A look at the brochure, including runner bios, for the inaugural Sri Chinmoy 7 Day Race.

Sri Chinmoy's remarks to the runners prior to the start of the Seven Day Race...

"Iowa Runner Wins Sri Chinmoy 7 Day Race" (Press Release). Toy, Atala.  October 21, 1988. Retrieved 12/16/11. Archive copy at the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team office. Unless noted all photos by Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.

"Iowa Runner Wins Sri Chinmoy 7 Day Race:

Marty Sprengelmeyer of Davenport, Iowa won the Sri Chinmoy 7 Day Race with 527 Miles. Second place overall went to women's winner Suprabha Schecter of Washington, DC with 521 miles. The race extended around the clock from 12:20 noon October 14 to 21, in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, NY.

Photo: Sri Chinmoy (far left) with the 7 Day runners prior to start: Mary-Anne Trusz, Nirjhari DeLong, Vimochan Beauvais, Emile Laharrague, Marty Springelmeyer, Trishul Cherns, Bill Brower, Ray Krolewicz, Fred Reimer, Bob Cannata, Charlie Eidel, Pippa Davis, Suprabha Schecter, Jesse Dale Riley and Pragati Pascale.

Sprengelmeyer, a multi-day world record holder, glided through the first 6 days in 4th place then began gradually moving up. News of his ailing father-in-law's death, with the only Friday flight home at 12 noon, quickly changed Marty's race strategy. Dedicating his efforts to the memory of his wife's father, Marty began churning out a series of 9-11 minute miles. By six hours into day 7 the score board showed a three way tie at 476 miles between the Iowa runner, French explorer Emile Laharrague and Ms. Schecter. Sprengelmeyer charged ahead, building a 12 mile lead by 10 am, when he had to leave the race site. It was enough to assure him the race title.

On her way to the finish, Ms. Schecter ran a personal record of 457 miles for 6 days, ranking her 5th worldwide in the 6 day event. Meanwhile, the other race leader, Emile Laharrague, suffered a recurrence of malaria, contracted while living last year with the Stone Age people of Papua, New Guinea and eventually finished in 5th place with 492 miles. Ms. Pippa Davis, a British ultra distance record holder living in Westford, Ma., pushed ahead to claim the third position slot, finishing with 509 miles, while Frenchman Vimochan Beauvais was 4th with 502 miles. The race walking division went to Jesse Dale Riley of Key West, Fl. with 375 miles.

The finishing results indicate multiday running is a field where differing body strengths of men and women finally equal out. Both Ms. Schecter and Ms. Davis are past winners, overall of the Sri Chinmoy 700 Mile Race; and of the women's division of this event. The Sri Chinmoy race was held on a one mile loop by the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. It began as a 5 day race in 1985, increasing to 7 days in 1988. The runners began last Friday, October 14, running night and day through rain, heat and cold, while park trees changed color from summer greens to autumn gold."

The following is taken from the March 1989  issue of UltraRunning and reprinted by permission from the Publisher, John Medinger

"Pippa Davis - Thoroughly Enjoying Multi-Day Racing by Laurie Staton-Carter

Have you ever wondered how multi-day runners can stand running the same loop - mile after mile, hour after hour, day after day - for six or seven days? Ask this question of rising multi-day star Pippa Davis and she will describe those very same aspects of a multi-day race in a positive way. 'The reason I enjoy runs on a set loop is because it takes mental concentration, (inner) peace, patience, and self-control not to get bored or upset by the same scene!' "(for the whole article)

Daily and Final Mileage and more great photos.