Results

Sri Chinmoy Ten-, Six- and Three-Day Races 2026 2012

Daily Results, 10 Day - 2012, Men

29 April, 2012 By Medur Wilson

Final results:

  Runner Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10
1 Yuri Trostenyuk 96 175 248 322 387 455 524 591 660 731
  day total 96 79 73 74 65 68 69 67 69 71
2 Vasu Duzhiy 95 177 251 321 389 451 518 575 641 713
  day total 95 82 74 70 68 62 67 57 66 72
3 Ananda-Lahari Zuscin 82 146 210 267 320 382 431 490 568 610
  day total 82 64 64 57 53 62 49 59 78 42
4 Teekshanam Dodonu 60 122 182 240 299 360 422 479 531 580
  day total 60 62 60 58 59 61 62 57 52 49
5 Usika Muckenhumer 72 133 193 243 288 341 397 454 513 573
  day total 72 61 60 50 45 53 56 57 59 60
6 Oleksandr Kharko 71 131 192 248 297 360 415 456 510 555
  day total 71 60 61 56 49 63 55 41 54 45
7 Michel Gouin 65 117 169 222 268 320 373 429 482 547
  day total 65 52 52 53 46 52 53 56 53 65
8 Bob Oberkehr 76 126 182 218 263 321 372 425 474 527
  day total 76 50 56 36 45 58 51 53 49 53
9 Shashanka Karlen 81 138 197 243 290 330 369 421 465 525
  day total 81 57 59 46 47 40 39 52 44 60
10 Ales Pliva 79 134 190 240 279 323 364 407 458 520
  day total 79 55 56 50 39 44 41 43 51 62
11 Syona Ionov 66 109 155 205 253 304 357 405 455 510
  day total 66 43 46 50 48 51 53 48 50 55
12 Andrey Somov 62 114 164 210 250 290 330 370 416 462
  day total 62 52 50 46 40 40 40 40 46 46
13 Malaya Rongits 61 112 152 194 229 270 309 350 392 439
  day total 61 51 40 42 35 41 39 41 42 47
14 Padyatra Komak 66 110 154 195 235 272 310 349 390 437
  day total 66 44 44 41 40 37 38 39 41 47
15 Volodymyr Hlushchuk 88 137 176 213 245 280 311 347 385 427
  day total 88 49 39 37 32 35 31 36 38 42
16 Andrey Andreyev 69 123 163 203 236 266 304 347 373 413
  day total 69 54 40 40 33 30 38 43 26 40
17 Viktor Dodunov 60 110 153 189 223 276 295 328 361 396
  day total 60 50 43 36 34 53 19 33 33 35
18 Frederick Davis III 55 105 157 191 198 263 280 280 303 311
  day total 55 50 52 34 7 65 17   23 8
19 Chakradhara Caslava 74 124 168 215 240 240 240 240 240 240
  day total 74 50 44 47 25          

Back to Race Home Page

Final Results, 10 Day - 2012, Women

19 April, 2012 By Medur Wilson

Final results:

  Runner Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10
1 Sarah Barnett 81 155 223 289 356 417 484 552 623 697
  day total 81 74 68 66 67 61 67 68 71 74
2 Kaneenika Janakova 95 167 240 308 375 437 499 562 623 692
  day total 95 72 73 68 67 62 62 63 61 69
3 Nidhruvi Zimmermann 81 144 207 270 328 381 434 488 547 607
  day total 81 63 63 63 58 53 53 54 59 60
4 Zuzana Docziova 65 125 188 246 303 363 425 480 532 600
  day total 65 60 63 58 57 60 62 55 52 68
5 Sukhakari Missbrenner 76 136 195 255 311 365 420 473 530 590
  day total 76 60 59 60 56 54 55 53 57 60
6 Nishima Knowsley 68 129 186 238 292 342 396 458 521 582
  day total 68 61 57 52 54 50 54 62 63 61
7 Ilvaka Nemcova 84 145 200 255 310 364 421 472 523 581
  day total 84 61 55 55 55 54 57 51 51 58
8 Elena Kareva 82 148 206 263 318 369 412 458 513 562
  day total 82 66 58 57 55 51 43 46 55 49
9 Yashasvati Plyavinskaya 64 118 166 208 252 308 356 407 453 509
  day total 64 54 48 42 44 56 48 51 46 56
10 Vasuprada Funk 77 115 149 195 229 276 319 364 428 503
  day total 77 38 34 46 34 47 43 45 64 75
11 Karnayati Morison 68 119 170 221 264 308 350 394 432 475
  day total 68 51 51 51 43 44 42 44 38 43
12 Gudrun Freier 51 96 138 180 218 263 307 346 390 441
  day total 51 45 42 42 38 45 44 39 44 51
13 Niribili File 65 110 157 200 239 273 319 351 386 421
  day total 65 45 47 43 39 34 46 32 35 35
14 Divyata Kryuchkova 59 101 139 171 205 241 274 313 363 401
  day total 59 42 38 32 34 36 33 39 50 38
15 Bigalita Egger 44 81 121 155 185 218 249 287 321 358
  day total 44 37 40 34 30 33 31 38 34 37

Back to Race Home Page

Final Results, 6 Day - 2012, Women

April 2012 By Medur Wilson

Final results are below...

  Runner Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6
1 Dipali Cunningham 102 174 247 320 382 438
  day total 102 72 73 73 62 56
2 Jayasalini Abramovskikh 82 146 210 270 333 407
  day total 82 64 64 60 63 74
3 Daria Iashina 79 134 189 245 307 371
  day total 79 55 55 56 62 64
4 Pratishruti Khisamoutdinova 63 110 160 213 261 313
  day total 63 47 50 53 48 52
5 Suparna Pustogowa 58 108 158 208 256 309
  day total 58 50 50 50 48 53
6 Litaf U. Jevdokimova 62 104 152 199 236 274
  day total 62 42 48 47 37 38
7 Abhaya Field 50 98 140 181 225 263
  day total 50 48 42 41 44 38
8 Shashvatee Tribulin 55 108 141 177 213 256
  day total 55 53 33 36 36 43
9 Mattali Stebneva 60 97 143 180 210 253
  day total 60 37 46 37 30 43
10 Kushali Tarantsova 49 89 127 167 208 250
  day total 49 40 38 40 41 42
11 Elke Sobotta 51 87 122 157 199 248
  day total 51 36 35 35 42 49
12 Rageshri Muzychenko 48 84 124 161 203 240.01
  day total 48 36 40 37 42 37.01
13 Gundega Gaile 71 120 152 177 204 240
  day total 71 49 32 25 27 36
14 Shramaniya Gasparikova 46 75 107 135 166 198
  day total 46 29 32 28 31 32

Back to Race Home Page

 

2012 Self Transcendence 6 and 10 Day Races Competitors

April 2012 By Rupantar LaRusso

DSC_0101[1].JPG

 

 

Seventeenth Annual Self-Transcendence Ten Day Race and Fifteen Annual Self Transcendence Six Day Race, 2012

 


Ten Day Men

 

  1. Yuri Trostenyuk, 48, Vinnitsa, Ukraine

  2. Vladimir Razumovskiy, 38, Goryachiy Kluch, Russia

  3. Usika Muckenhumer, Vienna, Austria

  4. Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, 36, Kosice Slovakia

  5. Bob Oberkehr, 57, Northvale, NJ, USA

  6. Volodymyr Hlushchuk, 50, Vinnitsa, Ukraine

  7. Andrey Andreev, 46, St. Petersburg, Russia

  8. Okeksandr Kharko, 48, Kiev, Ukraine

  9. Michel Gouin, 51, Drummondville, Quebec, Canada

  10. Shashanka Karlen, 51, Jamaica, NY (Switzerland)

  11. Frederick Davis III, 64, Cleveland, OH, USA

  12. Andrei Somov, 32, St. Petersburg, Russia

  13. Chakradhara Caslava, 37, Brno, Czeck Republic

  14. Syona Ionov, 31, Kiev, Ukraine

  15. Padyatra Komak, 37, Stupava, Slovakia

  16. Vasu Nikolay Duzhiy, 47, St. Petersburg, Russia

  17. Teekshanam Veaceslav Dodonu,36, Geneva, Switzerland

  18. Ales Pliva, 33, Semily, Czech Republic

  19. Victor Bodunov, 35, Omsk, Russia

  20. Malaya Gabor Rongits, 34, Budapest Hungary

 

Ten Day Women

  1. Kaneenika Janakova, 42, Jamaica, NY (Slovakia)

  2. Sarah Barnett,36,  Adelaide, Australia

  3. Nidhruvi Zimmermann, 46, Vienna, Austria

  4. Ilvaka Nemcova, 31, Prague, Czech Republic

  5. Elena Kareva, 36, Volgograd, Russia

  6. Sukhakari Missbrenner, 42, Eichgraben, Austria

  7. Daria Iashina, 27, Nizghniy Novgorod, Russia

  8. Zuzana Doczlova, 34, Zlin, Czech Republic

  9. Pratishruti Khisamutdinova, 68, Smolensk, Russia

  10. Karnayati Morison, 65, Ottawa, Canada

  11. Yashasvati Plyavinskaya, 46, St. Petersburg, Russia

  12. Gudrun Freier,40, Winterthur Switzerland

  13. Nishima Knowsley, 53, Auckland, New Zealand

  14. Niribili File, 66, Auckland, New Zealand

  15. Bigalita Egger, 71, Culver City, CA, USA

  16. Vasuprada Funk, 30, Ehrendingen, Switzerland

Six Day

Men

  1. Ashprihanal Aalto, 41, Helsinki, Finland

  2. Jesper Olsen, 40, Farun, Denmark

  3. William Sichel, 58, Sanday, Scotland

  4. Michael Arnstein, 35, New York, NY, USA

  5. Galya Vladimyr Balatskyy, 40, Mariupol, Ukraine

  6. Rimas Jakelaitis, 57, Brooklyn, NY (Lithusnia)

  7. Alex Swenson, 47, Vashon, Washington, USA

  8. Upakaraka Andrey Tolstopyatenko

  9. Luis Rios, 64, Brooklyn, NY, USA

  10. Don Winkley, 74 Corpus Christi, Texas, USA

  11. Pete Stringer, 70, Osterville, MA, USA

  12. Tim Lawson, 26, Broomfield, CO, USA

  13. Larry Phillips, 51, Red Hook, NY, USA

  14. Oleksandr Nihalchuk, 29, Vinnitsa, Ukraine

  15. Andrey Khuchaturov, 50, Kimry, Russia

  16. Tallaja Aaron Carey, 36, Auckland, New Zealand

  17. Pedro Gaspar, 41, Coimbra, Portugal

  18. Satyamurthi Miotello, 43, Padova, Italy

  19. Sergey Svistunov, 28, Chelyabinsk, Russia

  20. Vasyl Mamotenko, 44, Odessa, Ukraine

  21. Todor Dimitrov, 36, Varna, Bulgaria

  22. Francesco Murianni, 40, Milan, Italy

  23. Roger Martel, 56, Wickham, Quebec, Canada

Women

  1. Dipali Cunningham, 53, Jamaica, NY, USA

  2. Jayasalini Olga Abramovskikh, 31, Moscow, Russia

  3. Shashvatee Sandra Tribulin, 35, Nis, Serbia

  4. Litaf Jevdokimova, 56, Kerava, Finland

  5. Suparna Pustogowa, 48, Munchen, Germany

  6. Kushali Tarantsova, 45, Kiev, Ukraine

  7. Rageshri Muzychenko, 42, Kiev, Ukraine

  8. Abhaya Field, 67, Auckland, New Zealand

  9. Gundega Gaile, 35, Riga, Latvia

  10. Shramaniya Gasparikova, 31, Zlin, Czech Republic

  11. Vikena Yutz, 41, Hiram, GA USA

  12. Elke Sobotta, 52, Huefingen, Germany

 


 

Mark Dorion's 6 and 10 Day Race diary - 2012

April 2012 By Rupantar LaRusso

Unable to race this year, legendary ultrarunner Mark Dorion has been a much-valued part of our race crew

April 29, 2012. I came back on duty at 6 a.m. Saturday morning, trying to stay warm and work the giant scoreboard.  Record high winds on Friday played havoc with the large scoreboard numbers, some of which got blown 20 yards away into the bike path on which the runners passed. On several nights, both at the computer and the scoreboard, it seemed as if the numbers were "coming to life" and moving around of their own avail, sometimes spinning around in circles in front of my eyes.  Having now run in many multiday races and worked this one, I can say the sleep deprivation of working and running were about the same for me.  Obviously my body is not so sore and beaten up as it would have been had I been racing, though I AM sore, especially in my back.

At 6 a.m., women's 10 day leader Sarah Barnett was less than one mile ahead of course record-holder Kaneenika Janakova.  Try to imagine a race in which you have been on the move for most of 234 HOURS, and then having to summon a "sprint."  I have great admiration for both women; they are truly world-class ultrarunners and both had endured their share of challenges during this year's event.  Sarah threw in several 10:00 miles on the final morning to win with a PR 697 miles to Kaneenika's 692.  This means that in the past year Sarah has won multiday races in such disparate and exotic locales as Athens, Greece, Monaco, and now New York City. Their historic see-saw battle, spread out over 10 days, saw neither of them ever run together.  Kaneenika tends to sleep much less but keep moving steadily, whereas Sarah sometimes needed 4 alarms/ wake-up calls before she could wake, whereupon she would jump right into much faster-paced miles.
 
The men's 10 day was won by "Smilin' Yuri T" (Yuri Trostenyuk) with a PR 731 miles.  One interesting aspect of this year's races was that many runners PRed or achieved very good distances despite some days of hurricane-like weather.  I attribute this to the competitve fields and fast running loop.  In the men's 6 day, Vladimir Galya Balatskyy won with a PR 481 miles over fast-finishing Finn (no pun intended) Asprihanal Pekka Aalto (470), who was timed in some 9:00 miles (how many runners can finish a 50 or 100 mile race with 9 minute miles, let alone do this after 450 miles?)  Dipali Cunningham won the women's race with 438 miles over up-and-coming Jayaslini Olga Abramoviskil (408).  I have seen Dipali in many races over the years, and was struck by her effort in this race more than in most others.  She seemed to have her share of physical problems from early on (like me, she does not like racing in arctic conditions), but somehow kept moving at a steady pace.  Race officials could see her coming from quite a ways out as she was generally heavily-bundled up with only her eyes visible in her face.
 
Two senior US runners, Pete Stringer and Luis Rios, deserve mention.  At age 70 and five days after running the Boston Marathon, Pete tied his PR of 332 miles set many years ago in much milder weather. He looked strong till the end.  I did daily errands around town for the runners;  Pete's daily request was for the sports section of USA TODAY or the TIMES.  Luis is one of the USA's all-time most prolific ultra racers, with several 24 hours over 140 miles.  Hampered by back problems in recent years, he got to celebrate his 64th birthday with his fellow competitors, mutliple birthday cakes and rousing verses of "Happy Birthday"
 
I shall compose a longer article later, but right now my kids (who are here with me) are telling me we are off to the Queens Zoo and historic carousel (both of which are just across the Grand Central Parkway from the 6/10 day course).
 
Best wishes to all ultrarunners, and as race coordinator Sahishnu Szczesiul wished everyone at the close of the awards ceremony, "May the wind be always at your back."
 


April 27 I am on a short break from helping out at the Self-Transcendence 6 and 10 day event in Flushing Meadows, NYC.  I have been on duty since 1 a.m. The super-high winds (which show no signs of abating) that blew all night have played havoc with tents, chairs, gear, cones, etc.  But the USA's MOST international ultra field is toughing it out, in this case transcending every challenge Mother Nature has thrown their way

Defending overall 10 day champ/ record-holder Kaneenika Janakova, who lives in New York City, is in a nip-and-tuck battle with Australia's legendary multiday runner Sarah Barnett.  Both have been within 3 miles (one way or the other) of each other for the past 12+ hours.  They have have been throwing in surges at 10:00 mile pace, have taken only very short (1 hour at most) sleep breaks, and seem poised for a race to the wire (noon Saturday).  As of 10 a.m. both were around 620 miles, a remarkable pace given the rough weather.  This is the worst several-days stretch of weather New York and the northeast have seen since prior to the recent 6+ weeks of record-warmth and sunshine.

The ever-popular Smilin' Yuri Trostenyuk of the Ukraine is on a fantastic pace in the men's 10 day, with 660 miles as of late morning.  Over 700 miles is a truly world class performance for 10 days, perhaps comparable to 150+ miles in 24 hours, or a sub-13 hour 100 mile (that is just my very rough, amateur comparison).For example, women's 6 day road world record holder Dipali C. Cunningham, Esq. has run 723 miles in 10 days, comparable to her 513+ mile 6 day PR/ record.  Speaking of Dipali, she is chasing the top men in the 6 day race, where Galya Vladimir Balatskyy keeps staying about 10 miles ahead of Scotland's William Sichel.  Asprihanal Pekka Aalto, known for his tremendous finishing speed (e.g., 100+ miles in the final 24 hours of a 6 day) is within strking distance.

There are various websites/ blogs/ newspapers covering the race daily-- one excellent one is  www.multidays.com    Or the srichinmoyraces site. The NEW YORK TIMES, a film crew from Finland, another from Russia, and also noted American independent filmaker Alexander Hamlin (see  www.worldrunfilm.com  )   have all been covering the race daily. TO ALL U.S ULTRARUNNERS-- this is a BIG race, followed by ultrarunners all over the world.  Multiday races have been going on since the 1870s.  What else can I say??

I am off to pick up my family at LaGuardia Airport, then get back to the race to help work the giant scoreboard, fill cups of water, and encourage ALL runners.

 

 

April 25, 2012. Standings at aprox. 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday (start of day 4 of 6 day, day 8 of 10 day)
 
10 day men:
1)  Yuri Trostneyuk,  532 miles
2) Vasu Duzhiy, 527
3) A.L. Zuzcin, 439
4) Teekshanum Dodonu, 424
5) Oleksandr Kharko, 416
 
10 day women:
1)  Kaneenika Janakova, 503 miles
2)  Sarah Barnett, 492
3)  Nidhruvi Zimmerman, 438
4)  Zuzca Daclova, 435
5)  Ilvaka Nemcova, 426
 
6 Day women:
1)  Dipali C. Cunningham, 252 miles
2)  Jayaslini Olga Abramovskih, 200+
3)  Daria Iashina, 195
4)  Suparna Pathegwa, 165
5)  Prati. Khisamoutdanova (age 67), 163
 
6 Day Men: 
 
Galya Vladimir Balatskyy, 271 miles
2)  William Sichel, 265
3)  Asprihanal Pekka Aalto, 245
4)  Jesper Olsen, 228
5)  Upak. Tolstoypachenko, 220
 
AND you may ask, what of the Americans in the 80+ runner field with runners from 20 countries?  Again, I can't overemphasize that these are TOP international ultrarunners.  We didn't really have any current star US ultrarunners entered (we do have some who were top class 20-30 years ago, but are a tad older and slower now).  Of those who started, Don Winkley and Mike Arnstein got in their vans and left early.  Tim Lawson dropped out for half a day with stomach problems but was coerced into rejoining the race.  Fred Davis was seen packing his van today.  Etc.
 
I WILL predict that some of our current top 100Km runners, who just shined so brightly at the World Champs in Italy, will eventually try multiday races and will represent the USA as well as they did in Italia.  Plenty of the top foreign runners at this week's races have run good 100Kms, 2:30-ish marathons, etc.
 
I will have longer and more exciting stories to share on Saturday evening, when the races are over.  I see some of the races going neck-and-neck down to the wire, and a bunch of fast 8+ minute miles on the last day.
 
An example of the types of things that happen at an event like this-- today runners found their bike path BLOCKED by a brand new Lexus car.  The TV crew were filming an ad with scenic Meadow Lake in the background.  Race director Rupantar P. LaRusso, ever the smooth-talking diplomat, ran out and confronted this crew and after explaining these multiday challenges to the film crew, Rupantar was given a one week use of a Lexus from the dealership here! Dr. LaRusso is also famous in local circles as the guy who goes into the same Dunkin' Donuts night after night in the middle of the night and brings back two dozen donuts plus coffee and hot chocolate to the graveyard shirt workers.  It is cold and sometimes very rushed/ stressful during the night, but we have a great core crew.
 
There have been several other film crew out, one from Finland filming Coach Aalto, another filming top Russian runners (including world class mountaineer and adventurer Daria Iashina).  Jepser Olsen, he of the World Run, has had telephone interviews from his sponsors during the race.
 
It is MOST exciting to watch world class runners performing at their best, stalking each other like hawks (perhaps vultures is more apt!), but also getting to know new friends from around the world.  I wish the USA were not so isolated geographically, and we could have more different nations' particpants at our big ultras.
 
I myself have gotten caught up in the spirit of the race and the spirit of Sri Chinmoy's philosophies on racing extreme ultras, and have run more the past 5 days than in any 5 day block since early December.  I feel as though the ghosts of Guru Chinmoy, Ted Corbitt, and all the great 19th century multiday runners are watching us all-- runners and workers alike.
 
If you have never volunteered and encouraged the runners in a tough ultra, I suggest you try it.  It leaves a warm feeling in the heart. And if you ever considered a multiday, consider coming to historic Flushing Meadows.  You will be treated like royalty.
 
"Encouragement is the heart of a new journey."   -Sri Chinmoy
 
I am bleary-eyed after working the graveyard shift (1>8 a.m.) in the officials' booth (updating scoreboard, keeping track of wayward runners, announcing using mike, etc.).  Then I work in the early morning helping with general chores like pouring water, doing errands to nearby shops for runners ("fine European chocolate" has been a popular request, as well as new pairs of shoes).  Eye of the tiger!
 

 

April 22, 2012. Yesterday (Saturday), 70 miles or so north of New York City, one of the USA's older and most historic ultras happened on the super-steep hills of Carmel where Sybil Ludington rode her horse all night warning locals that "The British are Coming!" (sound familiar?)
 
      Back in the Big Apple, world class women runners emulated Sybil's all-night ride with some fast late night laps, done in everything from mild, balmy conditions to torrential, sideways, wind-driven rain.  Meadow Lake is over 1 mile long, and winds tend to come howling up from the south to the north end, where the 10 Day and 6 Day runners circle a 1+ mile long bike path loop.
 
    Kaneenika Janakova (one of the more overlooked ultrarunners in North America, for what my opinion is worth) and Australia's legendary Sarah Barnett threw in 11-12 minute miles (try this after you have already run 265+ miles in 3.5 days ...) cruised around the course, sometimes joined by "Smilin' Yuri T.," a world class Ukrainian runner who has won this race outright with 696 miles.  While he speaks little English, Yuri always has time to slow, smile, wave and give a thumb's up to every runner he passes.  For shoe enthusiasts out there, I noted that Kaneenika wore minimalist, zero/ limited-drop shoes from Altra and Saucony, Sarah had on heavier and more cushy Nike Vomero/ Pegasus (with toe box totally cut out), and Yuri wore a weatherbeaten, chewed up pair of Mizuno Wave Riders.  In other words, anything goes and to each their own!
 
    There was at least one confirmed skunk sighting on the course (the race borders the Queens Botanical Gardens and thick woods).  Reports of a tall WOLF running along the path have not been confirmed by reliable reporters.
 
   As I am working the graveyard shift and also helping out during the day between naps and a few miles of my own, there may be slight errors in some of the above.  For updated scoreboard standings, please refer to the Self-Trans website         (www.srichinmoyraces    )
 
   The FOOD at the race is the best I have ever tasted at this or any other race, and I aplogize for forgetting the name of the charming professional New Zealand chef who is in charge.  I am told she has appeared on the Food Network's International edition.
 
   Congratulations to the USA 100Km Team in Italy, the 50Km runners at the Sybil Ludington, and all the multiday runners in Flushing Meadows, Queens. 
 
 

Pete Stringer at the 2012 Self Transcendence 6 and 10 Day Road Races

April 2012 By Rupantar LaRusso

"...the uncertainty usually comes from the bunches of runners grouped together and my own paranoia. I am extraordinarily competitive and the very thought of losing 1760 years due to clerical error is at times sickening while one is out there wrestling with his demons.

The event as a whole is huge, magical. A gem in a panoply of emotion. I have experienced as an observer of American sport over the past 60 years. Seeing a Yanks-Sox game in the first blush of emerald green of Fenway Park with my kindly neighbor and pastor Mr. Wilson in 1951; the finish of the Boston Marathon with our own Johnny Kelley (the younger) the victor in 1957; seeing the great race horse Needles prancing and blowing into the Hialeah walking ring prior to the 1968 Florida Derby; treading past Johnny Kelley (the elder) in the shadows of Kenmore Square in the drizzling rain in 1978 and understanding that this was to be the start of something that would loom large in my life. The roar from the crowd was deafening. And, in a flash, I understood.

Thank you for continuing the tradition. It is a work of many hands, yet I still find it hard to see how you do it.

It truly amazes me. A Phoenix rising from the prior year's ashes, a spectacle in the best use of that word, with the emphasis on a friendly, peaceful spirituality. Togetherness. Every competitor is touched, and if he is at all observant, finally understands why it is named Self Transcendence.

Thank you,

Pete Stringer"

And for Pete's detailed account of the race...

"Subject: Six Days of Self Transcendence

Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 06:43:21 -0400

This is my favorite ultrarunning event of the year in a mixed calendar of running that i try to maintain as diverse as possible, i.e. trail races, road races , marathons, adventure treks, fatasses, 50 and 100 milers on the road and trails. The only omission is the mountain races like Mt. Washington that require more luck at the lottery than anything else.

  The Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence six day has some negatives; each year its start closely dovetails with the recovery week of racing hard at the Boston Marathon so that I feel somewhat disadvantaged with those that have fresh legs. And the weather in recent years has been, in a word, abysmal. This year's full-fledged Nor'easter that blasted down on us shortly after the word go was of epic proportions, a storm that race director Sahishnu labeled "the worst in my 35 years of race directing."  Suffice of it to say that most of us carried umbrellas that first day and a half, the rest wished they had them, and many were blown inside out whenever the implement did not have the correct sail angle to the raging storm.

  I had been confident that i had an extra weapon for old man time this year, as with the help of running friends Jeff List, Julian Jamison, and Carl Asker, I had somehow carved another ten pounds off my frame, a weight that I hoped would prove an extra arrow in my quiver for the miles and miles ahead.

  However, my opening day plan of compiling 75 or 80 miles did not happen; a skinny total of 57 stood naked in the freezing rain on the scoreboard, and with a week of dismal forecast I spoke these ugly words to Jane -- "This is stupid. I am thinking of forgetting the whole thing and heading on home with you when you go."

 

  "Oh no! No, no, no,no you're not! After all you've been through? All that training? Those 100 mile weeks? Come on, let's get moving here" as she bustled about getting some warmer gear ready for my exit from the dugout. Jane does a good Mike Wallace imitation. She wasn't  entertaining for even One Minute the idea of driving me back home.

  Ah, well, so much for the tough guy image...I submitted to her encouragement and knew the storm was a much smaller adversary than my 120 lb. wife when it came to ferocity, and integrity of purpose. Bet ya didn't know that, did ya? Yeah, she appears soft and gentle and mild, but when it comes the time for her to protect the passion I have lying just under the thin layer of my competitor's soul -- her warrior man, she is right there by my side showing the way.

  Basically, my plan in all five of the six days I have done thus far has the same sleep and time-frame schedule. Run through the first day until no longer productive, hit the tent about midnight, sleep until awake again (usually about 4A.M. when the proximity to Kennedy Airport wakes you from the screaming of the jet engines warming), then run steadily until 12:30 or one PM, where I would repair to the little tent for a power nap of 20 to 40 minutes. I have found that after two days, five minutes soaking the feet in Epsom salts time effective , and always, always eating in small portions on the walk/run. Sitting in the dugout enjoying food is a no-no insofar as moving the pedometer. One rests by simply walking slowly and taking the opportunity to socialize. This is important to me because my asthma prevents me from talking while running, and the loop style of the course really allows you to get to know your mates.

  Also, burning the coal a bit slower regenerates the engine, and being the inveterate sports fan that I am, Mark Dorian delivering the sports section from the daily paper was a welcome distraction to the bloody battle each of us was waging (as well as radio station F.A.N.S. serving up a N.Y. Mets game every night and scores announced every 20 minutres from the NBA and NHL playoffs. There was only one classical music station Jane could find me, and frankly, it sucked). Cricket games in the park, eight oar college rowing teams gliding out on the lake, soccer at every level, softball, pick your sport in this multiculteral smorgasbord - it was all there. And whenever it was not raining , musicians would be found playing at various points from instruments as varied as saxaphones to sitars. And wildlife abounds at Corona Park - an observant birder would find many species, particularly with the lake right there and the proximity to Long Island Sound.

  You go by the giant scoreboard each loop around, and I challenge you not to get goose bumps when you hear the announcer note your passing - Pete Stringer, the United States, 168 miles.

  Moi? Little old moi? You bet. You are representing your country, young man, even if you do happen to be 70 years old.

  168 miles was exactly 32 miles short of where I was hoping to be after three days, so I readjusted my numbers and decided that mi nimizing the damage was going to be the key to how well I would do.

  Because of the hardness of the course, I had brought seven pairs of shoes, cutting and carving them up as I discovered abrasive spots as the feet swelled and elongated. You can never have too many shoes, for what you might think works, will often not. I lucked out with a pair of slightly used Mizuno Wave Riders that Justin Naviakos had donated that he wore at our Frozen Fatass race. Whatever works. The man right next to me, Pedro Gaspar from Portugal, often ran barefoot, the rest of the time with minimalist footgloves. Jasper Olsen fro Denmark,(famous guy running around the world - for the second time!) my other table mate, prefferred a very flexible European model with a wide toe box. It is whatever serves the purpose at the time, but what fits perfect the second day might be the very worst three days later., One thing I did notice was that if you were not a forefoot striker, you would probably spend time in the med tent with shin splints. One thing that did work was alternating walking and running to whatever cadence and distributation your level of pain might be at that moment, but truth be told, I bet there were less than 30 or 40 laps that I ran continuously all the way around the park. For me, most of the time it would be more like run a quarter mile, walk 20 steps, run a quarter mile,.... But you would time yourself, and time everything. How long would it take to switch shoes? How long to scoop up some fresh fruit if it needed cutting? How long in the port-a-potty? (yes, I saw some pretty funny (and graphic!) examples of folks changing before they were actually inside the door. Hope they made it!)

  By day four and the wind still howling, the field had sorted itself out and races developed. Interesting. I was now on the first half of the leaderboard, ninth or tenth of the 23 of the men in our race. Gayla Balassky , the Ukrainian Wolf, led our race in his nonchalant inevitable way, seemingly unaware of his competition even existing, while the higher profile William Sichel of Scotland and Asphrinal Aalto of Finland and the aforementioned Olsen of Denmark trailed in his wake. Other great champions like Michael Arnstein and the great Rimas Jackolitis had had their problems and were likely conceding for another day. My friend Don Winkley had to retire with a med problem, I believe, but at last notice was still heading over to France for his beloved Trans Gaulle later in the summer.

  Jane had got me to the start and under way, but had to leave for work back on the Cape Monday, so for three days I crewed myself, and this is both a good and bad thing, depending on the runner's independence  and/or his communication skills. The incredible Dipali Cunningham has this down to a fine art, of course, and her smooth refueling begs the comparison to the NASCAR pit stops one sees at Daytona. She always ghas the look of a lady going out for a stroll in her garden, not a drop of sweat or bead of anxiety on her serene face. Practice makes perfect, I suppose.

  Me, I look like one of the homeless, and an old one at that, with my scruffy bearded face , bloodied up nose, dentures loose for lack of what we shall call "fixodent time" and the odor of a man badly in need of a shower. But no style points awarded in multidays, and of course, Dipali doesn't beat me on looks alone -- she simply runs faster.

  I must mention the very nice friends that came by to offer encouragement: the great David Luljack, a past champion here, my great friend Carl Asker and his adorable Collette, Cherie and BF David from the list, Cindy Gaines, Nils Ahlin, and my ever-cheering young friend Julian from Austria.

  Best of all, my longtime pen pal and ultrarunner Barbara Sorrell came by Wednesday night and really helped a lot for the next two days until Jane came back by Friday. Barbara was on her way to Waramaug, but more importantly, Comrades in Africa, her lifelong dream, Barbara is an expert on foot care and has read all the books that I have not on podiatry. Plus, she knows everybody in the sport, and would give me running accounts of some of the lead changes going on via her smartphone, particularly in the women's ten day, where the placid veteran Sarah Barnett ran down her young adversary Kaneeka Janakova.

  Saturday morning I roused myself about 3:30AM and saw that I had an outside chance of making 50 miles, the minimum per day number I had decided was one of my goals. A lot of this you can gain from the surging adrenaline you feel by the growing crowd at the finish line and the constant gong of the giant cymbal you hear clanging off in the woods as each runner answers their last day,  very last loop call. At this point, I was turning tens, which after so many days of slogging feel like whizzing past the posted speed zone.

  I do not shrink from admitting that those last few laps are run along in a sort of an ecstatic frenzy, tears streaming down my face, fists clenched, for I have not yet given up the fight ; oh no...not quite yet...with me hollering at Jane "that THIS! THIS is what I live for!" as the long hunted prey of the six day torture chamber suddenly discovers new power, his warrior's manhood and now at last  becomes the predator, crushing the miles apart with a new-found strength that has sprung from the bloody sands of the arena. And jeez, I swear. High above me I distinctly heard the clearly spoken and joyous announcement.

                                           

                                                             You did it

 

                                                             You won.

 

                                                             I never doubted you.

 

Pete Stringer

332 miles at age 70

Flushing Meadows, NYC

April 28th 2012"

'Six Day Run' premieres at the Rotterdam Film Festival

April 2012 By Rupantar LaRusso

mikascreenshot.png'Six Day Run' is a short film by Finnish director Mika Taanila about the 2012 Self-Transcendence Six Day Race, focusing on SCMT member Ashprihanal Aalto who is also from Finland.

The film casts a light on one of the most extreme individual endurance sports dating back to to the 1870s. The competitors run with minimal sleep, all the while trying to accumulate as many miles as possible on a one-mile paved loop in a park.

The film was shot during The Self-Transcendence Six Day Race in Flushing Meadows, Corona Park, Queens, New York City between April 22-28, 2012.

Basic Information on the film (www.facebook.com/sixdayrun):

  • Release Date: premiering at the Rotterdam Film Festival (IFFR) 23.1.-3.2.2013
  • Genre: short documentary film, 15 minutes
  • Featuring ASHPRIHANAL PEKKA AALTO
  • Directed by MIKA TAANILA
  • Cinematography JUSSI EEROLA
  • Sound design OLLI HUHTANEN
  • Music by CIRCLE
  • Producers LASSE SAARINEN, CILLA WERNING
  • © Kinotar 2013
CONTACT:

Hanna Aartolahti, Kinotar Ltd,
tel: +358 9 7740040
email: hanna(a)kinotar.com
www.kinotar.com

View the trailer...

mikaand crew.jpgShort Profile, Mika Taanila: Producer of audiovisual works Mika Taanila will get a tribute within the short programme at IFFR 2013. His works deal with the alarming issues of human engineering and urban artificial surroundings. Taanila specializes on the futuristic ideas and utopias of contemporary science. Besides his most important earlier films, IFFR presents the world premiere of his latest film Six Day Run in the Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films and his two recent installation works Most Electrified Town in Finland and Stimulus Progression (Rotterdam) at festival location TENT. Nominations and programmes at IFFR.

NY1 Takes a Video Look at the 6 and 10 Day-Races

April 2012 By Rupantar LaRusso

From our archives: Local news channel NY1 takes a video look at the 2012 Self-Transcendence 6 and 10-Day Races, held at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens New York, April 17 - April 27, 2013.

[vimeo url="http://vimeo.com/120621291"]