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.

Isinbayeva breaks pole vault world record

Russian Yelena Isinbayeva set a new world record in the women's pole vault and Marion Jones was the runner-up in the women's long jump Sunday at the IAAF Norwich Union Grand Prix meet in Gateshead, England.

Isinbayeva cleared 4.87 meters/15 feet, 11.75 inches to better her previous world record of 4.86m/15-11.25 set in March in Budapest, Hungary. At the 2003 meet at Gateshead, Isinbayeva set the then world record with a clearance of 4.82m/15-9.75.

Jones placed second in the long jump with a best effort of 6.77 meters/22 feet, 2.50 inches. Reigning world indoor champion Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia won with a jump of 6.87m/22-6.50.

For more information on the 2004 IAAF Norwich Union Grand Prix, including the complete results, visit www.iaaf.org.

Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team articles - more articles

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.

Suprabha Beckjord (b. 1956, Washington D.C. US) one of the most prolific multi-day distance runners in the world. Between 1997 and 2009, Suprabha completed 13 consecutive editions of the Sri Chinmoy 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race. In 1998 she set her fastest time for the distance of 49 days 14:30:54.

Suprabha only began running in the mid 1980s. In 1986, she completed her first multi-day event - a 200 mile race, where she finished as first woman. She then progressed to longer multi-day events, including five day races, seven day races and then the Sri Chinmoy 700, 1000 and 1300 mile races. She finished the 1300 mile race four times (1991-94)

In 1996, Suprabha was one of six people who entered the Sri Chinmoy 2700 Mile Race, setting new records from 1300 miles to 2700 miles. In 1997, she was one of five people who entered the inaugural 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race. Suprabha was 2nd in a time of 50 days + 02:09:56.

Between 1997 and 2009, she completed 13 consecutive editions of the Sri Chinmoy 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race. A total distance of 40,300 miles in 13 years. (The circumference of the earth is 24,901 miles)

Suprabha Beckjord at finish of 2009 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race

Suprabha owns a gift shop "Transcendence-Perfection-Bliss of the Beyond" in Washington, DC. and has been a disciple of Sri Chinmoy for many years.

Spirit of a Runner

A documentary video about Suprabha's efforts to finish the 2008 edition of the race. View bottom of home page for 3100 Mile Race

Quotes

Question: Is finishing this distance a case of mind over matter?

Suprabha B: Not so much the mind as the heart. The mind is so boggled with just the idea of that distance. The mind says you’re tired. I have to go beyond the mind and run this race with my heart, which is full of eagerness and joy. It’s a pilgrimage. I always go inside and meditate. You have to be aware of your surroundings of course, but for me, and for a lot of people, running is a way to quiet your mind a bit, and to feel happy just to be outside. To be outside all summer like that, from 6 a.m. to midnight sometimes, is a special thing.

''I know I can't do this race on my outer strength alone, so I have to draw on my inner strength.'' (Running on Inner Strength at NY Times)

""I get a thrill from being out here, It's a [dream] to be able to achieve a very long distance. It's something we can only accomplish with determination and willpower," (NY Daily News)

Further links

Interview with Suprabha (video)

External links

D C Runner completes longest race - interview
Washingtonian completes 3100 mile race - Washington Post
Suprabha Beckjord at Multidays

View full article »

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.

The New York Times recently published an article touting a runner "as one of the country’s top female ultramarathoners". Kudos to the runner highlighted. However, the Times writer, while defining ultrarunning as any distance beyond the marathon (which I have no qualms with), failed to examine distances beyond the many races that were highlighted in the article. Ultrarunning beyond the 50 mile and 100 mile trail races has a long and storied history dating back to at least the pedestrian races in the 19th century. See Harper's Magazine article by Sam Shaw "Run Like Fire Once More" for a bigger history of multi day racing.

If multiday races were included, then surely Dipali Cunningham would be up there as one of the all-time greats. Here is a brief resume from a career spanning from 1991 to 2015:

36 multiday races
30 first place finishes
12 times overall wins (i.e beating all the men in the race!)
3 world records (6 day race) :
1998 504 miles
2001 510 miles
2009 (best) over 50 years old 513 miles
2014 American US age group record 55-59 475 miles
3rd place in world for 700 miles (women)
4th place in world 1,000 miles (women)
33 Australian National records (24 hours to 1,000 miles)