Start of 2018 Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race
By Tejvan Pettingerauthor bio »
18 June
About the author:
Tejvan organises short-distance running and cycling races for the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in his home city of Oxford. He is also a very good cyclist, having won the National hill climb championships in 2013 and finished 3rd in the National 100 Mile Time Trials in 2014.
The start
The race starts
The Runners on the first lap
Afternoon sun
Encouragement
On 17 June 2018, ten intrepid runners took to the start line of the world's longest certified road race - the 22nd edition of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race. Over the next seven weeks, the runners will aim to complete a daily average of 60 miles or more in order to finish the race within the official time limit of 52 days. The runners have to contend with the hot New York summer, a hard concrete course and the many physical and mental challenges of competing in this epic of self-transcendence.
The race was founded by spiritual teacher and ultra-runner pioneer Sri Chinmoy, who saw distance running as a vehicle to enable runners to bring to the fore their physical, mental and spiritual capacities to complete this unique challenge.
“We have to believe in a higher Power.
Only by believing in a higher Power
Can we go beyond and beyond
Our limited, human capacity.”
In this year's race, we have the 2017 winner, Vasu Duzhiy from Russia. Also returning to the race is Kaneenika Janakova, from Slovakia who last year broke the women's world record, setting a time of 48 days+14:24:10. Proving that age is no barrier to ultra distance, the race also welcomes William Sichel (64) from Orkney, Scotland, UK. Sichel holds a host of Scottish and UK distance records and completed the race in 2014. Yolanda Holder, 60 years old and the only person to have racewalked the distance, also returns to the race after completing last year at her first attempt in a time of 51days+17:00:13. Surasa Mairer, former 3100 Mile women's record holder and current female world record holder for 1000 km, 700 miles, and 1300 miles is also starting.
This unique race has developed a following from all around the world. You can follow the race by viewing two race cams, daily results, daily blogs and photos.
