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Day 45:Part Two

In the wake of the first finisher, the energy level of the remaining runners is still strong. Vasu Duzhiy had a splendid day with 75.7 miles and has moved into third place and another probable podium finish. Yuri Trostenyuk should finish Thursday evening, with a new personal best by several days, and William Sichel is only four laps behind seventh place overall as he continues to shine. Still a week left, but everybody is moving more urgently. Time is passing by.

Day 45: Part One- Sarvagata Finishes First!

Forty-one year old Sarvagata Ukrainskyi from Berdyansk, Ukraine finished first in the Eighteenth Annual Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race in 44 days+06:58:10. It was his fourth consecutive finish and a new personal best by nearly six hours. He averaged 69.996 miles per day(112.648 km). He is now ranked fourth all-time in the event, his previous best race having come in 2011.

Day 44:Cool and Breezy, Please

Sarvagata Ukrainskyi has moved to within 60 laps(32.9280 miles) of reaching his goal of 3100 miles. The estimated time of finish is between 12:45 and 2:30 PM EDT on Tuesday afternoon. He ran 71.34 miles on his penultimate day of the event. Vasu Duzhiy will enjoy his current championship for one more day as he led all comers with 71.89 miles. He has climbed to within four laps of Pranjal Milovnik who is still clinging to third but realizes the superior leg speed of Vasu. Sarah Barnett passed 2700 miles and leads the ladies with just eight days left in the contest. In all, nine athletes made it past 60 miles again. The weather was perfect, with lower humidity and the mercury barely reaching 80ºF.

Sarah Barnett-2700 miles=43 days+10:42:15

Day 43:

It was a muggy, hot day in New York, the kind we normally see here each summer, the kind that has been scarce for the last six weeks. Our tired but determined runners still kept on, looking forward to life at the beach, eating at a dinner table while seated, or other niceties taken for granted. Vasu Duzhiy kept his pursuit of the podium on full tilt with a 69.1 mile day, climbing within 10 miles of Pranjal Milovnik, the stalwart Slovakian. Yuri Trostenyuk continued his excellent adventure in second place with 64.7 miles, and Sarvagata Ukrainskyi is within 105 mile of finishing on Tuesday afternoon, if he doesn’t tear off his shirt to reveal a big ‘S’ on his chest and do it all in one full day on Monday(wink!). The ladies-three all came short of 60 miles but remain in good spirits. And to top off the day, a Scottish piper in full regalia serenaded the athletes and crew with terrific songs of energy and timeless spirit. With nine days left, the runners are ready to fly. Stay tuned friends.

Stutisheel Lebedyev-2700 miles= 42 days+06:27:41

Day 42: Six Weeks And The Top Spot

Only one man has ever dared to finish on the forty-second day in the 3100 Mile Race- Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk of Germany in 2006. His 41 days and eight hours of work present the gold standard- an average of nearly 75 miles per day(120 km). Even with surprisingly cool weather this summer, still the record is safe. For the lesser mere mortals, Sarvagata Ukrainskyi moves closer to a Tuesday finish line after a fine 71.34 mile day. If he finishes before 7:38pm on Tuesday evening he will eclipse his own best mark(44 days +13:38:52). Yuri Trostentuk will hope for a late Thursday finish(or Friday morning). If Pranjal Milovnik from Slovakia closes the deal he can also eclipse his personal best. There is a possibility of nine finishers this year. Go runners!!

Pranjal Milovnik-2700 miles=41 days+07:56:54
Vasu Duzhiy-2700 miles=41 days+13:10:20

Day 41: How Cool Is That

On another remarkably pleasant July day in New York, eight runners made it past 60 miles. Race leader Sarvagata Ukrainskyi has improved to a lead of over 140 miles with a sparkling 76.2 mile day. He has 237.6 miles to cover before reaching the coveted finish line. Vasu Duzhiy has moved to within 17 miles of third place with an excellent 68+ miles as well. Sarah Barnett increased her lead over second woman Jayasalini Olga Abramovskikh to 70 miles and looks fresh and in control. She remains sixth overall. William Sichel has extended his positive mileage to an eleven mile cushion. He looks like one of the freshest runners on the course. Eleven days remain but time is speeding up it seems.
Yuri Trostenyuk-2700 miles= 40 days+12:07:40

Day 40: Getting Closer

With the weather offering a perfect setting, nine of the 14 made it past 60 miles, and two more were over 59 miles. Sarvagata Ukrainskyi led the group once more with 68+ miles. He needs 313+ miles to finish this journey of five million steps- perhaps next Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, Stutisheel Lebedyev and Yuri Trostenyuk are carving out personal bests, and Pranjal Milovnik is trying to hold off the charging Vasu Duzhiy, who is 22 miles behind him. Sarah Barnett has all but sewn up the womens’ title as she increases her lead almost daily over Jayasalini Olga Abramovskikh and Nidhruvi Zimmerman. Ananda-Lahari Zuscin flipped a 62.5 mile day and made it look effortless for seven hours until his dormant running muscles told him to slow down. It is fascinating to watch each runner make their rounds with whatever available energy they have left. We hope to have a live webcam for the finishers if technically possible.

Day 39: Instant Replay

A warm sticky day and wet evening could not stop the hero-warriors of the 3100 Mile Race as they approached their appointed rounds. Sarvagata Ukrainskyi assumed the mantle of Day leader again with a fine 70.2 mile effort. He needs another five and a half days to finish this effort. Perhaps Tuesday at noon will suit him. Sarah Barnett carried another fine effort throughout the day to 66+ miles. William Sichel, enjoying his first day back in a small cushion of miles above the cutoff, reached 62.56. He has overcome a deficit of nearly 70 miles to be on pace to finish. To add even more inspiration to the mix, Teekshanam Dodonu ran 62+ miles, his first time of regular running without shin splints since Day 27.

Sarvagata Ukrainskyi-2700 miles= 38 days+14:26:57

Day 38: Two Weeks Left

With only two weeks left there are looks of determination on the runners faces, along with fatigue marks and effort lines that are hard to hide. Yet they manage to go on. Vasu Duzhiy led the group with 66.4 miles, followed closely by Pranjal Milovnik and Yuri Trostenyuk. Although it might seem that the athletes are competing only with themselves, none want to give up a place on the board, at least without a wink and a smile. Camaraderie is still high but focus dominates the gaze of the runners. Sarah Barnett continues to lead the ladies after another 63 mile day. One more warm day awaits

Day 37: Hanging On

A long, difficult race pampers no one. The prodigious distance is difficult to fathom, the daily mileage is hard calculate in the tired brain, the nerve endings must be frazzled. And that is just the helpers and onlookers! The runners keep going, no matter how tired they might appear. Seven of these fearless athletes made it past 60 miles again, led by the Mr. Ukrainskyi, known as Sarvagata. He hit 70 miles with less than a minute to go before midnight. Sarah Barnett helped him get there, running 65.85 miles of her own to pad the lead over her female rivals to 49 miles. Messrs Yuri Trostenyuk,Vasu Duzhiy, and William Sichel each had 65.3 miles on their scoresheets as well. With just a day over two weeks left in the race, the runners are getting ready for the last push to the finish. Lap times are speeding up, rest breaks are not wasted on conversations or distractions. No time to waste. A meeting with destiny awaits.