3100 Miles in 2012

After my record time in 2009 of 48 days + 12:42:46, it felt like I couldn’t get the power back up. Perhaps these are also the internal and external consequences of a certain series of events that led me to a serious injury in 2010 and subsequent difficult races … I did not decide immediately to start in 2012. But as usual, having received inspiration from within :) Knowing my weaknesses from past competitions, I even went to my sports doctor in Italy, where, after an examination, he made up my individual diet and training. I had to strengthen the work of the body – especially for the second half of the race, when the internal organs begin to fail after a month of stress.

A few months before the start, I decided that this time I would not be blogging during the race, but would concentrate directly on the race. So my friends and acquaintances learned about the events from Utpal’s reports and the summary of online results.

June 17, 2012 –  I went to my 9 start 3100 in a fairly good shape. A week later, my old friend Satyagraha arrived, who agreed to be an assistant for a month. In fact, when I wrote to him about this, he happily replied that he had dreamed of helping at 3100 for several years!

Out of 12 runners, one newcomer is Vasu Nikolai Dyuzhiy from St. Petersburg. After several years of omission, Grahak returned to the lap, as did Shopan. The oldest participant was Arpan, who turned 60 right on the track. He went to the start for the second time, after an 8-year break.

The weather on the race in 2012 was remembered for its high humidity. In some mystical way, I learned to cope with the heat – now I run even when it’s +40C outside! Humidity is a bit more complicated – 100% humidity at high temperatures breaks down the body’s cooling system. And there is nowhere to go from this.

But what really remains for me to do is to learn how to run in the full moon! During the period of extreme loads, the full moon incapacitates most of my internal organs … During the run, I catch 2 full moons, the second one is especially successful :)

The first half of the run turned out to be quite smooth – I went through the transition period of 6 days and usually did 123 laps (108 km) per day quite normally and in a good mood. But the next day, when I made 2000 miles, an unpleasant surprise awaited me: at 8 am Satyagraha flew home – his vacation was over. And already at 10 o’clock I felt tension at the shin splint on my left leg. All my techniques, visualizations and mantras did not work – on the 34th day of the run, I developed inflamed shin splint. For the first time in my entire running history! After 2000 miles!! It’s hard to believe it.

It took me 6 walking days to start running again. And I even felt that I could accelerate and did 120 laps (106 km) for several days. And then the second full moon appeared, which finally put me out of action :) Even on the track, I noted that everything starts with a fright of the mind. And only then all physical processes are launched … But I still have to figure out how to protect the mind from the influence of the full moon.

… I did not meet the 52 days deadline. Over the past few years, the organizers have become quite strict about the duration of the race, thereby raising the standard of the competition. In 52 days I ran 2865 miles. And, generally speaking, I finished the race in a good mood – I did everything I could.

The last runner to hit the limit was Vasu. He is the first Russian runner to complete the 3,100 mile race.

In my nine runs of 3,100 miles alone, I have covered over 41,000 km. Already circumnavigated the Earth at the equator. And this is not the limit.

I still think that there is no better school of life than 3100-Mile Race :)

3100-Mile Race Results in 2012

1 Grahak Cunningham 43 days + 10:36:39
2 Sarvagata Ukrainskyi 46 days +  03:42:17
3 Pranjal Milovnik 47 days +  11:23:02
4 Pushkar Mullauer 48 days +  08:22:16
5 Atmavir P. Spacil 49 days + 09:48:58
6 Vasu Duzhiy 51 days +  10:47:39

Remaining Participants Miles
Stutisheel Lebedev 2865.28
Pradeep Hoogakker 2842.24
Arpan DeAngelo 2742.35
Baladev Saraz 2585.40
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin 2524.48
Sopan Tsekov 1000.46

Photo gallery

Utpal’s Blog
Official Race Site