Imagine running 3100 miles/4989 kilometres.
Yeah, I can’t imagine it either, but work with me here for a moment.
Let’s imagine that you were indeed going to run this race.
All 3100 miles of it.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the world’s longest race, the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transendence race might well take runners across countries and continents, as they try and cover such a phenomenal distance.
Well, you’d be oh-so-wrong, because this race, all 4989km of it, is run on a half-mile loop around a high school in Queens, New York.
Yes.
You read that correctly.
Runners run 3100 miles on a half-mile course round and round and round a New York school, running from 6am-midnight for 52 days.
As the race website says, thousands of people have climbed Everest but only 49 people have completed this race.
It really is beyond mind-boggling.
I mean, I love running, but to average nearly 60 miles a day for 52 days, going in a small loop is beyond comprehension.
This year’s winner, Andrea Marcato from Italy, finished the race in less than 43 days, well before the 52 day cut off.
Can you imagine running over 2 marathons a day for over 50 days?
No.
Neither can I 🙂
Here, read this very informative article which gives you all the stats on this quite extraordinary race.
It would appear that the practical side of things are very well looked after by the organisers – food, a place to sleep (for 5 hours a night, though!!!) – but I cannot even begin to imagine how you would train for such an event. I mean, who has the time to train for distances like this??
Crazy stuff.