2003 Huntington Beach Surf Series

Huntington Beach Surf Series Crowns New Champs!

Huntington Beach, Calif. -- The Championship event of the 2003 Huntington Beach Surf Series -- sponsored by Del Taco -- took place on October 4th & 5th at Ninth Street in Huntington Beach, California. The waves were 3 - 5ft. with great conditions all weekend. "The amateur talent in the event this weekend was really inspiring to me. I'm excited to see the skill of these young surfers unfold in years to come," said Event Director Jeff Deffenbaugh."

â€œThe Men's final was insane," explains Deffenbaugh. Local HB resident Marc Belmonte was landing some big aerials throughout this entire event! Though Belmonte took 3rd place in the finals, he was crowned as the Men's Overall Rated Champ!

Brothers, Shane (Juniors Div.) and Jesse (Groms Div.) ripped apart the competition in this years event winning them both 1st Place Overall Rated Champ titles!

The First Place winners in the event this weekend included:

Groms: Jarid Cassidy,
Boys: Alex Guillett,
Juniors: Kory Lapoint,
Mens: Louis Nikaido,
Masters: Mike Mattison,
Grand Masters: Phil Lockman,
Womens: Cathy Jo Northam,
Longboard: Jonathon Shelton,
Rookie: Yusuke Sahara

The first place overall rated point winners included:

Super Grom- Jesse Steelman
Boy's- Alex Guillett
Juniors- Shane Steelman
Men's- Marc Belmonte
Master's- Mike Mattison
Grand Masters- Marcell Guinaldo
Women- Kathy Jo Northam
Longboarding- Kelly Kraushaar
Rookie- Troy Elmore

Event Photo Gallery by Surfography.com

The Championship Award Ceremonies were celebrated on Sunday night at Lake Park. Our good buddy Vannesa Dautel was the lucky winner in the raffle taking home a brand new Channel Islands surfboard! The Sponsor of the Year went to Joe Senger of Del Taco Inc. The award ceremonies were catered by Del Taco, Dukes, Aloha Grill and XS Energy.

The Huntington Beach Surf Series would like to thank all the sponsors, competitors, families and friends for all of your wonderful support this year. And we encourage your comments and suggestions for the 2004 season!

Supporting Sponsors include: Hss, Dukes, Aloha Grill, Voodoo Doc, Sector 9, Mountain High, DBaugh Surf Boards, Matson Graphics, XS Energy, Surfer Mag, Big Red, Prime Source, Surfline, Cobian, Surfrider, Sugar Shack & Surfography.com

Jeff Deffenbaugh,
Huntington Beach Surf Series
P.O. Box #883
Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team articles - more articles

About the author:

Nirbhasa is from Ireland. He is an enthusiastic multi-day runner, having completed four times the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race - the longest race in the world.

Wall Street Journal: Looong path to enlightenment
"Starting on April 19, they traced the same lobster-claw-shaped route between the Long Island Expressway and Meadow Lake as many times as they could. Race officials tracked the running totals on a giant scoreboard near the finish line. read more »

New York Times profile of Vajra Henderson, medical tent volunteer
"Mr. Henderson claims no medical expertise but boasts decades of hands-on experience treating the extreme athletes who follow Mr. Chinmoy. He said he used the common connection with the guru to help heal his fellow followers. 'I’m the first to admit I have no idea what I’m doing; I’m not a doctor,” he said. “It’s based upon my heart’s oneness with the runner, so it’s a spiritual experience.'" read more »

View full article »

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.

In The Media - 2010

"One Block - 5,649 Laps: Eleven Runners Compete in a 3,100-Mile Race on a Sidewalk Course in Queens."

Scott Cacciola, The Wall Street Journal: 6/22/2010

In The Media - 2010

How to Run a 3,100-Mile Race in 12 Easy Steps

Ultramarathoners "self-transcend" a record-breaking course in Queens

By Jillian Scharr Thursday, Jun 24, 2010

Go ahead, read the headline again. You weren’t mistaken: it's the "Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race."

Eleven racers from around the world are running around a single block in Queens, averaging 60 miles a day to run 3,100 miles in 52 days. The feat of endurance is sponsored by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. (for complete article...)

In The Media - 2010

"3100 Mile Race, 52 Days, One City Block ”

The 3,100 mile Self-Transcendence race is under way in Queens. The race, which runs from June to August, is an exercise in pushing the physical and mental limits of the human body.

Scott Cacciola, The Wall Street Journal: 6/21/2010

In the Media - 2009

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N.Y. / Region, City Room

City Room, Corey Kilgannon. May 1, 2009.

"On Your Mark, Get Set, Run … for 10 Days. For the past eight days, a group of runners have trotted around the same mile loop in a section of Flushing Meadow-Corona Park in Queens."

For complete article

In the Media - 2009

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The New York Times, City Room, Corey Kilgannon. May 1, 2009.

"On Your Mark, Get Set, Run … for 10 Days."

For the video

In The Media - 2008

Running their own course: "Distance learning" takes on new meaning during 3,100-mile challenge

Date: July 22, 2008

Source: Daily News

By the time you get to work this morning, Ashprihanal Aalto will already have run about 12 miles. By the time you get home, the 37-year-old from Finland will still be doing laps around Thomas Edison HS in Jamaica. By the time you're calling it a night, he'll be wrapping up his 70-mile run and getting to do it again tomorrow.

In The Media - 2008

Really Going The Distance

When people in New York circle the block, over and over again, they're usually looking for a parking spot. But what if they're circling without a car? Steve Hartman meets a few runners who are doing just that in this week's Assignment America.

Steve Hartman, CBS Evening News: 8/1/2008

In The Media - 2008

The Best American Sports Writing 2008

From the introduction to the book by the Editor William Nack:

..from Harper's Magazine, Sam Shaw's beautifully crafted story aout the world's longest human footrace, the Self-Transcendence 3,100, in which about fifteen brave souls circle a single block in Queens exactly 5,649 times, for a total of 3,100 miles, never doing less than 50 miles a day...

The Best American series is the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. Each volume's series editor selects notable works from hundreds of periodicals. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected - and most popular - of its kind. (From back cover of book).

Read the complete article in Harper's Magazine...

In The Media - 2007

Mind Over Miles: Seven mental tricks that can add miles to your running

Date: June 1997

Source: Runner's World

So you're detached from your surroudings, but you're well aware of what your body's doing - much like the marathoning followers of Sri Chinmoy, an Indian spiritual leader who spreads his message of inner peace through mediation and extreme physical challenges - like marathon running.

'Some of Sri Chinmoy's students use meditation to keep them in the races we sponsor,' explains Sahishnu Sczesiul, an ultrarunner and race director on the New York Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. 'The idea is to learn to go within yourself, to keep your mind as calm and quiet as possible while you run - to use meditation to enhance your mental strength so your mind can then discipline your body.'

In The Media - 2007

Run Like Fire Once More: chasing perfection in the world's longest footrace.

The runners slog past a bivouac of plastic card tables and folding chairs, past electric-green Port-O Lets ripe with disinfectant, past indifferently groomed hedges and the redbrick facade of Thomas A. Edison Vocational and Technical High School...

Sam Shaw, Harpers Magazine: August 2007

An in depth look at one of the most challenging races in the world. Also chronicles the history of multi day running. Read the complete article...

In The Media - 2006

Nirvana takes 3,100 miles: Spiritual race afoot in Queens

Date: July 11, 2006

Source: amNew York

On what is otherwise a quiet, pedestrian four blocks of a leafy section of Jamaica, Queens, a spectacular feat has been under way for the last month...

'It's like the Himalayas of running,' said Rupantar, 57, the race's coordinator and a Chinmoy disciple. 'You have to focus, and you can't let the mind wander.'

In The Media - 2006

The World's Longest Foot Race

Runners run up to 18 hours per day for 50 days in the longest foot race ever.

ABCNews Video: 07/26/2006

In The Media - 1998

In This Race, They're in It for the Long Run

Date: July 31, 1998

Source: The Washington Post

NEW YORK-Five lean, sun-baked runners with bulging calf muscles make their way around and around and around a dirty red-brick high school building. From before dawn until well after dark, for 48 days, they have jogged this same, wearying route over asphalt sidewalks, alongside the iron gate that surrounds the school, down a noisy roadway that spits car exhaust, and past a dusty baseball diamond. They have run past kids in baggy jeans, idling cars with rap music blaring, and an abandoned black Mazda with no tires, busted windows and everything-from seats to the gas cap-stripped.

In The Media - 1998

NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: JAMAICA; Running on Inner Strength

Date: July 12, 1998

Source: The New York Times

...Suprabha Beckjord looks like any other weary runner pounding the concrete sidewalk around Thomas A. Edison Vocational High School. But she's not just taking an evening jog. She's running the longest race in the world.

Ms. Beckjord, who owns a gift shop in Washington, is participating in the Mount Everest of ultramarathons: a 3,100-mile competition that lasts 51 straight days and exposes the few who attempt it to numbing monotony as well as crippling shinsplints...

Read original article

In The Media - 1997

Feat of Endurance: In a test of strength and faith, they run for 51 days...5,649 laps...3,100 miles...

Date: July 27, 1997

Source: Newsday

Even the most devoted long-distance runners consider the 3,100-mile race to be daunting: 'It's on the fringes, because it's so unusual and extreme,' said Andy Burfoot, executive editor of Runner's World magazine and winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon.

Although comparisons to Forrest Gump may be inevitable, Burfoot said all Sri Chinmoy races - which range from a two-mile jaunt to the 3,100 mega-marathon - are respectable and well-organized athletic events. 'It's not a freak show,' Burfoot said. 'These are people seeking emotional and spiritual challenges and insight rather than Olympic-type perfection.'

In The Media - 1996

Jamaica Residens on the Run: For participants, 2,700-mile goal challenges the body and spirit

Date: July 14, 1996

Source: Newsday

...The course is a sidewalk loop, just over a half-mile long. It is bound by 168th Street, 84th Avenue, 164th Place and the service road of the Grand Central Parkway. By the time they finish, the runners will have circled the block more than 5,000 times.

The distance awed even Ted Corbitt, the father of ultramarathons, who dropped by the race last Sunday.

'It takes a real enthusiast - and a great imagination - to even think of putting on a race like this,' he said...

In The Media - 1993

Evinger, Bob. "To the Editors." Ultrarunning, July-August 1993.

Recently I had the privilege of running he Sri Chinmoy Seven Day Race. It was a first-class event that will long be remembered. My own race went well, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the tireless efforts of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. And thanks to Sri Chinmoy himself for making it all possible.

Multi-day running slumbered for almost a century before being revived in the early 80s, and now seems to be experiencing a renaissance primarily due to the sponsorship and daring of the SCMT. Their quality events have attracted some of the best multi-day talent in the world and continue to provide a setting for athletes to push back the envelope of human potential. Yet, because their central theme is self-transcendence, being neither elitist nor exclusionary, they encourage entrants with little or no ultra experience. Give one of their multi-days a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Bob Evinger

Chapel Hill, N.C.

In The Media - 1990

A Guru Gives Ultrarunning a Big Lift

Date: May 28, 1990

Source: Sports Illustrated

This is the strange tale of how an Eastern mystic saved a Western sport from obliviion. The unlikely mix of characters includes Sri Chinmoy, a 58-year old Indian spiritual master who has built a small sports empire in America; his 1,100 persistently faithful disciples; a select group of the world's greatest long-distance runners; and the top organizers on the New York racing scene. But the star of the story is ultrarunning, a catchall term for footraces longer than a marathon...(read the complete article)

In The Media - 1981

Ayres, Ed. "Lighting the Way." Running Times. June 1981.

In an age of trouble, trouble, and more trouble, a refreshingly different world-view is being promulgated by Sri Chinmoy, an Indian guru whose adopted homeland is the U.S., and who has attracted thousands of American followers. These followers place higher value on the achievement of spiritual harmony than of material acquisition, which may explain why, in the midst of a deteriorating economy and declining standard of living, they remain placidly optimistic about America's future...Sri Chinmoy and his followers do productive work for a living, and have their feet planted firmly, and literally, on the ground. The guru is an avid long distance runner and road race organizer, and his followers have formed a running team (the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team), an outgrowth of the group's passionate belief that physical fitness is an integral part of spiritual well-being.

In keeping with their proclivity for seeing the good in things while cheerfully refusing to become emotionally bogged in the bad, the Sri Chinmoy people have become indefatigable celebrators. One of their most recent celebrations was a 1,300-mile non-stop relay, dubbed 'Salutations to America...'

In The Media - 1976

Burghardt, Dee. "They Carried A Torch For Their Country's Greatness."

Source: The New Haven Register

Date: November 29, 1976

When the heartbeat of a country is touched anything can happen.

The heartbeat of America was touched this summer and it pumped new life into many people. Mayors in small towns got up in the wee morning hours to prepare huge breakfasts, editors almost missed deadlines, CBers thought they were going nuts and hundreds of people in the nation got up and ran. And while some simply stood and wept with happiness, others tried to give money away.

It all happened because 30 young men ranging in age from 22 to 36 decided to run a non-stop relay across the country (ed., Liberty Torch), hitting all 50 states and sending runners to Hawaii and Alaska. They carried a lighted torch the entire 8,800-mile relay...

In The Media - 1976

The Sedan Times-Star (Kansas)

Date: July 14, 1976

There are times when we all doubt. We doubt the future, we doubt our abilities, we doubt if the bicentennial means anything, we doubt our leaders, and so on and on.

But a society that produces young men - 22 to 36 - who dream up a thing like Liberty Torch, and then set out to carry it out with money from their own pockets, has to have some good in it - very much good in it for that matter...

But as long as there are people like those who are relaying the Liberty Torch on foot through the 48 states, and by air to Alaska and Hawaii, on their own because it seems to be a good idea in a Bicentennial year, we think things are going to continue to go on for a long, long time.

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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.

Vasu Duzhiy,47, from St. Petersburg,Russia won the Seventeenth Annual Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race today, finishing the 5649 laps in 47 days +05:39:00. The race started on June 16th with 12 runners circumnavigating a 0.5488 mile (883 meters) loop in the neighborhood. Mr Duzhiy averaged 65.6 miles per day(105.6 km). He was trailing by over 20 miles with only seven days of running left but made a charge that included four days over 70 miles out of the last six. The whole field had been reeling from a second heat wave lasting seven days in the middle of July. Vasu ran four days faster than his first-time finish of last year (51 days 10 hours).

Atmavir Spacil 2nd finished later in the day

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Long Beach, California, Sept. 2012

At the Global Open Water Swimming Conference on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, Sri Chinmoy was posthumously inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as a mentor, inspirer and "Honour Administrator" during the induction ceremony on Sept. 22nd, 2012.

Quoting from the Daily News of Open Water Swimming and Openwaterpedia:

"Sri Chinmoy, who passed away in 2007, was an Indian spiritual teacher, poet, artist and athlete. He inspired many in the endurance world and is the namesake of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team that holds many athletic events worldwide including the International Self-Transcendence Marathon-Schwimmen.

Sri Chinmoy advocated self-transcendence by expanding one's consciousness to conquer the mind's perceived limitations. In the spirit of self‑transcendence, his students have completed extraordinary feats of endurance. Members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team have swum the English Channel over forty times and are an integral part of the renowned and always popular International Self-Transcendence Marathon-Schwimmen.

His legacy will be recognized at the 2012 Global Open Water Swimming Conference and honored the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame dinner on the RMS Queen Mary on September 22nd in Long Beach, California."

Members of the International Marathon Team, including Channel swimmers Vasanti Niemz from Germany and Abhejali Bernadova from Czech Republic introduced Sri Chinmoy and his legacy to the audience and accepted the IMSHOF Certificate on Sri Chinmoy's behalf.

(Foto: Lexie Kelly, Steven Munatones, Vasanti Niemz, Shelley Taylor-Smith, Abhejali Bernadova)

Steven Munatones, Vice-President and Chief Administrator of the board of directors of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in turn was honoured and awarded the Torch Bearer Award of the World Harmony Run founded by Sri Chinmoy in 1987 (and since 2013 renamed Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run) for his selfless and untiring inspiration and efforts in the field of global open water swimming.

Many honourees and guests were happy to then share a moment of peace with the torch.

More on Vasanti's blog www.channel-triathlon.com

Sri Chinmoy honoured at the Global Open Water Swimming Conference Sept. 2012, Long Beach Ned Denison, 2012

With Diana Nyad, swimming legend Greta Andersen, Marcos Diaz and Ned Denison

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About the author:

Nirbhasa is from Ireland. He is an enthusiastic multi-day runner, having completed four times the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race - the longest race in the world.

This video was shot by one of our photographers during the 2013 race. The music is by Parichayaka Hammerl; the first track is his own composition and the subsequent tracks are his arrangements of Sri Chinmoy's melodies

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About the author:

Boijayanti is the co-director of the Self-Transcendence Swim Run, as well as the Self-Trnascendence Sprint Series in Flushing Meadow Park

The Fifth Annual Self-Transcendence Swim-Run at Lake Welch Beach

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The Perfect Race for Swim Training and Multi-Sport Training

Sunday, September 8th 2013

Race Start is at 10:00 am

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The Self-Transcendence Swim-Run at Lake Welch Beach offers the perfect opportunity for swimming training in a multi-sport race setting.

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Taking place in Lake Welch Beach, Harriman State Park, NY, the freshwater swim is devoid of tides, waves and ocean currents. An Ideal race training option for swimmers of various fitness levels!

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Join us on Sunday, September 8th 2013! We hope to see you there!

Race Start is at 10:00 am

For additional details on registration, directions and other information, please visit our website at:

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About the author:

Boijayanti is the co-director of the Self-Transcendence Swim Run, as well as the Self-Trnascendence Sprint Series in Flushing Meadow Park

Join Us for The Fifth-Annual Self-Transcendence Swim-Run at Lake Welch Beach

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Sunday, September 15th 2015!

Race start is at 10:00 am

The Self-Transcendence Swim-Run is the ideal multi-sport race for training for a triathlon.

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A 1-kilometer freshwater swim course offers a safe environment in which to practice competitive swimming. The 10-kilometer running course adds an additional challenge. It is the prefect event to serve as a precursor or a supplement to triathlon multi-sport training.

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Join us on Sunday, September 5th 2015!

We hope to see you there!

For information about registration, directions, and other details, please visit our website at:

Kalyanika and boy running_1.jpg Luis thumbs up 2013_0.jpg

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About the author:

Boijayanti is the co-director of the Self-Transcendence Swim Run, as well as the Self-Trnascendence Sprint Series in Flushing Meadow Park

The Self-Transcendence Swim-Run

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The Perfect Race Alternative to a Beginner Triathlon!

Sunday, September 13th 2015

Lake Welch Beach, Harriman State Park, NY

10:00 am race start

The 1-kilometer freshwater swim at the Self-Transcendence Swim-Run, taking place in Lake Welch Beach, is the perfect place to train for outdoor swimming competitions, minus the potential currents and choppy waves of an ocean swim.

Kalyanika and boy running_2.jpg

The race also boasts the ideal environment in which to experiment with multi-sport transitions, from swimming to running. An ideal introduction to the triathlon, minus the cycling component!

For additional information about pricing, registration, and directions, please visit us at:

We look forward to seeing you there!

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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 book contains firsthand experience of healthy and holistic nutrition at the world longest annual Self-Transcendence 3100 mile race. It is aimed at everyone who seeks to lead an active and healthy life and to fully unfold one’s potential. First edition of the book was printed out in Ukraine in 2010.

Author is the first runner from the Post-Soviet Countries who finished the world longest certified "Self-Transcendence 3100 mile race", organized by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in New-York. Best time of the 7 finishes is 48 days 12 hours 42 minutes and 46 seconds (103 km/day - 2009). For more than 22 years he has been practicing meditation under the guidance of Sri Chinmoy. Living and working in Ukraine, he combines his spiritual life with his family, his writing, his sports and he also leads the Esoteric Project Management training course.

To order on Amazon...

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About the author:

“Cooking For The 6 and 10 Day Races, 2013” by Nipura

(or, “My cooking secrets revealed”)

Most of the time the days were cold and crisp. Great running weather and also meaning that the runners needed a lot of food.

We were a great team made up from several different countries. The menu was made up from as far north as Russia, Germany and Poland, to as far south as Australia and New Zealand – a Global menu for a global race.

Day+5+Day+1+-166.JPG On day 1 we started with a whole variety of snacks from hummus on rice cakes, to soy bacon and cheese toasties. We had a standard miso-tofu-vegetarian soup which changed daily depending on what we had handy and also another vegetable soup – sometimes borscht, lentil and vegetable of Thai carrot and ginger, to mention a few.

The meals were varied, as the runners not only needed carbohydrates and protein but also fresh, raw salads, smoothies and fruit. For instance we had on day 3 for lunch baked black bean and soy sausage with quinoa and kasha with a spinach, carrot cucumber and fresh mint salad. For dinner we had a seasoned tofu and assorted vegetable stir-fry served with soba noddles and an Asian cabbage slaw.

Breakfasts were amazing! Served every morning at 6 am, it consisted of scrambled eggs, soy sausages, cooked oats and either pancakes or French toast – yum!

Don’t worry though – I have left the best until last, dessert. Well it would start at about 10 am and go until the early hours of the next morning. Desserts included divine tripple chocolate brownies, quinoa and coconut puddings, cakes, peach upside down cakes and Maria’s delectable apple strudel.

Day+5+Day+1+-165.JPG Everyday was a myriad of all sorts of different ingredients – what to cook, how to make sure everything would be welcomed by the runners, making sure that everyone remained kind to each other (as everyone did with flying colors) and also to have lots of laughs, as we all did! Wow, what an amazing event this was, all thanks to our teacher Sri Chinmoy’s vision and grace. Gratitude. Gratitude. Gratitude.

Here are a few of the recipes we used this year for the race:

Brown rice and black bean patties served with a fresh tomato sauce:

Patties for home

2-3 cups of brown rice, cooked

1x444 ml can of cooked black beans

1 onion, finally chopped

½ cup chopped fresh coriander, including stalks but not roots

½ tsp. ground cumin and paprika

½ cup gated cheese

1 egg, cracked open and beaten

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil.jpg olive oil for sautéing

oil spray for oven pad

For race

64 cups of cooked brown rice

2x2400 ml cans cooked black beans

10 large onions, finally chopped

6 cups chopped fresh coriander, concluding stalks but not roots

3 tbs. ground cumin and paprika

12 cups grated cheese

15 eggs, cracked open and beaten

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil for sautéing

oil spray for oven pads

funny veges.png Start by sautéing onions until golden and adding cumin and paprika. Cool until fragrant and then switch off. Add fresh coriander. In a bowl mix cooked rice and drained black beans, adding onions, spice mix, cheese and eggs, adding seasoning to taste. Mix until gloopy and then spray oven tray and form mix into patties. Place side by side on oven tray and then spray. Flip over and bake 10 – 15 minutes more. Serve with fresh tomato sauce.

Fresh Tomato Sauce.

For Home

4 or 5 tomatoes

1 stalk spring onion

1 jar good quality pasta sauce

1 tsp. dried basil

salt and pepper

olive oil

For Race

4 kg tomatoes

3 bunches spring onion

6 jars good quality pasta sauce

2 tbsp. dried basil

salt and pepper

olive oil

In a saucepan or pot, sauté both tomatoes and spring onion. Add pasta sauce and basil. Bring to a boil and then simmer. Cook until there is a nice thick texture, stirring regularly. Season to taste and serve.

Thai Carrot and Ginger Soup

For Home

1 lb. carrots, peeled and grated

1 large sweet potato

1 inch of root ginger, peeled and chopped

2 stalks spring onions

½ tsp. ginger powder

½ gallon good vegetable stock

½ cup coconut cream

salt and pepper to taste

cooking oil to sauté vegetables

For Race

1 tbsp. ginger powder

2-3 gallons good vegetable stock

2 cans (444 ml) coconut cream

salt and pepper to taste

cooking oil to sauté vegetables

In soup pot sauté carrots, spring onions, ginger root and ginger powder in cooking oil. Once vegetable mix is soft and smelling fragrant, pour in stock, bring to boil and then simmer. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes until soft. Add coconut cream and seasonings. Stir until mixed and then turn off. Cool slightly and then blend until smooth. Reheat, check flavor and serve.

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About the author:

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About the author:

Every April an invitational marathon is held only for members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team who have run faster than Sri Chinmoy's fastest marathon time of 3:55:07 and, within the past 5 years.

ckg LI marathon.jpg Sri Chinmoy loved the challenge of the marathon distance and in fact completed 22 marathons in a period from March 1979 through February 1983. In deference to his fastest marathon time of 3:55:07 (ran on March 25, 1979 in the Heart-Watchers Marathon in Toledo, OH), every April an invitational marathon is held only for members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team who have ran faster than 3:55:07 and within the past 5 years. This will be the 6th Annual Self Transcendence Invitational Marathon, held at Flushing Meadow Corona Park and will start at 9 a.m.

Enjoy Cristian's slideshow of this year's race...

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A moment of silence before the start of the race. Photo: Cristian

The 2013 Self-Transcendence Invitational Marathon

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About the author:

Willis, Christopher. "On My Bookshelf: Running Around the Block." Ultrarunning, May/June 2013.

BEYOND THE MARATHON; INSIGHTS INTO THE LONGEST FOOT RACE IN THE WORLD. By Grahak Cunningham. Available for $5.99 from www.grahakcunningham.com.

The Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race was founded in 1997 by running guru Sri Chinmoy to exemplify the endless possibilities of the human spirit. It is held on a concrete footpath around an883 metre (roughly half-mile) block in Queens, New York. To complete the distance, runners are given 18 hours a day, from 6:00 am to midnight, for 51 days, to run a minimum of 60 miles a day. This involves circumnavigating the block 55,649 times. Over the duration of the race, many runners wear out 15 pairs of shoes, and their feet swell an extra two sizes. In a New York summer, temperatures reach 100 degrees with 85 percent humidity. Competitors must contend with the usual pitfalls of ultra’s - boredom, fatigue, torrential deluges, extreme pain, injuries and sleep deprivation - but because the 3100 lasts for days on end, the runners mainly have to deal with themselves.

While there is a documentary – Spirit of a Runner, by talented filmmaker Jessie Beers-Altman - on the 3100 Mile race’s most seasoned performer, 13-time finisher American Suprabha Bjeckford (Beers-Altman has kindly made the documentary freely available at 3100.srichinmoyraces.org) and the odd smattering of articles in New York newspapers, not much has been written about the race. In fact not many people have heard about it. Perhaps this is because of the small field that author/runner Grahak Cunningham talks about, or that no prize money is involved, or the fact that race directors don’t accept commercial sponsorship, or the entire massive effort of counting laps and cooking for the runners is conducted only by volunteers.

Grahak is a friend whom I have seen grow from an everyday fun runner to a four-time finisher of the world’s longest race. He first did the race when he was just 30 years old and his book is the first real account by any runner to explain their reasons and inspirations for doing it.

In the first few chapters, Grahak takes us through his rookie race, training for it, thinking about it, being consumed by it. And why not? He made the massive jump from a handful of marathons and a couple of 50-milers to a terrifying 3,100 miles on a cement path, all with a bit of determination and the faith that he deserved to be out there. Without any multi-day experience, however, he paid the price for not going through the usual rites of passage from 24-hour to six- and ten-day events and predictably gets into some serious physical difficulties.

‘All I could do was run five laps at a stretch then collapse in the medical van. Crying and feeling hopeless,’ he shares, with 47 days remaining. ‘I would catch my breath and cool off. Then I would get up and repeat the process… I wasn’t last but I was heading that way.’ But Grahak carries on happily anyway closer and closer toward the finish.

Why do any of us run ultras? It can be painful, expensive, uncomfortable and cause injuries. Grahak has the same doubts, ‘You’re probably wondering why I would choose to run 3,100 miles around a city block on a surface of solid cement that’s six inches thick. Believe me, I have the same thought every time I compete, yet something keeps drawing me back.’

The book explores the qualities that it takes to push yourself way beyond marathons. Grahak says he does it to make progress and overcome the perceived limits we have on life. Ultimately, it is a spiritual journey and the book explores the connection between running and meditation the ultimately drew him to the race founder Chinmoy who inspired him to use sport as a vehicle for self-change.

Chinmoy was an ultrarunnner himself and loved the sport. ‘Spiritual people often like running because it reminds them of their inner journey,’ he said. ‘The outer running reminds them that a higher, deeper, more illuming and more fulfilling goal is ahead of them in the inner world, and for that reason running gives them real joy.’

It’s one of many quotes from the race founder dispensed throughout the book and most would be pretty handy pick-me-ups to read in any running event where we are battling out our inner demons. ‘The success-road is paved with patience and perseverance,’ is a good example.

Also dispensed through the book are Grahak’s training and nutrition tips and, although they occasionally interrupt a good yarn or anecdote, most runners can learn something new – I didn’t’ know cabbage leaves were a good treatment for shin splints for instance, or that licorice cold help a stirred-up stomach.

The 2012 winner, Grahak, finally stops. Photo: Maral.

Grahak somehow finishes his first race in 50 days, just hours before the cut-off time and comes in sixth. Fine, you would think, he can tick that one off the to-do list and relax. Wrong. He goes back another three times and each time gets faster and stronger, the rest of the book touches on the 2008 and 2009 races, where he finished second and third respectively. He then goes into his victories 2012 race in more detail and some of he characters that are intrepid enough to travel this immense distance year in and year out.

Grahak ended up wining in 2012, becoming the third-fastest runner in the event’s 15-year history, averaging over 71 miles a day for 43 days. Overall, if you are looking for a unique book on a unique event that touches on the spiritual dimension of our chosen sport, you will enjoy this book.

Christopher Willis is an Australian web designer and ultrarunnner currently recovering from foot injury. When he starts running again, he is not planning on ever entering the 3100 Mile Race.

Reprinted with permission of the publisher.

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The last few seconds!

Wow, look at those trophies?

The Morning of the Last Day!

Friday, April 26: One More Day!

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Friday, April 26: One More Day!

Wednesday Morning, April 25

April 24: Morning at the Counting Area

Wednesday Morning, April 25: Goodbye to the Cold Weather

April 24: Morning at the Counting Area

The Dugout Area of the Camp

Tuesday, April 23: Inside the Runner's Kitchen

Day 2 of the Six day race

3am at the race

First day

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Notes and Observations from the Race Course- by Arpan De Angelo

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Yesterday it was quite chilly but the cold winds died down compared to the weekend. When the sun comes out and the wind dies down it is more comfortable for the runners and they can spend more energy running without having to struggle keeping warm. Also the general lack of rain this year has been a blessing for the runners as rain can make life a bit miserable and more challenging out on the open and exposed race course.

Working in the medical tent can be an eye opener into the lives of the runners. The problems and the joys of running most of the day and night are revealed more readily when the runners are resting or being treated in the comfort and warmth of the medical tent. Some of my stories will be derived from excerpts of runners’ comments as they are resting or being treated in the medical tent.

When I have time I also try to do a few laps with some of the runners to keep them company and let them express themselves a bit about their experiences. It may get a bit lonely out there for some of the runners although most seem quite content going around on their own most of the time. But when they do have someone to talk to some of the runners offer interesting words of wisdom as they freely offer tales of their experiences here.

One person who is quite fluent in expressing himself about his race experiences here is our great friend and runner Mark Dorion. He is an American runner from El Paso, Texas who comes here every year to run or to help with the Ten Day Race. He has run and raced at all distances for over three decades and has run in many of our SCMT races over that time span as well. (Photo by Prabhakar).

As a ‘senior’ runner who has slowed down quite a bit since his speedy days of yore, Mark still embodies the enthusiasm and energy of a dedicated runner who understands and manifests the principle of self-transcendence.

Having had serious operations and procedures on his foot in the past few years Mark has to struggle with keeping pace to stay in a race as long as this one. He is doing the Ten Day race as a personal challenge to keep in shape and stay in the racing spirit even though he has had to walk most of the time this year.

While walking with me for a few laps Mark has offered some brilliant observations about the course here. One of the things that one usually does not see on the race reports is the activity of animal life in and around the course as the runners spend most of their days and nights going around the one mile loop in this large park in the middle of Queens, New York City.

Mark was telling me about the animals that he has observed ‘sharing’ the park with all of the runners. Some of them are more common than others and are expected to be seen in a park like this. Squirrels, raccoons, ducks, dogs and all kinds of birds are plentiful here this time of year. Other unexpected animals that have been spotted are skunks, porcupines, muskrats and rats. It could be quite shocking for a runner, especially at night, to encounter one of these more unusual animals. But since the animals are used to seeing people and are foraging for the leftover food from picnickers, etc., they just go about their own business usually unafraid and non-threatening if they not provoked by people.

Mark also related that he sees more animals in this park than when running on trails out West. He said, “In a trail race people are making noise as they are running and they just focus on the trail as the animals hide in the bushes trying to avoid them. Here in the park they are all out because they go for the trash and the muskrats go back and forth to the lake.”

John Geesler also offered an observation on the movement of the animals here. John is one of the Six Day runners who have won the Six Day race here a few years ago. He also was the American record holder of the 48 Hour Race until a year ago when Phil McCarthy, another runner in this year’s Six Day Race broke his American record. (Photo: Prabhakar).

John was saying that this is a flyway at this time of year and the birds heading north see this giant greenbelt and they come down to the lake. Cardinals, robins, geese, ducks and other birds come here a lot especially this time of year to share the park with these human beings who play games here as well as those who are ‘strangely’ circling around and around a one mile loop in this beautiful setting.

I would like to end with a few personal observations about Monday, April 22 here a the park, which was the end of the fifth day and beginning of the sixth day for the Ten Day runners and the end of the first day and beginning of the second day for the Six Day runners.

Sunday’s start was sunny but chilly for the Six Day runners. A whole day and night have gone by and this new group of runners have begun to tire and slow down from their faster and more energetic pace of the first few hours. Most of the Ten Day runners who have been on the course four more days than the newer runners have gotten used to the slower pace and the more frequent intervals of rest breaks and medical stopovers.

The medical tent is a great place for some runners to get out of the cold or wind or rain, although today it was not raining nor was it as windy as it had been a few days ago. It is more comfortable there than in most of the tents or dormitory facilities, so it is a place where runners get a quick break, a massage and check the status of their feet, legs, etc.

Working in the tent allows me and others who help the runners to get a really good feel for what is happening in the race. Although I have run this and other multiday races a number of times, it is more revealing to see what others are going through by working in the medical tent and spending time with each runner.

Today I spent nine hours there off and on as I would also accompany some of the runners around the course for a lap as well to see how they are doing. In that time span I, as well as other masseurs, doctors, chiropractors, etc. had seen many runners. Most of the runners so far do not have any serious problems or injuries or else they would not be allowed to stay in the race. Only one person had to drop out due to health problems. But there are always minor aches and pains and slight injuries that should be dealt with as they keep on schedule to cover as many miles as they can.

Most of the problems are muscle soreness and things such as blisters, tightness, tiredness and other temporary discomforts. Sometimes we may have to deal with a few mental problems such as lack of motivation, but in general the runners all seem to really want to enjoy the race.

As time goes on in both races now the frequency of runners stopping into medical is increasing. Yet all the runners seem in good spirits and are excited about getting back out on the course and moving forward towards their goals.

I will offer more accounts and observations from ‘medical’ as the race proceeds.

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List of Runners as of March 30, 2013. Total runners in 6 & 10 Day Races is 78. The maximum numer of participants is 80.)

Six-Day Runners: Men (30)

1.	Lynn	Dharbhasana	35	Auckland, New Zealand
2.	Lebedyev	Stutisheel	42	Kiev, Ukraine
3.	Oberkehr	Bob	58	Northvale, NJ, USA
4.	Reisecker	Priyavadin	43	Salzburg, Austria
5.	Rios	Luis	65	Brooklyn, NY, USA
6.	Saraz	Baladev	37	Bratislava, Slovakia
7.	Ward	Ken	55	Corvallis, OR, USA
8.	Collinson	Rasmivan	44	Bristol, UK
9.	Hanes	Steve	56	Westfield, PA USA
10.	Ionov	Syona	42	Kiev, Ukraine
11.	Vasilchenko	Mikhail	47	Omsk, Russia
12.	Brenio	Sergei	37	Simferopol, Ukraine
13.	Lebedev	Sergei	36	Kaliningrad, Russia
14.	Khuzhin	Rinat	53	Chelyabinsk, Russia
15.	Konstantin	Rybin	39	Perm, Russia
16.	Gaspar	Pedro	41	Coimbra, Portugal
17.	Hlac	Peter	41	Cecejovce, Slovakia
18.	Griboh	Dennis	20	Diehireh, Luxemburg
19.	McCarthy	Philip	44	New York, NY, USA
20.	Swenson	Alex	48	Vashon, WA, USA
21.	Stringer	Pete	71	Osterville, MA, USA
22.	Wilson	Salil	48	Jamaica, NY, USA
23.	Komelkov	Sersei	53	Chelyabinsk, Russia
24.	Fountain	Daulot	56	Seattle, WA, USA
25.	Zincarini	Sandro	27	Porto Sant Elpidio, Italy
26.	Martel	Roger	56	Wickham, Quebec, Canada
27.	Limbu	Kumar	39	Flushing, NY (Nepal)
28.	Jakelaitis	Rimas	58	Brooklyn, NY (Lith.)
29.	Gessler	John	54	Johnsonville, NY
30	Winkley	Don	75	Corpus Christi, Texas

Six-Day Runners: Women (19)

1.	Cunningham	Dipali	54	Jamaica, NY, USA
2.	Abramovskikh	Jayasalini	32	Moscow, Russia
3.	Kuchkarova	Elena	42	Moscow, Russia
4.	Stebneva	Mattali	56	St. Petersburg, Russia
5.	Morison	Karnayati	66	Ottawa, ON, Canada
6.	Pustogowa	Suparna	49	Munich, Germany
7.	Zub	Ratuja	35	Minsk, Belarus
8.	Khisamoutdinova	Pratishruti	69	Smolensk, Russia
9.	Scheucher	Sumeru	53	Graz, Austria
10.	Gaile	Gundega	36	Riga, Latvia
11.	Manecke	Tejini	25	Burgsball, Germany
12.	Ketova	Yulia	23	Perm, Russia
13.	Eliseeva	Anna	49	Perm, Russia
14.	Psyukalova	Larisa	51	Chelyabinsk, Russia
15.	Makowka	Punita	53	Geneva, Switzerland
16.	Kamalan	Subala	28	Brisbane, Qld, Australia
17.	Boisvert	Sylvie	50	Quebec, Canada
18.	Gundega	Gaile	36	Riga, Latvia
19	Jevdokimova	Litaf	57	Kerava, Finland

Ten-Day Runners: Men (21)

	Last Name	First Name	Age	City/Country
1.	Fryer	Martin	51	Weston, ACT Australia
2.	Puntigam	Smarana	40	Vienna, Austria
3.	Hlushchuk	Volodymyr	52	Vintsa, Ukraine
4.	Muckenhumer	Usika	45	Salzburg, Austria
5.	Kharko	Oleksandr	49	Kiev, Ukraine
6.	Andreev	Andrey	47	St. Petersburg, Russia
7.	Somov	Andrei	33	St. Petersburg, Russia
8 .	Tolstopyatenko	Upakaraka	45	Moscow, Russia
9.	Davis III	Frederick	65	Cleveland, Ohia USA
10.	Strohn	Sumahat	32	Burghausen, Germany
11.	Carvalho	Prabala	45	Saint-Cyr-L'ecole, France
12.	Dodonu	Teekshanam	37	Geneva, Switzerland
13.	Pliva	Ales	35	Prague, Czech Republic
14.	Komak	Padyatra	38	Stupava, Slovakia
15.	Khachaturov	Andrey	50	Dubna, Russia
16.	Kuzmin	Sergey	40	Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
17.	Cordeiro	Patanga	29	Sao Paolo, Brazil
18.	Magee	Nirbhasa	34	Dublin, Ireland
19.	Gouin	Michel	52	Drummondville, Quebec, Canada
20.	Dorion	Mark	53	El Paso, Texas, USA
21.	Caslava	Chakradhara	38	Zlin, Czech Republic
	Ten-Day Runners:	Women (15)
1.	Janakova	Kaneenika	43	Slovakia
2.	Nemcova	Ilvaka	32	Prague, Czech Republic
3.	Kareva	Elena	37	Volgograd, Russia
4.	Achenback-Konig	Shamita	48	Vienna, Austria
5.	Funk	Vasuprada	32	Rosenheim, Germany
6.	Plyavinskaya	Yashasvati	47	St. Petersburg, Russia
7.	File	Niribili	67	Auckland, New Zealand
8.	Ibinova	Pati	48	Irkutsk, Russia
9.	Schmidt	Sara	33	Den Haag, The Netherlands
10.	Khimchinskaia	Anna	35	Moscow, Russia
11.	Egger	Bigalita	72	Culver City, CA USA
12.	Voelckner	Tirtha	41	Munich, Germany
13.	Freier	Gudrun	41	Tubingen, Germany
14.	Muhs	Giribhu	42	Berlin, Germany
15.	Docziova	Vinati	35	Kosice, Slovakia

From the 2013 Six and Ten-Day Brochure:

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6 and 10 Day-Tales From Medical and Other Comments

I usually arrive at the Six and Ten-Day races around 5:00 pm after the runners have spent a full morning and afternoon of running/walking/eating/resting since I last saw them. When I leave to go home around 1:00 a.m. after offering massages to the men who are about to go to bed for the night there are very few runners or helpers out on the race course. Most of those late-nighters are usually walking or running quite slowly. The contrast in the energy and excitement on the course between those two times is quite remarkable.

The runners have had mostly sunny days in this race. When there were clouds covering the sky most of the time it did not rain as in past years. So having a relatively dry race is one boon that the runners can really appreciate and feel grateful for. The nights do get very cold though, and sometimes it is very windy. This can make running and walking quite uncomfortable and difficult, especially near the lake, which offers no protection from the cold, harsh winds.

Coming into the medical tent after a full day and long evening on their feet as they struggle with the weather, tiredness and their own bodies’ limitations and aches and pains, some of the runners feel a great relief and joy. Besides the fact that the medical tent is usually the warmest place on the racecourse, they know they will be cared for as they lie down in a protected and comfortable environment.

I have been working off and on in medical tents at our multiday races since they began in 1985. When I say ‘off and on’ I mean that I have also run in these races so I have developed a good appreciation of the medical tent from the runner’s perspective.

Although I am not a certified masseur, doctor or chiropractor, I have been doing massages for over forty years and have also learned how to treat certain running ailments and health problems related to running.

One of the most important things to observe when a very tired and sore runner comes into the tent is how they are walking, breathing, talking and if they seem faint or disoriented. Most of the time they just come in to lie down, get a massage or take care of blisters.

Lately though I have also been treating some inflamed muscles and tendons such as shin splints and Achilles problems.

In normal day to day life if a runner would have some of these problems you would tell them to stop running for a few days or weeks until they healed. In most cases in this race if the injury is not too serious we will take care of the problem enough so they can at least keep walking. Some of them eventually do start running again after some time.

One night the medical tent was really busy with ‘patients’ and three and sometimes four of us were taking care of them as they came in and out in a steady stream for hours. Dr. Sakhshat Flowers, a good friend, member of the SCMT and an M.D. with his own practice and clinic in New Jersey, was in the tent diagnosing problems and helping to treat the more acute ones. He had a special laser device to facilitate tissue healing and circulation and whatever else it does. The rest of us who were ‘less technical’ did our usual massages, taping, blister treatments, etc.

One runner from Germany had a very inflamed shin splint. Dr. Sakshat worked on it with the laser and then I massaged it to drain out some of the fluid or lymph, which naturally rushes to an injury to help promote healing in that area. I also iced it and taped it to support it when he walks, but at this point it was very late and we just wanted him to elevate it and rest it.

He had been resting for a few hours lying down and finally needed to get up and go to sleep in his own tent. As he sat up he turned white and started to faint and we then took care of that somewhat scary condition by elevating his legs and lowering his head. We gave him some water to drink when we saw that he was not unconscious and after checking his temperature, pulse, etc. let him rest some more. By then it was 1:30 a.m. and I had to leave so we made sure he drank water regularly and had someone check up on him regularly. One has to be very careful of dehydration when involved in so much physical exercise even after stopping.

The next day when I came back in the late afternoon I knew that he was all right. I saw him walking quite briskly looking very energetic and strong. He had walked over a marathon that day already and was looking forward to running into the night. I did get to see him again in the medical tent later that evening and worked on his shin splint once more. After a short rest he was out on the course again moving quite well.

This kind of story is similar to many of the multiday runners who are strong enough to endure these kinds of physical and mental challenges. Of course those with more ultra marathon experiences as well as those who have trained properly will not experience problems that are debilitating and can rebound from their ailments quickly. Some runners’ problems may become too intense or severe so they are first recommended to take longer rests and then to drop out of the race if it is too serious and a risk to their health and well-being.

Surprisingly of the 82 or so runners who started both races only two that I know of had to leave the race due to health or injury problems. With less than two days to go until the end of the race most of the runners have adapted to the aches and pains of these challenge and are quite happy as they overcome each obstacle. Outwardly they make look tired and not be smiling all of the time, but there is a certain and real contentment inside the runners who are able to endure until the end. This becomes more obvious as the goal fast approaches.

Surprisingly some of the runners are now actually getting stronger. This amazing phenomenon occurs in races as long as these when the body seems to adapt quickly after the initial shock of the long days of movement on their feet. The runners who do not adapt and just have to struggle with their weaknesses are usually those with less experience, background and training. But their achievements, as well as those who have had to stop altogether before the end of the race, never goes unrewarded.

The heroic attempts of all of the runners who make it to the starting line are greatly appreciated by others. Their own efforts, whatever the result, will make them stronger not only as runners but also as individuals who wholeheartedly devote themselves to a worthy goal and strive with all of their effort to achieve those goals, whether they fall short sometimes or not.

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Carl Lewis (l) and Sri Chinmoy. Lewis is holding the Peace Run Torch, symbol of a global torch relay that seeks to promote harmony amongst people from all backgrounds.

"Carl Lewis Gives Autographed World Record Shoes to Sri Chinmoy." The North/West Facts (the northwest's largest African-American owned publication). September 11, 1991.

Carl Lewis sent his world record shoes to Sri Chinmoy, mentor and friend, for the peace leader's 60th birthday in New York. Lewis had broken the 100-meter world record before 75,000 spectators at he world Championship Games in Tokyo on August 25th. Lewis' record time of 9.86 beat former world record holder and teammate Leroy Burrell, who finished second in 9.88.

Carl Lewis autographed the shoes with '9.86' and thanked Sri Chinmoy on television for his help in winning the world record. Sri Chinmoy, who is known for his peace meditations, the arts and athletics, has advised Lewis on many occasions (as mentioned in Carl Lewis's book 'Inside Track') the peace leader talked with the track superstar by phone just before the meet and told Carl that now was the time to break the world record in Japan, the country that Lewis loves so dearly.

Before the Games, Carl performed Sri Chinmoy's theme song titled 'World Championships,' on Japanese television. Lewis will be present at a special awards dinner in New York on September 11 celebrating Sri Chinmoy's 60th birthday. The track star has been in Seattle on two occasions recently and met with local members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.

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Photos: (l to r) Martin Bentz, Allan Steinfeld, Sri Chinmoy and Fred Lebow

"Lewis and Chinmoy open New York Games." The Indiana Runner. September 1990.

"Carl Lewis sang the National Anthem and Sri Chinmoy offered a Moment of Peace to open the New York Road Runners Club's New York Games, Sunday, July 29th, at Columbia's Wein Stadium.

Lewis's pride and love for America were demonstrated in his heroic sports efforts and soulful song. Close friend and advisor, Sri Chinmoy, stood by Lewis's side as thousands of spectators and athletes gratefully listened to Lewis's rendition of America's Anthem...

The New York Games, the only track and field event of this sort in New York, are aptly organized by Fred Lebow and the New York Road Runners Club. To honor Lebow and his organization, Sri Chinmoy dedicated a song to the New York Games, also performed on the sports field at the meet's finale."

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In 1976, a group of Sri Chinmoy's students participated in a 50 state relay to celebrate the ideals on which America was founded. Here are some extracts from the brochure for that initiative, along with some media coverage the event garnered:

"A Bicentennial Offering:

Non-stop, Round-the-clock, Relay Run Through All 50 States
27 Runners
8,800 Miles
46 Days
Carrying a Flaming Torch to Symbolize the Rekindling of Spiritual Values and Human Ideals Upon Which (our) Country Was Founded

"We are a group of young men who share a deep love and concern for America. We see the American Bicentennial as the symbol of a new dawn and a timely inspiration for all Americans to rededicate themselves to the deeper spiritual values and human ideals upon which our country was founded. Further, we see our nation as having tremendous opportunity and responsibility in the coming years to inspire goodness, truth and self-sacrifice in the hearts of all mankind.

liberty torch brochure 1.jpg "Thus, it is to draw attention to these spiritual ideals imparted to us by our founding fathers two-hundred years ago that we have undertaken this run.

"In January, members of Liberty Torch ran a 360 mile, non-stop relay from New York through Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. They carried a flaming torch and passed many of the historical and Revolutionary landmarks along the way. The closing ceremony was held at the Washington Monument where the runners were officially received by Casey Conrad, the President's Advisor on Physical Fitness. Mr. Conrad read a letter from President Ford commending the Liberty Torch runners for the part they were playing in laying the cornerstone of America's third century."

Burghardt, Dee. "They Carried A Torch For Their Country's Greatness." The New Haven Register. Monday, November 29, 1976.

When the heartbeat of a country is touched anything can happen.

The heartbeat of America was touched this summer and it pumped new life into many people. Mayors in small towns got up in the wee morning hours to prepare huge breakfasts, editors almost missed deadlines, CBers thought they were going nuts and hundreds of people in the nation got up and ran. And while some simply stood and wept with happiness, other tried to give money away.

Valerio, Joseph. "Carrying a Torch for America's Values." New York Post. August 17, 1976.

...After 51 days, after logging 8800 miles through all 50 states with the torch constantly moving through the countryside, the Liberty Torch Run had ended in a blaze of glory.

'This is a year in which it seems as though everybody is running...for something,' Mayor Beame told a hundred flag-wavers and white-collar workers. 'They did it as a way of celebrating our country's 200 years of expanding freedom. They wanted to show how America's spiritual values have been rekindled.'

No Politician ever spoke truer words...in any election year. This was the perfect footnote to America's bicentennial Celebration...

"Liberty Torch Troupe Back After a Long Run." The New York Times. Tuesday, August 27, 1976.

'Look at them coming down the street, aren't they wonderful?' said a deeply tanned Mayor Beame, who proclaimed yesterday 'Liberty Torch Day.'

The Sedan Times-Star (Kansas). Wednesday, July 14, 1976.

There are times when we all doubt. We doubt the future, we doubt our abilities, we doubt if the bicentennial means anything, we doubt our leaders, and so on and on.

But a society that produces young men - 22 to 36 - who dream up a thing like Liberty Torch, and then set out to carry it out with money from their own pockets, has to have some good in it - very much good in it for that matter...

But as long as there are people like those who are relaying the Liberty Torch on foot through the 48 states, and by air to Alaska and Hawaii, on their own because it seems to be a good idea in a Bicentennial year, we think things are going to continue to go on for a long, long time.