Vasu Duzhiy wins Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100-mile ultra

Imagine running around the same half-mile city block, in the stifling summer heat of Queens, New York City, for 52 days. Since June 17, that’s exactly what ten individuals from seven countries have been doing as they compete in the world’s longest (but possibly smallest) ultramarathon, the 22nd annual Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100-mile race. This year’s race will end tonight at midnight for those who have not yet completed the distance. Vasu Duzhiy, 52, of St. Petersburg, Russia, won the race for the third time, around 10 p.m. last Tuesday (day 45). It was his seventh straight finish. Duzhiy works for a lumber company back home. Kobi Oren, a father of four from Israel and the first Israeli ever to complete this race, finished the next day, in the third-fastest time ever for a first-time runner. And Ushika Muckenhumer of Salzburg, Austria finished yesterday in third place, also his first attempt. Yesterday was day 50. Sopan Tsekov, a graphic designer from Sofia, Bulgaria is expected to finish late this evening. He was the youngest person ever to finish the race when he ran it in 2005 at age 24. None of the women has yet finished, but two are in a position to complete the distance by midnight tonight. Surasa Mairer, a secretary from Vienna, Austria is in the lead and expected to finish around 6 p.m. Mairer has three previous wins under her belt and holds the women’s course record. Kaneenika Janakova, 48, of Bratislava, Slovakia, is in second position among the women. Janakova holds numerous records at this event.

posted Tuesday August 7th