Yiannis Kouros: “I Don’t Believe in Long Runs”

By LetsRun.com
August 31, 2021

In 2019, LetsRun.com did a month-long exploration of the ultramarathon sceneduring which we spent a lot of time searching for the greatest ultramarathon world record. At the end of the exploration, we declared Yiannis Kouros’ 24-hour world record of 303.31 km (188.68 miles) to be the greatest ultramarathon record in history. After all, no one else in history had even come within 21 kilometers/13 miles of it. That all changed last weekend as Aleksandr Sorokin of Lithuania broke the record by running 309.40 kilometers (192.25 miles).

It reminded us that we never published a fantastic emailed interview that Robert Johnson did with Kouros in 2019. We didn’t publish it at the time as there was a delay in getting the responses back — Kouros had some problems with his eyes as he had been busy welding iron as he worked on his house. By the time we got the responses, our ultramarathon exploration was over and Robert had stopped looking for the reply. Thus it was AWOL in his email inbox for many months until being discovered. Since then, we’ve been waiting for an appropriate time to publish it. Now is that time.

Few excerpts from that interview:

I think that my records last so long because the majority of runners believe in fitness. Ultra-running is a mental sport that touches metaphysical/spiritual aspects of the human [being] and this is the main reason why it is not for the masses. Organizers who leave it open and accepting everybody –regardless of their abilities – are wrong, using people who love running, while in those of the participants who do not belong to the sport, there is lack of self-knowledge.

 

There is no distance or time-limit event in which I performed with -not just ideal, but not even- good conditions, either personal or weather/course conditions

 

In the last few decades may they came some good runners in the scene, but I don’t follow as they really [race] based just on fitness.

 

Continue reading the full interview

Secrets of the 3100-Mile Race. Meet the runners online!

27 November 2021
10:00 New York
16:00 Zurich
17:00 Kiev
18:00 Moscow
YouTube Live Stream https://youtu.be/fi58tHhoOMA

Meeting with the 5 runners of the world’s longest 3100-Mile Race in 2021. Race took place in New York Sep5 – Oct 26

Languages: English and Russian.

Andrea Marcato, Italy
Harita Davies, USA/New Zealand
Vasu Nikolay Duzhiy, Russia
Ananda-Lahari Zuschin, Slovakia
Stutisheel Oleg Lebedev, Ukraine

Also Race Director Rupantar LaRusso, USA

The race takes place annually over a 52-day period. Traditionally, it has begun on the third Sunday in June and ending in early August, with runners traversing a .5488 mile loop around a sports field, playground, and high school in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. (In 2020, we had to cancel the race in New York, instead it took place in Salzburg, Austria under strict health supervision.)

Conceived of as both a physical and spiritual journey, the race allows athletes to test themselves in a format, unlike any other ultra-marathon. In order to meet their goal of 3100 miles in 52 days, they must log an average of 59.6 miles per day.

The Self-Transcendence 3100-Mile Race was conceived by Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007), a spiritual teacher, athlete, artist, musician, poet, and humanitarian. His emphasis on self-transcendence and the triumph of the human spirit provides the inspiration which has powered the race since its inception.

World’s longest 3100 Mile Race kicks off in New York Sep 5, 2021

The world’s longest certified 3100 Mile Race kicks off at 6:00 New York time on September 5th. The race takes place for the 25th time in the New York suburb, in the Jamaica, Queens, in a lap of 883 meters.
The annual Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race has been named the “Everest of Ultramarathons” by the New York Times. Runners must cover an average of 96 kilometers per day to cover 3,100 miles (4,987 km) in a 52-day deadline. Runners are given 18 hours every day – from 6 am to midnight. In the previous 24 3100 mile starts organized by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team and the one-time 5000 km start in Athens in 2020, only 49 people were able to finish the distance.

This race is the major competition of the Sri Chinmoy International Marathon Team.

This year there are 7 runners from 7 countries at the start.

Men:
1. Andrea Marcato, 39 years, Italy (lives in Zurich, Switzerland). Winner of the Salzburg 3100 Mile Race in 2020.
2. Vasu Nikolay Duzhiy, 54 years, St. Petersburg, Russia.
8 finishes at 3100. Three-time race winner (2013, 2017, 2018)
3. Stutisheel Oleg Lebedev, 51 years old, Kiev, Ukraine. The first Ukrainian to finish the race in 2004. There are 9 finishes in total at his credit.
4. Ananda-Lahari Zuschin, 47 years, Kosice, Slovakia. 6 finishes for 3100 out of 16 starts.
5. Takasumi Seno, 39 years, Japan. Ran 4000 km in Athens in 2020. Will start 3100 Miles in New York for the first time.
6. Lo Wei Ming, 58 years, Taiwan (ROC). Holder of national records for 48 hours, six days, 1000 km, 10 days and 1000 miles. Will start 3100 Miles in New York for the first time.

Women:
1. Harita Davis, 46, Christchurch, New Zealand / USA. Holder of the national 3100 Mile Record. Has 2 finishes at the Race.

The official website of the competition www.3100.SriChinmoyRaces.org has a link to the webcams. On the website you can follow the results and you can also send a letter of support to the runners.

Stutisheel’s blog – 3100Mile Race first-hand experience available at www.3100.Lebedev.org.ua