3100 Miles in 2024

The 28th 3100-Mile race started in New York at 6 a.m. on August 30, 2024. Twelve runners from ten countries took to the starting line, three of whom were first-time participants: Radu Budan from Moldova, Annabel Hepworth from Australia, and Budjargal Byambaa from Mongolia. In advance, I can say that Radu and Budjargal completed the race and set national records. Annabel stopped on day 37, at 2185.9 miles (3517.9 km) due to injury.

All 12 participants are incredible individuals, and I believe we all enjoyed each other’s company, as if gathered by Higher Forces. Below, I present my subjective impressions of each runner.

3100-Mile Race Runners of 2024

Ranked by their final positions at the end of the race.

1. Andrea Marcato, Italy, 42 years old.

Andrea won the race for the fifth time in a row. This was his fifth entry, and he achieved his second-best time in 2024. Very focused, he rarely takes breaks and stretches while running. His pace slows in the evening, sometimes switching to walking, but he still manages to cover 70 miles daily. He uses all 18 hours available for running, right up until the last minute before midnight, often sprinting on the final lap. This year, he had a few slow days; one day, he even took two 7-minute breaks.

2. Ashprihanal Aalto, Finland, 54 years old.

My running guru and good friend. We shared a mini van with Ashprihanal and Andrea, but due to Andrea’s routine, I sometimes crossed paths just with Ashprihanal. He holds the world record for the 3100-Mile race (40 days 09:06:21) and has the most finishes on this course—17. He wanted to run faster and led the race for a while, but eventually fell behind Andrea, finishing second. You can see that age takes its toll, and he’s not as fast as he was ten years ago, but his sharp tongue and sense of humor remain as strong as ever.

3. Wei Ming Lo, Taiwan, 60 years old.

A man from another planet! This was his fourth consecutive race. Very fast and often running in flip-flops, he has a playful, childlike spirit. Despite the language barrier (he doesn’t speak English), we communicated with gestures. At one point, I noticed him carefully calculating something, and I felt he planned to overtake Ashprihanal. But after a few days, it became clear that it wasn’t working, and Wei Ming returned to his relaxed state. He set a world record in the 60-year category, beating William Sichel’s previous record by five days!

4. Pushkar Mullaauer, Switzerland, 52 years old.

This was his fourth race. He last participated 12 years ago. As he put it, he “did his homework well.” He ran consistently, never dropping below 60 miles per day. At his finish, there were four flags: the UK (where he was born), Switzerland (where he lives and works), Austria (where his relatives live), and the UN, with which he feels a strong connection. He improved his personal best by nearly three days!

5. Radu Budan, Moldova, 43 years old.

Radu participated for the first time and performed spectacularly. Light and quick, he had time for massages, stretches, and social media posts. After day 30, his thigh started pulling hard, and he described it as a “screw turned” in his knee. But he only slowed down for a few days and overcame these and other problems. The Moldovan ambassador to the UN and his wife attended his finish. Radu became the first Moldovan runner to finish the 3100 miles, setting a national record and establishing a high standard.

6. Vasu Duzhiy, Russia, 58 years old.

Vasu participated for the 12th time in a row, making this his 12th finish! He was ahead of Radu until the last few days when Radu began running at his maximum and staying on the course until midnight, ultimately finishing five hours earlier. Despite the lack of consistent helpers, Vasu showed his best time in the last six years.

7. Budjargal Byambaa, Mongolia, 41 years old.

A first-time participant, a very strong runner who came to win the race. He led for a few days but couldn’t sustain the effort. He suffered shin splints in both legs, then persistent blisters, knee pain, and more. Some days, he would sleep in the mini van for 3–4 hours and then walk. However, due to the significant mileage he achieved in the initial days, he still managed to finish on day 49, becoming the first Mongolian runner to complete the race and setting a national record.

8. Grahak Cunningham, Australia, 47 years old

Grahak entered the race for the fourth time. In 2012, he won the race and was ranked among the top five runners in the world for the 3100 Miles. Starting with an artificial hip joint, he made history as the first person to do so! For 21 days, he ran better than expected, but then his hands swelled due to kidney issues, and he had to switch to walking, never fully recovering. A unique experience for this champion! 21 days of running, 30 days of walking, stopped on day 51. My good friend.

9. Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, Slovakia, 49 years old

Ananda-Lahari has the most starts—this was his 20th race! From the second day, he began walking but stayed on the track with Andrea and Vasu until midnight every day. Always a joy to talk to—we call him the most spiritual runner of the 3100. Once, he even received an award from Sri Chinmoy for the best soulful smile during the race. Ananda-Lahari, Grahak, Ashprihanal, and I remember when Sri Chinmoy would visit the track, before 2007.

10. Annabel Hepworth, Australia, 51 years old

First time participating. Great physical condition, often taking only one break per day for massage or rest. She usually finished her running day at exactly 10:30 p.m. and left to rest. Excellent, steady pace. In my view, she appeared a bit tense, which might have contributed to the formation of a deep blister. Had she attended to it sooner, it’s possible that injury and early exit could have been avoided. Sometimes, devoting extra time and care to small issues at the outset—even at the cost of a few laps—is preferable to stopping altogether before completing the 3100 miles. One of the most important lessons from the 3100-Mile Race is to address issues as soon as they arise, with no delay. Nonetheless, she had to stop on day 37 after consulting with a foot specialist. Without a doubt, she has the potential to complete the Race.

11. Nina Huan-Lan Yang, Taiwan, 46 years old

This was her third Race. In her debut Race in 2022, she ran 3000 miles, but in subsequent races, injury forced her to slow down much earlier. In this race, she developed a blister on day 12 and had to stop for a couple of days, which meant she couldn’t finish. Nina has a slow pace and always has to balance whether to do one more lap to meet her daily norm or spend the time on a massage, stretching, or rest. However, her strong desire to complete the distance still seems alive. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her in next year’s lineup.

12. Stutisheel Lebedev, Ukraine. 54 years

Good runner. Was 10 years ago )) My reflections are below

Now, some personal reflections.

This was my 16th start in the 3100-Mile project over 20 years. The lead-up to the race involved dramatic events: a bug bite on my heel, causing me to limp and preventing me from following my running plan. The day before the start, I was still limping and couldn’t run properly, while on antibiotics for the infection. A few weeks earlier, I had also been ill with COVID, which significantly weakened my physical condition. In other words, my initial conditions were far from ideal.

Some five or six days after the start, I passed through the transitional phase and reached the level of 65 miles per day, but I couldn’t maintain that pace. Every fourth day was a major energy blackout. The situation worsened further: I could only run every fourth day; the other days, I walked. By day 32, I had liver issues, and on my doctors’ advice, I stopped on day 34, reaching 1591 miles (2560 km). That’s all I could manage for my final 3100-Mile Race. However, if I’ve learned anything over these 20 years, it’s not to lose heart and to keep up my optimism and sense of humor. At some point, we all lose our fitness and can’t maintain it anymore. Eventually, age takes its toll, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up inwardly, losing our will and interest in life. We can continue to set new goals and strive to reach them. Our spiritual practice and inner strength help us maintain a connection with our inner world and remain as young as children, eager to learn new things and marvel at the beauty and freshness of life.

It seems I’ve exhausted my running resources for  the 3100 Race, and I’ve “graduated” with honors from the project. Now, I plan to participate as a full-fledged organizer. For the past few years, I’ve already been working to improve race preparation and organization from the runner’s perspective. For instance, this year we successfully introduced a buffet-style food experience, allowing runners to select food from heated containers. This saved a lot of money! And thanks to the family from New Zealand—Uddipan and Nipura—the kitchen has reached a new level, providing the best and most suitable food out of all my races!

I can confidently say that, despite the difficulties, challenges, and injuries, I don’t regret any of my starts in the 3100-mile race. Sometimes I knew in advance that the race would be challenging and that I might not finish. But this didn’t affect my decision to start. Motivation goes deep within and often defies logical explanation. I am infinitely happy and proud to have dedicated my 20 years to serving a Higher Purpose through my 3100-Mile Races.

…A great champion is he who transcends his own previous records.

A great champion is he who maintains his standard.

A great champion is he who remains happy even if he cannot maintain his standard…

~ Sri Chinmoy

[Full version – Sri Chinmoy, Pioneer-runners of tomorrow’s world-peace-dawn: ultramarathon running and self-transcendence] 

Humor at the Race

The saying “humor is the spice of life” has never felt more true to me than in these 20 years of participating in the 3100-Mile Race. Even when I had no strength left and was lying flat in the support van, I still managed to joke and laugh with my fellow runners. Below are a few memorable jokes from this race.

A conversation between the director and an employee:
— I’m sorry, but unfortunately, I can’t give you a raise.
— Oh, I’m not asking for a raise, but could you at least pay it more frequently?

— Listen, Izzie! The ivory box you sold me last week is a fake! It’s plastic!
— Well… who knows… maybe the elephant had a prosthetic tusk…

Once, in an effort to combat drinking, synagogues announced that lifting a glass was considered prohibited work on the Sabbath. Thus, the cocktail straw was invented.

Early morning, an old man dies during a poker game. The other players wonder how to break the sad news to his wife. They chose Abram as the most tactful. Abram goes to the deceased’s home and says to his wife:
— Hello, Sofia.
— Hello, Abram.
— Sofia, you know, your Moishe dropped by yesterday, we played poker, and he lost quite a bit of money…
— May he drop dead!!!
— Well, he did.

— You’re looking better every day!
— Don’t exaggerate!
— Well, every other day, then.

— What exactly is “bad inheritance”?
— I think it’s when you’re written out of the will…

Two elderly men from Ukraine meet in Brighton Beach:
— Abram, so how’s your English? Have you learned it yet?
— No, and I’m not even trying. Why would I need English?
— Well, you never know—you might need to ask for directions in an unfamiliar place.
Just then, a car stops nearby, and an American asks them how to get somewhere. Both shrug and stumble through broken English, to no avail. The American leaves in frustration, slamming the door.
Abram:
— So, you see, how much did his English help him?

— Rose, dear, if I die, don’t stay a widow, get married. Be happy. And may this man raise our children well!
— Oh, stop nagging! The soup is fine! If you don’t want it, then don’t eat.

A farmer asks a veterinarian for advice:
— I have a horse. Sometimes he walks normally, sometimes he limps. What would you suggest?
— Next time he’s walking normally, sell him!

At the zoo, the bear complains to the director:
— Move me to a different cage, I can’t live like this anymore! I have a monkey on my right telling jokes all day and a giraffe on my left laughing all night.

— Honey, do you love me?
— Of course!
— Would you die for me?
— Whoa! And who’d be left to love you?

A seminary student fell in love with the daughter of an oligarch. They decided to marry. The groom went to speak to her father:
— Do you know that my daughter is used to denying herself nothing? She buys coats and jewelry every other day. Can you provide her with this?
— God will help!
— She also changes luxury cars several times a year.
— God will help!
— She also travels abroad often, for vacations and shopping…
— God will help!
Later, the daughter asks:
— Dad, did you like my fiancé?
— He’s clearly a zero, but I like that he calls me God…

Two men argued about whose wife is the better housekeeper.
— My Sarah sews up pants so well, it’s completely unnoticeable, says one.
— So what? My Rivka irons a shirt so well, it’s completely invisible too.

— Sarah, do you want me to give you everything: the sky, the snow, the moon, the stars, the universe!
— Avram, so there’s no money at all?

— Rabbi, tell me, what happens if I break one of the Ten Commandments?
— There’ll still be nine left.

— Grandpa, how do you know so much?
— Google as long as I have…

Moses comes down from Sinai and tells the Jews:
— I have a divine commandment for you!
— And how much will it cost?
— It’s absolutely free, just a gift!
— Free? Well then, give us ten!

Three men are arguing about whose profession is the oldest. The builder:
— Yes, our profession is the oldest. We built the pyramids in Egypt.
The gardener:
— Yes, but our people planted the Garden of Eden.
Electrician:
— What are you all arguing about? Even before God said “Let there be light,” we had already done all the wiring.

My wife is a wise woman! Even if we quarrel and aren’t speaking, there’s always a tasty dinner waiting for me at home after work: borscht, dumplings, and compote! Though it’s all in one dish…

An old man is dying.
— Moishe, who will you leave the remaining money to?
— There’s still something left?
— Yes, there’s a little.
— You know, Sarah, I feel better already.

— Doctor, my husband accidentally swallowed Ibuprofen! What should I do?
— Don’t worry so much! Now give him a headache—let’s not waste the pill!

The Absolute

I want to share a deeply personal experience. On the morning of the 26th day, I was listening to music on shuffle, and Sri Chinmoy’s poem “The Absolute” came on. He wrote it as one of his first English poems when he was in Pondicherry, India, at the age of 13! A thrill came down my spine and through my legs as if from an electric shock, and every line resonated deeply within me. It was like a revelation, yet in the most unsuitable place—at the 3100-Mile Race, surrounded by crowds of teenagers rushing to college, honking cars, and the general chaos. But I was so moved by Sri Chinmoy’s voice and the experience of each line that I played the poem again and again… The Absolute was far, far above and beyond all earthly events…

I had heard it many times, but this was the first time it truly penetrated me, and I experienced the author’s emotion firsthand.

The Absolute

No mind, no form, I only exist;
Now ceased all will and thought.
The final end of Nature’s dance,
I am It whom I have sought.

A realm of bliss bare, ultimate;
Beyond both knower and known;
A rest immense I enjoy at last;
I face the One alone.

I have crossed the secret ways of life,
I have become the goal.
The Truth immutable is revealed;
I am the way, the God-Soul.

My spirit aware of all the heights,
I am mute in the core of the Sun,
I barter nothing with time and deeds;
My cosmic play is done.

[Sri Chinmoy, My Flute, 1972, p.1]

I am more than confident that each runner had their own profound experiences, which we prefer not to discuss on camera. But sometimes, we share them with each other… That’s how I learned about the energy and blessings that came down upon Budjargal. By the end of the race, he looked completely soulful, whereas in the early days, the word “wild” might have been more fitting. Radu mentioned how he saw a waterfall from the Heavens pouring down on every 3100-Mile runner who had ever participated. And there are such waterfalls scattered along the track and the Earth…

Race Conclusion

Towards the end of the Race, I often came to the course to support my friends, count laps, and take night shifts at the camp, which was no longer packed up as in the early years but only closed off with tents over the mini vans and tables. I could see the spiritually uplifted and radiant faces of the runners at the end of the day—even when we were all utterly exhausted. But you can distinctly see an inner light! It’s awe-inspiring.

I saw how sleepy and worn-out runners started at 6 a.m., but gradually, this inner light filled them from within, and they began to smile, talk, joke, and run well.

This year, something unprecedented happened—the race was shortened by a day! Originally, Sri Chinmoy set a 51-day limit for the 3100-Mile Race. In 2006, this limit was extended to 52 days, allowing myself and other runners to finish multiple times. But this time, after Budjargal’s finish on day 49, none of the remaining three runners were on pace to meet the 52-day limit. So, it was decided to return to the original 51-day limit. For the future, race director, Rupanatar, said that the race will end with the last finish if none of the remaining runners can complete it within 52 days.

In general, although my 3100-Mile runner phase is seemingly ending, I don’t regret it at all. I know that by closing my eyes, my experiences and imagination can once again take me back to the lap, where I was flowing in a stream of cosmic energy that embraced me and nested like a bird within my heart.

Stutisheel

p.s. At the finish of my first race, to everyone’s amazement, I said, “I will run 3100 Miles again and again, as there is so much love and inner dimension here… It’s incredible to feel it all…” Who could have predicted that this “again and again” would stretch out over 20 years?!

2024 3100-Mile Race Results

Additional

Official Website: https://3100.srichinmoyraces.org

Photo Gallery: https://www.srichinmoyultraphoto.com/3100-mile-race/2024

Stutisheel’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lebedevrun

Books by Stutisheel: https://lebedev.run/press/

Training and Races on Strava