The Self Transcendence Race of 10 million Steps

Run and Become. Become and Run.
Run to succeed in the outer world.
Become to proceed in the inner world.
~ Sri Chinmoy ~

It is a 51-day ultra-running event and the world's longest foot race known as the Self Transcendence race.  Instead of going 3,100 miles from New York to Los Angeles, the participants circle one city block in Queens -- for 2 months straight. The athletes wear out more than 12 pairs of shoes, run more than 2 marathons daily (60 miles or 97 km) and circle the same block more than 5000 times. All but one of this year's runners are foreigners who left their jobs as postal workers, gardeners and factory workers. They eat on the run. They talk on the run. They use a port-a-potty. In the heat and rain of a New York summer, they stop for virtually nothing except to sleep between midnight and 6 a.m.

Those in the race run under the motto "Run and Become. Become and Run." And the grand prize? The winner of the Sri Chinmoy's 10th annual Self-Transcendence race gets a t-shirt and a plastic trophy. Fifty year old Suprabha Beckjord is the only person to have finished the race every year; She notes, "Something inside my soul just loves it. It's like running on love."

And this year the results came in earlier and better than expected.

50 year old Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk from Germany has set a new record for the Self-Transcendence 3100 mile race by finishing in the phenomenal time of 41 days+08:16:29 and taking off 29 hours, seven minutes, and 34 seconds of his previous record. Asprihanal Aalto finished second and Srdjan Stojanovich, last years winner clinched third place in 44 days.

About The 3100 Mile Race
by Atulya Berube
http://www.srichinmoyraces.org/3100/about3100

In this grand test of endurance and survival, a small group of athletes attempt to negotiate  5649 laps of a .5488 of a mile course (883 meters) in the time-span of 51 days - an amazing challenge. This is the longest certified footrace in the world; runners must average 60.7 miles per day to finish within the 51-day limit. The serious athlete must have tremendous courage, physical stamina, concentration and the capacity to endure fatigue, boredom and injuries.

The predecessor of this very race was the 2700 Mile Race (held in 1996), in which five intrepid runners finished the distance well within the 47-day time limit. In 1997, Sri Chinmoy, race founder, upped the distance to 3100 miles. Two runners finished the inaugural 3100 Mile race in less than 51 days, showing that athletes indeed believed in self-transcendence. Last year nine finished 3100 miles out of 12 starters!

The cornerstone of Sri Chinmoy's philosophy is the expression of self-transcendence - going beyond personal limits and reaching new levels of inner and outer perfection. Whether it be in the athletic world or any endeavor, for someone to transcend his previous achievements is inner progress and an expression of a new determination, which can only bring us closer to our destined goal - real fulfillment.

Meet 3 of the Race’s most notable participants – the record breaker & winner Madhupran from Germany, the only woman & 10 times finisher Suprabha and the youngest participant Tsvetan (finishing today, who happens to be from my native country Bulgaria)

Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk, 50, Solingen, Germany

The 3100 Mile World Record holder, Madhupran returns to New York for the fifth time to test his abilities once again. In 2002 he shocked the world with a tremendous victory in 42 days+13:24:03 (WR), as well as establishing 74 new distance records, from 1400 miles right up to 5000 km. His performance was so dominating, averaging 72.8 miles (117.13 km) per day, that he led the world that year with the fastest 1000 mile time - (a split-13 days, 5 hours), and even became fifth ranked alltime at 1300 miles. In over 20 years of running, Madhupran has run over 40 ultras events. He won the Trans Germany stage race in 1998, finished sixth in the Trans-Australia Race of Fire in 2001, and finished third in the 2003 Trans - Europe stage race. Recently he won the Surgeres 48 hour in German record fashion, running 392 km (243 miles). He is a woodworker and instument maker back home, as well as a fine opera singer.

Suprabha Beckjord, 50, USA

Suprabha is one of the most prolific super-long distance runners in the world. She is the only ten-time finisher in the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, and still the only female competitor. Her best is 49 days, 14 hours for 3100 miles, ranking her ninth alltime. In the decade of the nineties, she compiled 20,108 multiday racing miles in 14 multiday events. She is the American women’s record holder for 700, 1000 and 1300 miles. She is only one of three people ever to finish the 1300 mile race three times or more. She was the first woman in the 1996 Sri Chinmoy 2700 Mile Race, third overall out of six people, establishing new records beyond 1300 miles up to 2700 miles. Suprabha won the Sri Chinmoy Seven-Day race five times earlier in her career, and has held the women’s world record for 1000 miles as well. She owns a gift shop in Washington, DC. and has been a member of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team for many years.

Tsvetan Tsekov, 25, Sofia, Bulgaria

Last year Tsvetan became the youngest finisher in the history of the race, crossing the line in 51 days, 16 hours. He is ranked fourteenth all-time. Tsvetan has already run nine multiday races in five years of running. He has completed the 700 miler twice, with a best of 10 days 20 hours. In 2003 Tsvetan finished second in the Ten Day with 622 miles and completed 901 miles in the 1000 miler. In 2002 he won the 700 mile race for the men in 11 days 18 hours.

There is no doubt that behind those fascinating statistics, are amazing bodies, minds and souls. So after virtually meeting these extraordinary spirits, I can’t but be inspired. And with that come the questions – for myself and to you…

Have you ever or will you ever run a marathon? What did/would it change in you?
Would you consider an ultra race such as this one? Why or why not?
What is your ‘preferred path or way’ for self-transcendence?

Thanks to Nipun Mehta & CharityFocus.org for bringing this inspiring story to our attention.

For more details and latest results, pictures and daily journals check the http://www.srichinmoyraces.org/3100/ 

Also credits to "Single city block hosts world's longest race" by Amanda Beck