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.

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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.

Interview: Tejvan 

Daily average after Day 41

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Race report by Tarit

• 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.

— Sri Chinmoy

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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.

• 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.

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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 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.

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Wei Ming and Annabel reach 2,000 miles, and some special mail arrives

With the weather much improved and the storm now blown through, the runners seem to be settling back into "normal" autumnal New York weather.

Over the last couple of days, many of the runners received something very special — handwritten mail. The letters were written to individual runners by elementary school students at Free Union Country School in Charlottesville, Virginia. The runners and race staff were charmed and deeply touched.

Some of the children mentioned that they had also written letters last year, but those were mistakenly sent to the country of Jamaica rather than Jamaica in New York. It was lovely to see how happy and eager even the most focused runners were to take the time to read their mail. They are all planning to write back to the children at the end of the race.

A big thank you to the teachers, Blair, Amberley and Michael Scott, for making something so special happen, and to all the children for their heartfelt letters.

Don't forget that you can also send the runners your own encouragement, via the "Message the runners" tab on the race homepage,

Daily statistics and recent milestones (TBC)

We now have four runners through 2,000 miles.

After Andrea reached the mark on Sunday evening in 28 days 14:50:52, Radu reached 2,000 miles on Tuesday in 30 days 07:20:30.

Day 32, Wednesday, saw Wei Ming reach 2,000 miles in 31 days 04:54:28. Later in the day, Annabel reached 2,000 miles in 31 days 07:42:41.

Andrea reached 3,500 km in 31 days 07:19:07.

Nayaja reached 3,000 km in 30 days 16:10:43.

Daily updates (TBC)

• Andrea blitzed a 75.1-mile day to reach 2218.3 miles.
• Radu, with 68 miles, had the second-highest daily total, finishing the day on 2130.5 miles.
• Wei Ming, after reaching 2,000 miles in the morning, recorded a 63.6-mile day to finish on 2043.9 miles.
• Annabel, after hitting 2,000 miles early in the afternoon, clocked 62.5 miles for the day, for a cumulative 2030.1 miles.
• Vasu, after a slow morning, did his usual routine of running strong in the evening right through to midnight, reaching 60.3 miles for the day and a total of 1976.4 miles. He should make 2,000 miles on Thursday afternoon.
• Nayaja is also closing in on 2,000 miles, finishing the day on 1933.1 miles after a daily 63 miles. Her 2,000 will have to wait until Friday.
• Nina, taking advantage of the better weather, had her best day for a while with 57.5 miles, reaching 1663.8 miles by the end of the day.
• Stutisheel clocked 45.5 miles, leaving him on 1495.5 miles.
• Ananda-Lahari, with 42.2 miles, lies 10.5 miles back on 1485 miles.

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The storm continues

Despite optimistic forecasts of better weather, the storm continued for most of the day. The consistent rain, coupled with lower temperatures, is testing the resolve of the 3,100-mile runners. Small tree branches fell overnight, and the Grand Central slip road that runs along the north side of the course has several large puddles.

Even Vasu, our veteran 13-time finisher, has been heard to comment that "the cold rain is very hard on the feet." Despite all that, the runners are still putting in some impressive distances.

• Andrea Marcato is back in the groove and hit 70 miles yet again for the highest daily mileage. His 70.2 miles took him to 2,080.6 miles total. 
• Radu Budan had another solid 64.7 miles to finish the day on 1,994.5 miles; 2,000 miles beckons for him on day 31.
• Wei Ming Lo had the second-highest total of the day, clocking 69.6 miles. He seemed to embrace the rain. As one of the volunteers, Mark, commented, "He seems to have plenty of fuel in the tank, with an excellent support team." His 69.6 miles leapfrogged him above Annabel, and he finished on 1,911.7 miles.
• Annabel, though, maintained her steady momentum, clocking 61.9 miles to leave her on 1,905.7 miles at the end of the day.
• Vasu also ran 61.9 miles, finishing on 1,855.2 miles.
• Nayaja was also in 60-mile territory with 61.4 miles, taking her total to 1,808 miles.
• Stutisheel and Nina battled the elements well.
• Nina ran 46 miles to finish on 1,558 miles.

Stutisheel was above 50 with 51 miles and a total of 1,410.5 miles, and has moved back ahead of Ananda-Lahari.

Ananda-Lahari did not have the best of days, struggling in the conditions but finishing with 30.7 miles, just reaching 1,400 miles (1,400.6) by the day's close.

The Role of Volunteers

An event like the 3,100-mile race could not take place without the help of numerous volunteers.

Along with the core team from the local New York Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, visitors come from out of town to help out. One of the furthest-travelled visitors is Uddipan Brown, whom we caught up with at the race.

Tarit: Uddipan, you are here helping at the 3,100-mile race. First of all, where are you from?

Uddipan: I'm originally from New Zealand, but now I make my home in Rarotonga, an island in the Cook Islands group in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Tarit: It seems we have helpers from all over the planet at this race. What inspires you to come here and help at this fabulous event?

Uddipan: I have been a runner for a very long time, and when I was competing, I really appreciated the incredible help and assistance I got from the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. So once I finally retired from competitive running, I was inspired to offer that same kind of assistance myself. I feel very much a part of this race, even though I am not running it myself.

Tarit: We have all helped at little local 5Ks, 10Ks and even half marathons — maybe the odd shorter ultra race. They are all done and dusted in a morning or a weekend at most. At this race, people are here helping for two weeks, three weeks, or even longer. How long have you been here?

Uddipan: I have been here since before the start of the race on 30th August, and I am going to be here until the race officially finishes on 20th October.

Tarit: Wow! So you are helping for the whole 52 days. That's quite an adventure in itself.

Uddipan: It is. It's a fantastic adventure, and I am learning a lot about myself. Not for nothing is it called the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100-Mile Race — I find myself transcending like anything every day, in all the tasks I am doing. I am just trying to do them better and better each day.

Tarit: So what time of day do you come to the race? Is it a set time?

Uddipan: Well, my job is to shop for the race kitchen. There are other things I do, but that is my main role. That starts at around 8 am. I come in, and we talk over the shopping list. By 9 am, I am out on the road, shopping at various restaurant depots, supermarkets, or even tiny little Indian stores, depending on what the kitchen staff want that particular day.

I have a budget that Rupantar (race director) has given me, and so far I have managed to keep well within it, so I am very happy about that.

When I get back, I unload everything in the kitchen. Also, if any supplies are needed directly at the race, I take them straight there. After that, I wash dishes in the kitchen, and then I have a little break.

In the afternoons, I am usually at the race, helping with a lap-counting shift. Then there are other things. Once a week, I am the overnight guard at the race village itself — that's on Mondays. Apart from that, I do anything that Rupantar asks me to do. Sometimes we go and pick up propane tanks for the race site, or fuel for the generator. Sometimes Bipin will ask me to do other errands.

It's a team effort. I don't have bright ideas of my own — I just do what I'm told by all the experienced people, who intuitively know how to make the race run smoothly.

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Are there any limits? Normal service resumed.

Eight years before the first 3,100-mile race, Sri Chinmoy was interviewed by John Hanc, a well-known New York journalist.

At the time, the 1,300-mile race was the longest the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team had organised. This was seen as an event to push the boundaries of running endurance to its limits. Sri Chinmoy, as we now know, had other ideas.

John Hanc: On the ultra-distance side, you and the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team have been leaders in expanding the limits of what people can run. Do you think there will be any limit to the distance people can run? Ten years from now, will we be talking about a 2,000-mile or a 5,000-mile run?

Sri Chinmoy: "No, there is no limit to the distance, because there is no limit to human capacity. Human capacity depends on our inner hunger — how sincerely we need something or are crying for something. In the material world, if someone has tremendous greed and wants to become a multi-millionaire, he works very hard, and eventually he fulfils his desire. But by possessing the material world, we can never be happy. We can only find joy by serving as an instrument of God and fulfilling His Will. If God wants us to be a sprinter or an ultramarathon runner, and if we follow His dictates, then naturally we will become very happy. It will not matter if we stand first or last. Success or failure, we shall place at His feet. What matters is that we are pleasing God in His own way. How do we know what God wants us to do? By praying and meditating.

But even on the outer plane, our capacity is constantly expanding. Right now, 1,300 miles is our longest race. To run 1,300 miles in 18 days is almost beyond our imagination. We feel that is our ultimate capacity. But previously, we felt that 1,000 miles was the limit. Who thought of a 1,300-mile race five years ago? At that time, people would have thought I was a crazy man if I had suggested that. But now you see that this crazy man was right, because people are doing it. Somebody just has to start. We always have to go ahead, because life means progress.

The inner runner is always trying to inspire the outer runner. First, the inner runner says, 'Go forward, go forward, go ahead, go ahead!' Then the outer runner says, 'How can I go ahead if you do not give me the aspiration and inner cry?' Then the inner runner gives the outer runner the inner cry to do something and to become something good. In this way, the inner runner offers inspiration and aspiration to the outer runner."

In yesterday's race news

Normal service was resumed yesterday as Andrea Marcato bounced back from his "little sickness setback" and threw down a 70-mile day.

Heavy rain and fresh winds for much of the day made things somewhat challenging, but they did not stop our intrepid adventurers on their onward journey. See the US photo gallery here to feel the atmospheric conditions.

Normal service was resumed yesterday, in some ways.

• Andrea Marcato bounced back from his "little sickness setback" and threw down a 70-mile day (details in yesterday's daily update). He totalled 70.1 miles for the day to finish on 1949.5. Assuming he has no reaction to today's effort, he should reach 2,000 miles early Sunday evening.
• Radu Budan ran a 63-mile day, continuing his own race and consistently logging the miles to reach 1867.8 miles at the close of the day.
• Annabel Hepworth ran a couple of miles below her usual daily total but maintained her 60-mile threshold, running 60.8 miles to finish the day on 1783.9 miles.
• Wei Ming Lo maintained a 62.5-mile (100 km) baseline to finish on 1779 miles.
• Vasu and Nayaja both recorded 61.4 miles, leaving them on 1732.9 miles and 1685.2 miles, respectively.
• Nina continues to crack on, hitting 47.7 miles for the day.
• Ananda-Lahari and Stutisheel battled the conditions to achieve 36.1 miles and 35.6 miles, respectively.

"When your mind is plagued by dark doubts,
you are bound to be imprisoned
by all limitations — inner and outer."

— Sri Chinmoy

Race report: Tarit Stott

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The race reaches the halfway point, and race leader Andrea suffers a setback

Thursday 24th September marked a minor landmark, as the race reached the halfway point of its 52-day journey. For 26 days now, since Day One on August 30th, the runners have been slowly and steadily circling the short 0.5488-mile lap around Thomas Edison High School.

Summer is slowly turning to autumn, and sweeping up the fallen leaves around the race camp has become a daily task for some. Although not actually cold yet, temperatures are dropping, especially in the early mornings and late evenings. Some of the runners are now wearing an extra layer at these times. In the counting tent, where the volunteers sit static for several hours, hats and warmer jackets are now a necessity for the early morning and evening shifts.

Day 26 saw some drama unfold amongst the runners. Six-time winner Andrea Marcato, the race leader from Day One, is having his first real test of the race. After regularly logging high-60-mile to low-70-mile days, he suddenly dropped to a 57.6-mile day on Day 25, and an even lower 47.7-mile day yesterday on Day 26. The reason is a sudden stomach and gastrointestinal (GI) issue.

As a regular multi-day runner, he knows these issues can happen to any of the runners on any given day. If he were not in the race, he would probably take a complete break and stay home to let his body work through the temporary setback. In his current situation, on Day 26 of one of the toughest running challenges in the world, this is not an option. With advice from the experienced race medical team, he is still "showing up" each day and circling the race loop at a reduced effort.

Athletes like Andrea have a level of natural strength, resilience and fitness way above normal, built over many years. That is why he is a multi-day champion. At times like this, that fitness, resilience, and all-round belief that any obstacle is there to be experienced and overcome, give him a huge advantage. Patience is needed. However, history shows that with the right advice from the race medical team, and support from his own personal helpers, he has the capacity to get through this and finish the race. Time will tell, but we will keep an eye on the daily leaderboard!

In other news

• Andrea's lead has certainly been reduced, but he still has a healthy buffer.
• Radu, who is in second place, continues his own progress with a steady 65.8-mile day but is still almost 80 miles behind Andrea.
• Annabel Hepworth continues to hit her daily target and ran another solid 63-mile day, leaving her with a total of 1,661.1 miles.
• Wei Ming Lo, with all his experience, continues to grow into the race. He has established a good routine, and another 64.1-mile day yesterday took him to the halfway point. Observers are wondering if he will, as he has in previous years, get stronger as the race progresses.
• Vasu, with another 60-mile day, also has the 3,100-mile race experience to push on strongly in the second half of the race.
• Nayaja, now well recovered from her own injury interlude, and in her first race beyond 10 days, continues to explore her own boundaries. She ran 63 miles yesterday, leaving her on 1,562.4 miles.
• Vasu and Nayaja both went through halfway yesterday, well inside the mythical "cut-off" line.
• Nina, although below the cut-off line, continues to look good with another 50-plus-mile day. With every passing day, though, the 3,100-mile goal is slipping further away.

Report by Tarit Stott.

Follow the race

• Sri Chinmoy Ultra Photo 2026
• 3100 Mile US Gallery 2026 - Arpan's Galleries
• Perfection Journey  3100 Mile Race 2026
• Instagram - SCMT  
• YT - SCMT