.)

 

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SCMT's Vajin Armstrong: 3-Time Kepler Challenge Victory

By Simahin Pierce
8 December
Vajin Armstrong: 3-Time Kepler Winner
 

Christchurch runner and Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team race director Vajin Armstrong achived the 1st of his 3 consecutive victories in New Zealand's premier mountain race on 04 Dec 2010.

Running the rugged 60 km mountain course for the first time Vajin recorded a fine 05:03:27.

The Kepler Challenge is described as "the jewel in New Zealand's mountain running calendar" and is organised by a voluntary committee with the support, on race day, of approximately 200 Te Anau residents - giving the event a truly community feeling.

The 60km event plus the sister race, the Luxmore Grunt (27km), are held on the Kepler Track in the Fiordland National Park - part of the South Westland World Heritage Area.

Limited to 400 competitors in the Kepler Challenge and 150 in the Luxmore Grunt, both events fill up very quickly after entries open on the first Saturday in July each year.

The events attract a wide range of competitors in both nationality and age groups. For the majority of participants the nature of the event is, as the name suggests, a personal challenge.

In 2010 Vajin finished 1 minute and 29 seconds ahead of 2009 second place finisher Norman Dunroy, who was first to reach the top of the grueling 15.7km ascent, and 4.42 ahead of Martin Lukes (three time winner & five times runner-up).

The current race record of 04:37:41 was set in 2005 by Kiwi world mountain running champion & 2004 Olympic marathoner Phil Costley.

Vajin returned victorious in 2011 [05:01:54] and again in 2012 - finally fulfilling his 'sub-5' dreams [04:55:24] after a hard fought battle with Aussie Tony Fattorini.

View Full Results

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Ocean Monk Opens Film Festival

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
28 September

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.

Ocean Monk, a film by Sanjay Rawal, chronicles the inner and outer search of a group of monks who make their home in New York City. Students of the late Indian teacher, Sri Chinmoy who lived in Queens for over 40 years, this band of friends discovered the beauty and power of the nearby surfing beaches and incorporated their love for the ocean into their search for enlightenment.

Ocean Monk explores the ideals which drive their life as well as the pounding winter surf which sustains them. The film includes appearances by Kelly Slater, Jack Johnson, Titus Kinimaka and Sri Chinmoy, as well as various members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.

Music featured in the film is by Sigur Ros, Wixel, Parichayaka Hammerl and Mark Swiderski.

Ocean Monk opened the  2010 New York Surf Film Festival, and has also been selected for the St. Louis International Flim Festival and the Big Apple Film Festival.

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Sri Chinmoy Quoted By Governor Paterson at 9/11 Ceremony

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
28 September

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.

Following is the entire text of New York State Governor Paterson's address at the 9/11 Day of Remembrance:

“Born in India, the American author Sri Chinmoy once penned that:

        Hope
          Knows no fear.

        Hope dares to blossom
          Even inside the abysmal abyss.

        Hope secretly feeds
          And strengthens
            Promise.
”

The ABC video shows this address at the 3:50 minute mark.

Related

  • Short Poems about Hope
     
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The Last few Days - photos

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
1 May

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.

More photos of award Ceremony - photos by Jowan...

Photos of the last day by Alakananda...

Race photos by Jowan

More photos from Alakananda

More inspiring photos from Baladev

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6 and 10 Day Race Article in YourNabe.com

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
1 May

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.

Read about 6 Day runner Chanakhya Jakovic in a recent YourNabe.com article:

"The six-day and 10-day races sponsored by the Jamaica-based Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team attracted 68 runners from 17 countries to the Queens park. Sri Chinmoy, who died in 2007, moved to Briarwood from his native India in the 1960s and emphasized the spiritual benefits of physical fitness . . ."    YourNabe.com

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Moments In Paradise

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
1 May

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.

Moments in Paradise: a personal account on the Self-Transcendence 10 Day Race 2010 – Shashanka Michael Karlen

No, no, no! It is not that I was running10 days in paradise! On the contrary, many hours were  physically and mentally very hard work.

No, no, no! This is not 10 days of vacation from work with easy jogging in a nice park. On the contrary, several of the 75 runners, already on day 2 or 3, would have probably preferred to be at work than at Flushing Meadows Park.

The Start

Soon after the start you realize the dimension of the endeavor. You realize that you are in for a multilevel experience where every aspect of your being from body to soul is involved. Experiences on different levels often follow each other in almost breathtaking cadence. The experienced old-timers like Stutisheel Lebedyev call this “the real fullness of life” and he adds immediately that he find this fullness nowhere as tangible as in these multiday races. Don Winkley, the oldest participant at 72 years, always had an uplifting story from his many years of ultrarunning, and calls the difficult moments “the character building miles”. I definitely had many of these – time will tell whether my character reaped the benefits of them.

One thing is sure: these races expand your capacities - physical and mental. Who would believe that at fifty you can run 531 miles or 850km in 10 days. And other runners did more than that. But it is also qualities like faith, perseverance, determination, patience, cheerfulness, inner focus and balance among others that are constantly trained and expanded. You are learning about your limits and you are trying to find ways to push the limits further or to go beyond them. In this “self-transcendence” lies one of the main goals of the race and also one of the main joys and fulfillment. Carl Lewis once said: "believe me, the joy that comes from 'going beyond' is the most incredible feeling in the world…" The ultimate joy comes from performing one’s absolute best, no matter one’s order of finish. I believe this statement by the legendary sprinter proofs also true for most of the participants in these ultra long distance races.

JG1_5296.jpg

And then there are those magic moments when you unmistakably feel the close presence of your teacher, you experience the “perfect” running, the movement, the speed, the strength. If this running flow continuous it may develop into a kind of a trance where you do mile after mile almost effortlessly. Or suddenly you are running together with someone on the same speed and a team has been born. The teamwork may be only running together in silence, with a deeper inner understanding or you may chat along as the miles go by.

For me the best experience was on day 5 which was also the start of the 6 day race. It was a beautiful day, no cloud in the sky, absolutely perfect. At some point in the morning while listening to some devotional kirtan music on my Ipod, suddenly my whole perception changed. I saw not only the few meters in front of me but I looked up and saw the whole course with all the runners. I felt the tremendous aspiration of all the runners and I felt absolutely one with it. I also saw and felt nature around the course as never before. The different trees, the leaves, the grass, the lake, the birds, with all the creation there seemed to be a direct connection or oneness. It was emotionally overwhelming and tears of gratitude were flowing. This moments in paradise lasted for several hours and it was clear that for that experience alone it was worth to have done the race.

night-time in the camp

The real challenge of the race came with the following days and strong long lasting rains that flooded many parts of the course and that at certain parts brought up associations with the legendary “Woodstock Festival” where rain turned everything into mud. There were times when it felt like an epic battle against the elements. Later, a very strong wind, further challenged body and mind and when you add the permanent traffic and noise from the 3 surrounding highways and close-by La Guardia airport then you can imagine the difficulty of the conditions.

“Keep moving”, told me Louis Rios - another old timer, is the secret of most of the great ultrarunners and this is what you have to remember in these moments. There was definitely something of a heroic spirit in the air.

In the end there is a deep feeling of accomplishment and gratitude. Gratitude also to the organizers, the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, and the many volunteers that spend days and nights at the race to make it happen.

10 days at Flushing Meadow- not always paradise but a spiritually very rewarding
experience.

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Notes and Thanks from Mark Dorion

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
30 April

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.

P1090054.jpgThis year's Self-Transcendence 6 and 10 Day Races in New York's Flushing Meadows-Corona Park are over, but in my heart and dreams they continue...I am currently washing two week's worth of dirty laundry and chasing my kids around the yard.

A longer report is forthcoming, and hopefully should appear in ULTRARUNNING magazine, on multidays.com, and in ULTRARUNNING WORLD ( European ultra magazine).

Some brief notes (made in sloppy scrawl during long flight home to El Paso)

JG2_0654.jpg I wore out/trashed four pairs of Asics DS Trainers (2010 model), two my normal size 11.5, two size 12. I also finished off a pair of adidas adizero aces (this in a mere 520 miles of running). Note that those shoes all weigh less than 10.8 ounces in size 11.5 according to my scale. I had a pair of adidas supernovas (heavier, 12 ounces), but they were too stiff and hurt my feet after two miles. I wear all these shoes in training and in trail races too. Generally, I have trained and raced in lighter shoes for the past 39 years--but that's just me.

JG1_5183[1].jpg This was the first race in my life (200+ ultras, and an additional 800+  races dating back to 1971) where I have had a shoe sucked off my foot by aggressive mud! And this was a "road" race. Suffice it to say the south little loop along Meadow Lake was a mudbowl, and also featured ankle deep ice water and floating foot bridges at times.

Once again I am in AWE of the work put in by The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. Without the expert medical help of Dr. Meghabhuti, chiropractors Mitch, and Garesh, message therapists Yuri and Tomas, Nurse Bahula, I could not have stayed healthy and moving. One European runner and I remarked how some USA runners who were running themselves further and further into injuries still avoided going to the medical tent (European runner to me: "Why Americans don't go to doctor?!" Certainly the worst injuries in the races all befell Americans, and I count my blessings I was not among them.

medium_P1100572.JPGWithout the round-the-clock gourmet food cooked up by Nandana Lynn, Sushovita, and Crew, I would have run out of steam (there was never once a shortage of food, even when cold, wet runners crowded the cafeteria grabbing like wild wolves at anything hot and savory). As hard as their running task will be, my friends in the 3100 mile this summer will also get to enjoy the repasts of these wonderful, always-smiling chefs. Also Shakti, Nandana's 8 year old daughter, provided endless energy and entertainment for the runners (one night I swore there was a cardboard box moving slowly across the path--it turned out that a certain 8 year old girl was inside the box playing a joke on tired runners! Ha!).

One person in particular whom I feel doesn't always get the credit he deserves is Bipin Larkin, the athlete village architect, lead carpenter/electrician/plumber. He and his small but tireless crew (Pavol, Asankita, Rajpal and others) could be seen out in their heavy yellow fisherman's coveralls in the teeth of the worst storms, pumping out overflows, replacing cones and barrricades, hauling gas canisters and supplies back and forth, fixing leaks -- and seemingly never sleeping. I met  Bipin almost 30 (thirty) years ago at a wonderful wintertime marathon he directed along the New Hampshire seacoast (it was cold but less stormy there in February than it was in April this year in Flushing Meadows!).

Some folks have asked me how the 10 day was different from the 6 day, and my initial response is -- it was just longer! The last two days in particular dragged for me, and I missed my home and family, but then again the wonderful group of international runners and helpers at the race are like family too. Also, after 40 years of running, racing, my body does not recover from day to day as in my never-tiring youth.

One recent list topic  I thought about during the race was Yiannis Kouros's opinion thta real ultras--REALLY going beyond the marathon--start at 24 hours. I have run some very tough trail 50kms and 50 miles, BUT must admit I hear what Yiannis is saying. Running for days requires other skills not needed in a shorter ultra. A multiday is doable by anyone with enough determinationb and some decent training, but the ongoing mental battle is different from a race lassting less than 24 hours. I do feel certain "spiritual" and philosophical approached are needed in such an unimagineably long event (see my interview with Utpal Marshall on "Perfection Journey" blogsite).

My race ended Thursday at noon, but my next two days in New York were anything but restful. Friday I saw one of my favorite people, Don Winkley,we off (we managed to make it the 1/2 mile to the nearest Holiday Inn Express after the race before both succumbing to deep sleep). Then I drove through heavy traffic into NYC for a walk around Fort Tryon's lovely flower gardens before a fancy outdoorss dinner overlooking the city.

Saturday I met old friend Chanakhya Jakovic (now of Slovenia) for brunch at one of my favorite NYC restaurants, The Smile of the Beyond, where race director Sahishnu cooked up fluffy pancakes, eggs, fresh orange juice,...The good food was matched by the good company of many of the runners from the races. Then Dr. Jakovic dragged me all around on a historic walking tour of Jamaica (this included the endless 150th Street hill site of marathons years ago, as well as the 3100 mile loop), before my legs said "enough." Note that Chanakhya and two other runnenrs from the 6/10 day did the weekly 2 mile RACE around Jamaica High School early Saturday!!

After buying a sari for my daughter Amalia from "The Divine Robe Supreme" (store could have been in a Harry Potter set), foisting all manner of excess "stuff" on poor Sahishnu (luckily he seems to have a larage garage), buying MORE gifts at the Card Shoppe and wonderful pastries and coffee at The Panorama Cafe (site of many Guiness World records set by Ashrite Furman), and saying emotional goodbyes to my Russian/Ukrainian friends (a bunch of young Ukrainians shared the shelter/dugout I was in with me), I rushed to LaGuardia Airport.

As I sped past Flushing Meadows one last time, I had a mental image of Sri Chinmoy himself. I thank him for his vision in creating all these challenging and beautiful multiday ultras. Best wishes to all ultrarunners,

Mark Dorion

El Paso, TX

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Sahishnu Takes a Breath and Summarizes the Races So Far!

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
29 April

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.

Day 4
It might be spring but the Ten Day competition has heated up as Yuri Trostenyuk assumed the lead by four miles after a 69 mile day, over previous leader Volodymyr Hlushchuk. Igor Mudryk, also from the city of Vinnitsa in Ukraine that gives us Yuri T., had the best day with 75 miles. Kaneenika  Janakova, the defending women's champ, moved into second overall- only three miles behind the gents.Fred Davis III has been holding onto fourth place for a few days with a strong and consistent running gait. Jayasalini Abramovskikh has remained in second place and matched Kaneenika step for step the last 36 hours, but somehow cannot gain ground on the lanky champion.  The cool evenings and sunny, clear days have allowed the runners to stay on track- however, rain looms on the weekend that might carry into most of next week. Another test for our heroes of the pavement- and that is what they expect. Four men are battling for fifth place and higher, as competition is igniting dormant or hidden talents in many of the competitors.And with more than half the race remaining, things are getting interesting.
 

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From Sahishnu's Notepad, Day 5

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
29 April

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.

With the addition of the Six Day field igniting the flames of speed and stamina, our heroes of the Ten did glide along with a certain purpose today.Yuri Trostenyuk ran 69 miles to remain in front of the other 28 runners, but his grasp on first is giving way to the onslaught of Igor Mudryk, his friend and compatriot from Ukraine. Mr Mudryk sliced his way through tired signs of his own fatigue to garner 74 miles on a sunny,breezy weekend . The palpable energy helped Kaneenika Janakova remain far ahead of her competitors with another 69 mile day. She also creeped up to Yuri T.- only 3 miles separate the two leaders of the race.

Meanwhile, the start of the Six Day revealed speed in abundance on the men’s side. Newcomer Alex Swenson wisked his tall, thin frame around the loop with precision reaching 108 miles for the first 24 hours. He was four miles clear of American 48-hour record holder John Geesler and seven ahead of twelve-time champion Dipali Cunningham. Dipali is the undisputed Queen of Flushing Meadows. This park is the site of numerous records and overall triumphs by the thin Australian woman, who last year turned 50 but shows no signs of slowing down. The rest of the field did their best to stay close, but with diminishing returns. Swenson and Geesler are speed merchants in a sport of turtles, but also possess stamina and the will to maintain. Dipali, on the other hand, is a relentless runner who always seeks to find new ways to push herself, even without competition. The race for 144 hours should be an intriguing story as it unfolds lap by lap. Stay Tuned!!!

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Curbside Stories by Utpal

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
27 April

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.

Illumining and inspiring stories about our pioneer runners, handlers and staff.

Read about Dipali Cunningham: “It’s not easy to break a world record.” Once long ago Sri Chinmoy told this to Dipali Cunningham as she set one of her many world bests.  It is also not easy to run 446 miles over 6 days as she did here in Flushing Meadow today.

And hear her audio interview...

 

 

 

 

For more on the following runners:

Alex Swenson, Manjula, John Geesler, Nishima, Shashanka, Smarana, Dharbasana,  Barbara Szeprethy, Bigalita, Marvin Skagerberg, Fred Davis, Misha Ukrainskyi, Barney McBryde, Pete Stringer

Click on individual photo to hear audio interview...

 

  

 

 

 

 

Read about Yuri Trostenyuk: "To me it is an inexplicable mystery that the first 3 men in the 10 day race are not only from the same country, Ukraine, but also that they come from the same small city, Vinnitsa.  If that were not enough to make you scratch your head in amazement, there are also 2 other citizens of Vinnitsa in the race...."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read about Dipali Cunningham: "She is not just the leading woman in the 6 day race, Dipali Cunningham 51 from Melbourne Australia is the leader overall.  In so many ways it is this race that is the focus for her of an entire years worth of training..."

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is it like for our runners and staff during the night: "When the sky is bright and the air is fresh and warm it easy to see how and perhaps why 68 runners would choose to be part of this amazing world of self-transcendence running.  I am at the race now though in the dwindling seconds of a Saturday night, which in moments, will stride into the even inkier dark wet blackness of a dismal Sunday..."

 

 

Read about Alex Swenson:  "He is the new kid on the 6 day block, but you would never know it.  He is moving easily here around the course on this gorgeous Saturday afternoon without any signs of wear and tear.  It is really hard to believe, as he runs so effortlessly now, that he has been at this for more than 24 hours.

 

 

 

 

About Smarana... "The very need to run is a primal aspect of our beings.  It hearkens back to a long ago ancient time when the ability to run was an integral part of our makeups...."

 

 

 

Six Day Race Start: "At noon time today, the second great wave of runners stepped off from the starting line in Flushing Meadow.  There were 40 in total and under bright sunny skies they set off on a journey that will not be completed until 144 hours have passed..."

 

 

About our cooks..."The race is heading into its 3rd day now and the sun bright weather of the past 2 days took a decidedly damp turn this afternoon..."

 

 

 

Some opening thoughts on the beginning of the race..."I don’t know what you did last night but I have a good idea what 29 ten day runners in Flushing meadow did.  As the warm bright afternoon of their first day settled away and was replaced by a still cool night, the true enormity of their task truly opened up in front of them..."

 

 

 

Read about Igor Mudryk from Vinnitsa Ukraine: "There are times when you just know that something special is happening.  The Self-Transcendence 6 and 10 day race is just a few hours old and already 36 year old Igor Mudryk from Vinnitsa Ukraine seems to be doing something above and beyond everyone else in the field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Flushing Meadow Park ..."The skies are fresh, bright, and clear over Flushing Meadow today.  Below, by the rippling waters of Meadow Lake, the walkers and the gawkers are out and about enjoying an usually  early spring.  One in which the flowers have emerged much ahead of schedule."

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Sahishnu Recaps the Race, Day 7

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
27 April

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.

 

Like a good soufflé, the cream rises, steadily  and unerringly.  Kaneenika Janacova ,two-time defending women’s champion in the Ten Day race, whipped  another day of 64 miles to take the overall lead by seven miles. What  is most special  about that day total is that she and her cohorts  ran throughout  the day of rain and the night of cold rain, punctuated by  a spectacular  thunderstorm that  flooded everything in sight  in Flushing Meadows Park. The men crept behind, led by Yuri Trostenyuk,  with 487 miles,who keeps holding the lead from his other male  counterparts , and Igor Mudryk, with 480 miles. Volodymyr Hluyshchuk  is at 412 miles but is feeling the heat  from young Mykhailo Ukrainsky who  lurks only nine miles behind. Back on the distaff side, Jayasalini Abramovskikh  has garnered 462 miles but feels pressure from behind by the multiday  rookie Manjula Boehler of Austria, who is running a fine race so far with 445 miles

In the companion Six Day, Alex Swenson fromVashon,Washington  has the three-day  lead with 245 miles, closely  followed by Dipali Cunningham, (243 miles)the perennial  women’s champion who seeks to win the race overall  again.  In a bid for the top tiers sit two 3100 mile runners, Vladimir Balatskyy  and Smarana  Puntigam, both residents of Austria, who remain at 224 miles and 214 miles, respectively. At this point  in the race six men and one woman are over 200 miles completed, with less than half the race remaining. With yet another 36 hours of rain expected, our heroes  from both races  must summon the willpower to continue on and fight the good fight. Yet, the outer race is still in question, the final places yet to be determined.

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Stories curbside, about the 2010 Ten Day Runners

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
26 April

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.

About our cooks..."The race is heading into its 3rd day now and the sun bright weather of the past 2 days took a decidedly damp turn this afternoon..."

Some opening thoughts on the beginning of the race..."I don’t know what you did last night but I have a good idea what 29 ten day runners in Flushing meadow did.  As the warm bright afternoon of their first day settled away and was replaced by a still cool night, the true enormity of their task truly opened up in front of them..."

Read about Igor Mudryk from Vinnitsa Ukraine

Beautiful Flushing Meadow Park ..."The skies are fresh, bright, and clear over Flushing Meadow today.  Below, by the rippling waters of Meadow Lake, the walkers and the gawkers are out and about enjoying an usually  early spring.  One in which the flowers have emerged much ahead of schedule."

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Our First Day and All Is Well!

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
26 April

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.

Everyone is doing well on the first day. Photoes by Alakananda.

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Great Photos from the first four days

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
26 April

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.

Photos by Alakananda

Photos by Jowan

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Some Inspiring Images from Day 2

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
25 April

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.

The sun is bright and everyone is well. All photoes by Jowan.

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Runner's Bios for the 2010 Ten Day Race

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
17 April

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.

 

 

Ten Day Race - Men (Race begins April 19)

Igor Mudryk,36,Vinnitsa,Ukraine Igor has run five multidays in 15 years of training and racing, with a best of 712 miles in the Ten Day race in 2009. He improved by an astounding 179 miles over his previous best.

Yuri Trostenyuk,46,Vinnitsa,Ukraine Smiling Yuri T. reached 629 miles last year in the Ten Day, good for fourth place and a personal farthest distance. He has been running 11 years and has completed four multidays, including 383 miles for six days.                             

Andrey Andreyev,44, St. Petersburg, Russia Andrey reached 555 miles in his third multiday last year, taking seventh place for the men. He has been running for 20 years.

Luis Rios,62, Brooklyn,NY USA In over 35 years of running, Luis has finished over 200 ultras including 14 multidays. He ran 514 miles last year in the Ten Day, and has a best distance of 640 miles in 12 days. In years past he has had several fast 100 milers and has gone over 140 miles for 24 hours.

Mark Dorion,50, El Paso,TX USA Mark has completed nearly 200 ultras in 38 years of running, including five multidays with a best of 397 miles for six days. Mark is also a correspondent and contributor to Ultrarunning magazine, as well as a race director in the outback of west Texas and New Mexico. He is a college professor and insructor in English and writing talents.

Don Winkley,72,Corpus Christi,Texas USA Don has run over 30 multidays in 32 years of running, including several age group world bests for 48 hours(200.5 miles age 60), 1000 miles,(14 days,11 hours age 59), oldest finisher at Spartathlon in Greece and Comrades in South Africa, and the oldest finisher of Trans America race in 1995. Don won the Ten Day Race back in 1997 with 531 miles.                                                                          

Michel Gouin,49,Drummondville,Quebec,Canada Last year Michel ran 538 miles in the Ten Day, and has had a long and prolific running career.He has completed more than 100 ultras in 30 years of running. His most acclaimed achievement is a treadmill record in the Guinness record book five years ago.

Shashanka Karlen,49,Jamaica,NY (Switzerland) Shashanka has run ten ultras and a few multidays, including 830 miles in the 1000 mile race. He directed the successful Basel, Switzerland 24 Hour Race for several years.                     

Frederick Davis III,62,Cleveland,OH USA Another prolific athlete, Frederick has completed  214 ultras in 26 years of running. He reached 504 miles in the Ten Day in 2008. 

Chakradhara Caslava,33, Zlin, Czech Republic In eleven years of running Chakradhara has completed eight multidays including his personal best for ten days  at 501 miles set in 2008.

Syona Ionov,39,Kiev,Ukraine Syona has run 23 ultras and three multidays in 15 years of running. His best for ten days was 472 miles in 2007.

Barney McBryde,45, Auckland,New Zealand Barney has run 54 ultras and four multidays in over 14 years of running, including 516 miles for ten days and 373 miles for six days.      

Padyatra Komak,34,Bratislava,Slovakia Padyatra has run five multidays in 10 years of running, with a best of 314 miles for six days and 464 miles for ten days.

Volodymyr Hlushchuk,49,Vinnitsa, Ukraine Volodymyr has finished eight ultras and over 20 marathons in ten years of running.Last year he finished second in the Six Day event with 391 miles in his first multiday.

Andrey Somov,30,St.Petersburg,Russia Last year Andrey ran 343 miles in the Six Day event. He has run eight ultras and three multidays in ten years of running.

Pradeep Hoogakker,30 Den Haag,Netherlands In ten years of running, Pradeep has completed ten ultras, including 314 miles for six days and 481 miles for ten days.                           

MykhayloUkrainskyi,36,Berdyansk,Ukraine                                                                         Last year Mykhailo ran 540 miles in the ten day, good for eighth place and a personal farthest distance by 57 miles.

Alexander Harko,46,Kiev,Ukraine Alexander ran 317 miles in the Six Day last year. He has five ultras in eight years of running.

Ten Day Women

Kaneenika Janakova,38, Bratislava,Slovakia Last year Kaneenika dominated the women’s race at ten days with 707 miles,her second victory at that distance and third place overall including the men in a very strong field. In fifteen years of running, Kaneenika  has completed nine multidays and 20 ultras. Her bests include  437 miles for six days, 700 miles in 10 days, 19 hours, and 1000 miles in 15 days, 19 hours. All three marks are Slovakian national records. Her 707 mile effort last year is the second best total for women in Ten Day Race history.

Jayasalini Olga Abramovskikh,29,Moscow,Russia   Last year Jayasalini ran 619 miles in the Ten Day, good for third place for the women and her sixth multiday in six years of running.

Nataliya Hlushchuk,34,Vinnitsa,Ukraine Nataliya was first woman in the Ten Day in 2005 with 515 miles.In 2006 she ran her best distance of 600 miles while finishing in second place. She has been running  for 11 years with 15 marathins and 15 ultras to her credit.                                               

Pratishruti Khisamoutdinova,66,Smolensk,Russia  In 2001 Pratishruti finished the 1000 mile race in 16 days 01 hours, becoming the oldest finisher of that event at that time. reached She has a best of 615 miles for ten days. She was a former professor of physical culture at Smolensk Institute, and was also a champion speed skater in earlier years.                                          

Elena Kareva,33,Volgograd Russia Last year Elena ran 550 miles in the Ten Day in her first multiday. She has run ten ultras and sixteen marathons in15 years of running.                    

Sylva Stradalova,31,Zlin,Czech Republic Sylva has completed six multidays in seven years of running,including last year when she ran a personal best of 525 miles for ten days.                  

Kushali Tarantsova,43,Kiev,Ukraine Kushali has six multidays to her credit, with a best of 413 miles in ten days.                                                                                 

Zuzana Doczlova,31,Kosice,Slovakia Zuzana ran 503 miles in the Ten Day last year in only her second multiday

Nishima Knowsley,50,Auckland,New Zealand In 20 years of running Nishima has run numerous marathons and a few ultras. Her only six day attempt netted 328 miles in 1998.

Bigalita Egger,69,Culver City,CA USA (Austria) Bigalita walked 357 miles in her first multiday at age 68 last year in the Ten Day.

Gudrun Freier,38,Winterthur, Switzerland Gudrun has completed seven ultras in five years of intense running training.This will be her first multiday.

Manjula Boehler,38,Innsbruck,Austria Manjula has completed five ultras in six years of running and is trying her first multiday.

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Queens Marathon Celebrates Sri Chinmoy's First Marathon Run

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
7 March

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.

 

To commemorate the 31st anniversary of their spiritual teacher's first marathon run, members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team held a marathon and a marathon relay. On a saturday morning, March 6, with almost ideal temperatures, 17 runners started the marathon with 16 finishing. Arpan was the overall winner at 3:42. Several relay teams also joined in the marathon run.

 

 

Boys

Arpan/3:42:45, Deepra/3:49:49, Gabriel/4:08:09, Shashanka/4:09:16, Satyavrata/4:12:20, Misha/4:13:00, Medur/4:31:15, Dhanu/5:11:09

Girls

Prabhala/3:58:38, Keertivati/4:03:06, Kaneenika/4:09:37, Kanala/4:39:07, Boijayanti/4:39:38, Bipula/4:45:26, Antana/4:56:29, Palash/4:58:36

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Video Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Sri Chinmoy’s First Marathon

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
18 January

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.

This video commemorates Sri Chinmoy's first marathon by interspersing actual footage of both the 1979 Chico Marathon and the 2009 Marathon held in New York in honor of that event.

Sri Chinmoy often gave as much significance to the outer life as he did to the inner. As a lifelong athlete he found numerous ways to inspire his students to transcend their perceived limitations in athletics. In so doing he knew that if they set challenging goals for themselves it would also inspire them to make inner progress as well.

In the late 70s he took up the sport of distance running with intense dedication. The running boom was just taking off in America and Sri Chinmoy, at age 47, when most would think of retiring, trained himself to run the most difficult distance of all, the marathon.

On March 3 1979, he completed his first Marathon in Chico California. His time was 4:31 and just 3 weeks later he would run one again. On the 30th anniversary of that event, his students honor him by running the 26 mile distance not just in Queens, New Yorkwhere he lived, but in cities around the world.

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Ukrainian Sets New Marathon Record for SCMT Female

By Rupantar LaRusso author bio »
7 November

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.

October 25, Slovenia: Congratulations to Natalia Lehonkova of Ukraine who set a new Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team women’s record in the marathon with a time of 2:48:30. She ran in the Lubljana Marathon (Slovenia) which was held on October 25. She placed 10th overall among the women.  

For more information contact The Lubljana Marathon. 

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