Day 9, September 7th, 2023

The suposed heat wave +Five had the intense sun strength to make us all stay inside, with the fan on top speed, except, of course, for the runners in search of destiny-and rise to the top of the lists- except for us ‘helpers inside for the search for colder areas’. Actually, the helpers on duty are suffering for their shift, just as others have, and will again this afternoon and evening.         

The runners retained there effort today, as the temperature reached 95º again. Luckily the temps droped  and the sky was somewhat covered over in gray skies.

Andrea Marcato toped 685.5 miles. Tsai Wen-Ya receiced 629 miles to maintain her increadable effort. Wai-ming Lo retained third place overall with 580.7 miles.Vasu Duzhiy moved into fourth place , reaching 565.9 miles. The big surprise was Nina           (Huang Lang-Yang) reaching fifth overall with 559.92 miles. She has sensed the need to be as consistent as possible, to finish this 3100 Mile event, which is her year-long effort. She finished about 0.5 miles ahead of Adrian  Papuc (559.37 miles).  Tomorrow is Day 10, a modest milestone, but a somewhat cooler day. We shall see.!!

The top six runners have maintained their positions, or changed by small amounts either up or down. The other eight

are carrying on, with the hopes that running long every day will kick in and be the next possible athletic miracle. It seems that all fourteen athletes are devoted, in so many ways. We as observers tend to watch for the fastest, the most smooth or the

most outstanding runner since the longest race first became a thing in 1997.

If you are ready to find out:

To no surprise, the three-time winner of the longest race has put on his fastest shoes since Day 1; Andrea Marcato reached 300 miles today: 108:16:44; plus 20 laps later-500km: 21:34:36.

Wen-Ya Tsai totalled-290.11 miles, second overall (23:29:19). She is setting the women’s standard this year.

Adrian Papuc reached 275.30 miles for third place overall.

Mahasatya Janczak reached 270.91 miles, and looks stronger every day.

Wei-Ming Lo reached 268.17 miles, and looks more relaxed.

Vasu Duzhiy reached 265.98 miles and is getting stronger.

We will see who gets thru the first few weeks without any serious problems. Mental or physical

The 27th Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race was encouraged by enthusiastic supporters, eager to see 14 runners begin the worlds longest footrace, on the famous block with just over a half a mile long, course. It was amazing to see over 200 people, friends and fun seacures, rise and shine before 6am eastern savings time.

The recent three time winner of this event, Andrea Marcato from Italy, wanted no time in running to the forefront, led by Taiwanese hero Wei-Ming Lo, the Asian record holder and national hero. Nine men garnered the male contingent, while five women filled out the group, lend by novice starter Tsai Wen-Ya. Her steady and smooth style paid off immensely as a three hour rain shower subsided, and bright sunshine took over sunny skies. 

Those runners that stayed the longest gained the highest place on the first day of effort. The newer athletes did not suffer or regret the fading summer airs. 

Andrea Marcato posted the highest perch with a 88.298 miles / 142.044 km day.

Vasu Duzhiy, the 10-time finisher and three time winner of this event, scored another solid opening day, equalled by the Taiwanese hero Wei-Ming Lo, as both men reached 77.325246 miles / 124.442 km efforts.

Adian Papuc from Romania equalled the 77 mile mark as the spray men were accompanied with the new woman on the block, as Wen-Ya Tsai from Tiawan topped 76.22848 miles / 122 km to slipped into fifth position, and was not afraid of anyone or anything.

The slowest runners still raced 65.8 miles.

What a way to start the day.

The first of five warm days touched upon the long distance runners, as the temps passed 90ºF. The energy from Day 1 has continued through the fifth day, and lots of cool drinks and iceadded to the fray.  The fast runners continued to test themselves and search for the fastest way to remain gool. Here are the lists of miles/kms and laps acquired throughout the days :

Andrea Marcato- 397.056 miles/638.983km/ 724laps

Wen-Ya Tsai- 359.206miles/578.086km/ 655 laps

Adrian Papuc- 333.979miles/527.487km/ 609 laps

Mahasatya Janczak= 330.689miles/ 532.192km/ 509 laps

Wei-Ming Lo- 323.559miles/520.718km/ 590 laps

Vasu Duzhiy- 318.623 miles/ 512.775km/ 591 laps

Yang Huang-Lan (Nina)-316.430miles/509.245 km/ 577 laps

Milan Javornicky- 315.881 miles/ 508.351 km/ 576 laps

Susan Marshall- 309.301 miles/ 497.771 km/ 564 laps

Harita Davies- 307.107 miles/ 494.241 km/ 560 laps

Ananda-Lahari Zuscin- 306.011 miles/492.476 km/ 558 laps

Jason Lester- 302.172 miles/ 486.298km/ 551 laps

Kaneenika Janakova- 285.719 miles/459.821 km/ 521 laps

Stutisheel Lebedev- 273.654 miles/ 440.404 km/ 499 laps

As expeckted, Tsai Wen-Ya passed a mark of 2500km in a tremendous effort, reaching that mark in 23 days+ 02:59:13, a 32-hour improvement in Suprabha Beckjord’s work from 1998 in a summer warm spell. What is less known is that Wen-Ya also passed the 1600 mile mark set by Kaneenika Janakova from Slovakia- later this evening(set in 2017 in 25:07:16:22) which was done in 23 days +14:52:23 (to be verified). Wen-Ya ran 68.6 miles today, and it was good to have a good day today, for a tropical storm in the nearby ocean areas just outside Jamaica and Queens in general will be hit with 4 to 6 inches of rain and strong winds in the next two days or so. We shall see what happens. Stay dry people of Queens, New York.             

Day 18, September 16, 2023 

Three runners reached the 1000 Mile Mark today. Kaneenika Janakova was the first to lead the list: 1000 miles = 17days+08:53:09. Then Jason Lester reached his first official 1000 Mile Mark- 17Days+09:17:32. The third runner to get the Kilo mark was Milan Javornicky- 17Days+09:39:05. There might be two more runners to gain a 1000 mark- Stutisheel Lebedev and Adrian Papuc. Tomorrow.

Mean while, the overall leader Andrea Marcato reached 1300 miles today, in 17 days+14:02:39- His previous best was 18:00:21:31 last year. The 1300 Miler used to be our longest distance race- from 1987 to 2004. But by then, the 3100 Mile Race eventually became our flagship event, as the 1300 mile race, the 1000 mile races, and the 700 Mile Race had provided our distance trio, and had superb performances during its useful tests of the long, longer and longest events. Now we are at the 27th edition of the 3100 Mile Race, and The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team is always grateful that the runners retain their abilities and desire to test themselves- sometimes over and over again. The Races still continue due to both the runners and our remarkable members of the Team- due to Sri Chinmoy and his vision. It is quite a way to pass the days, months and years of the races.             

Day 27, September 25, 2023

Andrea Marcato has run over 70 miles in six of the last seven days, and tomorrow he should reach the 2000-mile mark. This will be his fourth time to reach this significant land mark. He has gone past 70 miles in 24 days of the total 27 days of the race.

Tsai Wen-Ya has gone past 65 miles in 24 of the 27 days she has tested. Today she went past two women’s running land marks- both set by American All-Time Hero Suprabha Beckjord.

In the evening Wen-Ya passed the 1800-mile mark in 26 days+14:31:45. The previous best was 28 days+10:29:41. In about an hour later she passed the 2900 km mark in 26 days+15:01:43. The previous best was 28 days+11:03:10.

Day 12 September 10, 2023

Andrea Marcato worked hard to overcome a few rain storms that pumled the area, both in the late morning, and then last night, as storms continued to test the runners of the 3100 Mile Race.

Mr Marcato reached 898.29 miles,  having remained  nearly 68 miles  ahead of Tsai Wen-Ya, who reached 830.29 miles, and easily leads the total of five women who are maintaining their running tests on the daily basis of searching for more than 59.618 miles per day, needed to acquire the 3100 Mile Race to finish in the 52 day framework.  Taiwan male hero distance runner Wei-Ming Lo totaled 769.96 miles in a dozen days to hold his effort to third overall.

         10-time finisher Vasu Duzhiy, a three-time winner of the longest race, has helped his position to stay at fourth overall, with a good effort of 742.54 miles. He needed to maintain the position because of the steady serge from Nina Cook, the lady who has put the pressure on other runners  as she is the third Tiawanese to attempt the longrst race.

On August 30, 2023 begins the world's longest race. 14 runners - 9 men and five women, will begin the 52 day test of running and recovering.

Each runner will start the event at 6:00 am local time, and attempt to make their abilities respond to the difficulty of that day, that hour, or that moment.

Remember, they are running a course around and around, the course being .5488 of a mile (883.207km). The runners have 18 hours to reach the necessary distance of 59.618 miles/ 95.946 km per day. The midnight stoppage is the endless touch of 'Hurry up and finish'....

Follow the race every day, who knows what will happen and who will designate the movements to come.

Further reading

• Start list - 14 Runners
• In-depth stories from the early races
• Video highlights from the 2022 Race
• Previous Results
• World Rankings for 3100 Miles