Self Transcendence Blog
The 2007 edition of the Self Transcendence 3100 Mile Race began on June 17th with 12 runners. After 27 days Asprihanal Aalto is leading the race with 1,907 miles completed. He has been averaging over 70 miles per day.
The results for the 2007 edition of the race can be found here: 2007 results at Sri Chinmoy Marathon team.
There is also a website 3100 mile race
I will be adding entries on Self Transcendence here at Write Spirit.
Entries on category of Transcendence
An interesting article here on Buddhist monks who undertake an arduous 1000 day running challenge. In the last 2 years they undertake challenges such as completing 83KM every day for 100 consecutive days. The runs are also over inhospitable terrain on a frugal vegetarian diet.
I was researching different concepts of self transcendence and found many interesting explanations. There also seemed to be a general concept that self transcendence was a personal quest of going beyond one's limitations and transcending a purely egoistic perspective.
I found a good interview at the Meaning of Life.tv site with Richard Wright and Oxford Professor Keith Ward discussing self transcendence.
I have added an article here on: Self transcendence
The first successful unaided crossing was made by Captain Matthew who took 21 hours and 45 minutes 24-25th August 1875. It is one of the most difficult sporting challenges as swimmers have to compete with not just 21 miles but also cold temperatures and treacherous currents.
At the end of 2005, 811 individuals have completed a total of 1185 verified crossings ( under the rules of the CSA, the CSA (Ltd), the CSPF and Butlins. )
This is interestingly less than the number who have climbed Mount Everest.
Running in just one annual race round a 1/2 mile loop in Queens Jamiaca Suprabha has clocked up 31,000 miles.
The average distance from the Moon to the Earth is 384,403 kilometers (238,857 miles).
The circumference of the earth at the equator is 24,902 mi / 40,076 km.
Its hard to comprehend how far 3100 miles is, but its a long way to run

Sopan Tsekov who has just finished the 3100 Mile Race shares a few of his experiences.
"....Every race is a totally different experience and this one made no exception. The beginning of the race is always difficult because the body is put under extreme conditions. As you know the 3100 mile race happens in a half mile loop. You have to run 18 hours a day around the block.
We the runners have to do this day after day, week after week 6a.m. to 12p.m. which is such an incredible experience by itself...."

Ashrita Furman has broken more Guiness World Records than anybody else.
This is an excerpt from one of his successful record attempts. - For Running on Stilts. Ashrita gives
"...Once in China, I used the extra time to train hard and get into excellent shape. Whenever I went out to practice, the Chinese bystanders seemed to be absolutely fascinated by my new fangled apparatus. I found a scenic, flat, one-mile course by the waterfront in Xiamen, China for the record attempt. I had no idea at the time I chose the course, but the starting point happened to auspiciously begin at an ancient Buddhist temple! With my teacher’s blessings reverberating in my heart, I began my month-long delayed attempt. It turned out to be a deeply fulfilling experience, although it got a little rough at the end. I had to keep up the pace, even though my legs were tired and I began to stumble on the patches of rough brickwork in the road. I knew if I fell the attempt would be over, because I would lose too much time trying to get back up. Fortunately, I was able to stay on my feet and crossed the finish line to the cheers of my friends, including Udar and Homagni, and some of the locals. I managed to complete the 8 kilometers in 39 minutes and 55 seconds, a little more than 2 minutes better than the old mark..."
From: Ashirta.com
Ashrita is a student of Sri Chinmoy and he a lot of credit to Sri Chinmoy for inspiring his feats of Self Transcendence

The athletes lap their block more than 5,000 times. They wear out 12 pairs of shoes. They run more than two marathons daily. In the heat and rain of a New York summer, they stop for virtually nothing except to sleep between midnight and 6 a.m.
"I think this is what they're looking for: The feeling that you're living life for real," runner Pranab Vladovic said of himself and 13 other athletes now competing in the 10th annual Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race in Jamaica, Queens.
From: Yahoo News
- 3100 Mile Race Daily Journal
- Featured at Zaadz - Joy Bringer's Blog, 3100 Mile Race