Meet our team members

Asprihanal Aalto

The 'Flying Finn' from Helsinki has won the epic 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race four times - two more than any other person. His best time of 43 days and 4 hours set in 2007 is the third fastest in the history of the race. Asprihanal works as a courier in his home city of Helsinki, which he manages to combine with his training, running all over the city in the early hours of the morning! Read Asprihanal's biography...

Ashrita Furman

Ashrita started breaking Guinness world records in 1978 and currently holds over 70 - more than anyone else on the planet. Many of his records are in unusual disciplines, but nonetheless are great feats of concentration and dexterity - his records include running the fastest mile whilst bouncing three balls on the ground, the fastest five miles on stilts, and the most deep knee bends performed on top of a Swiss balancing ball! ”We should always push ourselves to do something greater.", he says of his records. "I am not a natural athlete, but Sri Chinmoy has shown me that if one can be in touch with one’s inner spirit, anything is possible." His website, ashrita.com contains an up to date list of his records, as well as a very entertaining blog...

Suprabha Beckjord

Suprabha is the only woman ever to have completed the world's longest race, the 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race, and the only person to have finished all eleven editions of the race. Between the eleven years of running the race, and the 2700 mile race that served as its precursor, she has clocked up a total of almost forty thousand miles. She is also the former world 1000 Mile women's record holder. Read her biography on the 3100 Mile section of our site...

Karteek Clark

Hailing from Edinburgh, Scotland, Karteek has managed eight successful swims of the English Channel since his first attempt in 1997, and he is still in training to add to that total. You can read some accounts of his swims on Karteek's page...

Dipali Cunningham

From Melbourne, Australia, Dipali Cunningham is one of the outstanding women's ultrarunners of all time. She has won every edition of the women's Six-Day Self-Transcendence Race in New York, and the world record she set at that distance in 1998 of 510 miles still stands today.

Anugata Bach

Originally from Wisconsin and currently resident in New York, Anugata holds the unusual triple distinction of having completed the notoriously gruelling Marathon des Sables through the Sahara Desert, swum the English Channel, and scaled the 8200m Himalayan peak of Cho Oyu as part of a four man team.

Virendra Gauthier

Achieved a marathon best of 2:25 when the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team was still in its infancy. In the annual 47 mile invitational race - the first ultradistance race put on by the SCMT - Virendra's astounding time of 5:09 set over a quarter of a century ago remains unbeaten to this day. Virendra later went on to mountaneering, and was part of an SCMT team that scaled the 8013m high Tibetan peak of Shishapangma.

Tejvan Pettinger

Tejvan is one of the UK's leading amateur cyclists, having finished fourth in the National 100 Mile TT Championship in 2005. Tejvan's Page

Sri Chinmoy, Founder

Sri Chinmoy founded the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in 1977 and overseen its growth into the world's largest organiser of endurance events. In the beginning years Sri Chinmoy was a frequent participant in the marathons and ultraraces organised by his team. Until his passing in October 2007, he remained an active inspiration to everyone he met, making remarkable and far-reaching contributions in the fields of weightlifting. Read more...

Rupantar La Russo, Race Director.

Rupantar began serving the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team (SCMT) in 1985 at the inaugural 1000 mile Race. In 1991 Sri Chinmoy appointed Rupantar to oversee the global Marathon team’s activities as well as directing all races and other sporting events in the New York area.

In his spare time Rupantar has a full time job as a printer at The Manifestation Glow. Rupantar has completed 14 marathons with a personal marathon best 3.30. He has also completed two 47 mile races. Sore knees have temporarily curtailed Rupantar’s running career but he is currently an enthusiastic proponent of yoga and pilates.

Bipin Larkin, Associate Race Director.

Bipin has been working on SCMT events since the early eighties. A carpenter by trade Bipin has brought and continues to bring countless innovations to our multi-day race set-up, which have come to resemble small villages.

He has assisted his friend Ashrita Furman in his record-breaking oddysey for almost 30 years, and jointly holds quite a few records with Ashrita: the pair of them set the record for the longest distance throwing a waterbaloon without bursting it , and also the most grapes thrown and caught in the mouth in one minute! Bipin also served as the 'load' when Ashrita set the record for the fastest mile whilst carrying someone in a fireman's lift.

Bipin has completed 17 marathons and five 47 miles races. When not working in construction or putting on races he enjoys surfing on Long Island as well as other more exotic locations when he can get away.

Sahishnu Szczesiul, Associate Race Director.

Sahishnu has been involved with the marathon team almost since it’s inception. He is responsible for all the time keeping, officiating and results of our ultra races. Sahishnu also manages the website and posts all the daily updates for the ultra races.

Having completed 37 marathons and 33 ultras Sahishnu is well aware of runners needs in multi-days. With a marathon best of 3.29 Sahishnu now enjoys a daily program of race-walking. Sahishnu also manages a delightful vegetarian restaurant called the Smile of the Beyond with a scrumptious selection of breakfast and lunch items to choose from.

Sandhani Fitch, Associate Race Director.

Sandhani has been involved with the Marathon Team since its beginning, organizing races in Connecticut in the early seventies. He also played a major role in the Sri Chinmoy Triathlon from 1979 to 1993. He began running in 1971 and still manages to run regularly as much as his knees allow.

Sandhani also owns a gourmet organic coffee distribution business called Champion-Perfection-Pride with the finest organic blends from around the world.