Sri Chinmoy's Athletic Achievements

Sri Chinmoy has been an avid athlete all his life and an advocate of the benefits of fitness. The following is a chronicle of Sri Chinmoy's own remarkable athletic endeavours.

This section of the site also contains photographs and events of Sri Chinmoy's sprinting, distance running and weightlifting career.

Weightlifting

Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart

Sri Chinmoy has lifted almost 8,000 individuals from all walks of life overhead with one arm to honour them for their contributions to society.

30 Jan 1987	70633/4-lb One-arm Lift (right arm)
04 Aug 1988	7040-lb One-arm Lift (left arm)
12 Apr 2004	10 reps of 400-lb Crunch Abdomen-Ups
19 Feb 2000	Standing Overhead Double Dumbbell Lift, 1300 lbs
15 Oct 2000	1,000-lb Double Dumbbell Bench Press
12 Apr 2004	800-lb Seated Overhead Double Dumbbell Lift
11 Apr 2004	Lifted 146,931 lbs in one day – a record number, 20,000 lbs or 10 tons more than he did at his 2002 public weightlifting exhibition
11 April 2004	Lifted own body weight of 177 lbs (including apparatus) 100 times with his left arm from a seated position, 1 minute, 17 seconds
28 Nov-6 Dec 2002	Lifted 1,000 lambs in a Seated Double-Arm Overhead Lift in 6 lifting sessions, New Zealand
10 Dec - 16 Dec 2002	Lifted 100 cows in an Overhead Platform Standing Calf Raise Lift in 3 lifting sessions, New Zealand

More: Sri Chinmoy's Weightlifting »

Rainbow-Dreamers

In 1996 and 1997 Sri Chinmoy embarked on a wide range of personal challenges.

21 Apr 1996	Standing Vertical Jump, 181/4”
03 May 1996	Standing High Jump, 35”
16 Jun 1996	Vertical Jump onto a Platform, 33”
22 Feb 1997	79 baskets out of 100 from foul line

Rainbow-Dreamers Bodybuilding Exercises

30 Apr 1996	Step-Ups Wearing a Weighted Vest, 100 step-ups with 50-lb vest
16 Jun 1996	Walking with a 100-lb Weighted Vest, 250 metres
17 Aug 1996	Crunch Sit-Ups, 13,000 in 2 hours, 40 minutes

Athletics

Personal Bests, Sprinting to Ultramarathons

Sri Chinmoy has completed 241 races, including 22 marathons and 5 ultramarathons

11 Jul 1992	100m 13.67 seconds Sri Chinmoy Masters Games, Queens, NY
11 Jul 1992	200m 29.69 seconds Sri Chinmoy Masters Games, Queens, NY
27 Sep 1983	400m 72.66 seconds World Masters Games, San Juan, PR
29 Jul 1981	800m 2:47 Sri Chinmoy Grand Prix, Queens, NY
27 Jun 1982	1500m 6:30 Sri Chinmoy Race, Queens, NY
02 Aug 1981	1 mile 6:23 Sri Chinmoy Grand Prix, Queens, NY
29 Mar 1981	2 miles 13:42 (6:51 pace) Sri Chinmoy Race, Westport, CT
06 Jun 1979	3 miles 22:21 (7:27 pace) Sri Chinmoy Race, Scottsdale, AZ
17 May 1980	3.1 miles/5k 22:12 (7:09 pace) Great North Fork Footrace, Greenport, NY
23 Mar 1980	3.5 miles 25:29 (7:09 pace) March Speed Run, Brooklyn, NY
07 Aug 1982	4 miles* 30:33 (7:34 pace) Summer Blahs Race, Central Park, NY, NY
11 July 1982	5 miles* 38:11 (7:38 pace) Sri Chinmoy Race, Queens, NY
10 Oct 1981	6.2 miles/10k* 54:11 (8:48 pace) Foliage Run, Ringwood, NJ
30 Mar 1980	7 miles 51:18 (7:19 pace) Sri Chinmoy Race, Fairfield, CT
23 Sep 1979	10 miles 1:23:47 (8:23 pace) Sri Chinmoy Race, Greenwich, CT
13 Sep 1981	13 miles* 2:01:30 (9:20 pace) Sri Chinmoy Marathon (first 13 miles), Plainsboro, NJ
15 Nov 1981	13.1 miles* 1:55:24 (8:48 pace) Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon, Queens, NY
04 Oct 1981	15.5 miles/25k 2:30:35 (9:43 pace) New York City Marathon Tune-Up, Central Park, NY, NY
25 Mar 1979	26.2 miles 3:55:07 (8:58 pace) Heart-Watchers Marathon, Toledo, OH
27 Aug 1980	47 miles 11:27:24 Sri Chinmoy Ultramarathon, Queens, NY

*The following are unofficial split times that surpass the above race times
27 Jul 1982 4 miles 30:21 Rhode Island
27 Jul 1982 5 miles 38:07 Rhode Island
27 Jul 1982 6.2 miles/10k 47:11 Rhode Island
02 May 1982 13 miles 1:54:04 Newsday L.I. Marathon, Long Island, NY
02 May 1982 13.1 miles 1:54:30 Newsday L.I. Marathon, Long Island, NY

More: Sri Chinmoy's Sprinting »
Sri Chinmoy's Distance Running »

Tennis

13 Jun 1977	Sri Chinmoy started playing tennis
3 Jun 1978	Sri Chinmoy played 453 games of tennis in 17 hours

Push-ups

07 Jan 1986

2,230 in 59 minutes 50 seconds, Kyoto, Japan

Cross-posted from

Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team articles - more articles

The 26th Sri Chinmoy Ten Day Race April 17-27 2024
The 25th Sri Chinmoy Six Day Race April 21-27 2024

Both races utillized the loop course at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the second year of the former course measured at 0.747979 mile/1.203577km,. The course is mostly flat and very similar tomany of our previous running courses that had acquired several multiday race performances over the last 24 years, minus the two and a half years during the Covid pandemic.

The recovery of the Sri Chinmoy 10 Day Race, which started in 1996 , was a joy for the running world that discovered long distance events the last several years, both in the US, and in Europe as well.

The Ten Day garnered 18 men and 6 women taking quick use of the course and a semi-quiet park as the noon-time start on April 17.

The quickest runners would most likely run the course with their best days ahead of them. Multi-time winner Budjagal Byambaa from Mongolia led the fastest fellows along, but the fastest lady Annabel Hepworth was set to lead many runners .

The typical Spring weather patterns began as rain arrived about two or three hours into the event. Still, the runners continued on their assault for miles and kms. Just before the sun disappeared, the rain disappeared but the runners continued to test the course and their own forward movement. Budjargal lead throughout the first night, and by the first 24 total arrived, he reached 112.9 miles/ 181.7kms. Chia-Hung Wei from Tiawan came through with 109.9 miles/ 176.86kms. No surprise, as third overall was Annabel Hepworth, the Australian with 99.4 miles/ 159.97kms. Another surprise was Benjamin Torok from Hungary, who reached 94.9 miles / 152.74kms-moving well in his first ever 10 Day.

The runners always seem to develop a true concern for their own runner-friends, both new and formerly previously. We were so fortunate to have numerous helpers who worked the lap counting, making tasty food, and a solid group of men and women medical providers. Checking foot and ankle problems, and just getting through a long or overnight running test.

By the time of three complete days had passed, the 10 day runners kept their movement as steady and regular as possible. In a day later, 9 more runners would join the frey, so there was more solid efforts to fill the course.

The end of Day 4 showed Budjargal still in the front, and Andrea Marcato was solid in second place. Radu Budan from Moldova was solid in fourth place, and Annabel Hepworth was at 305.9 miles/ 492.298 km.

As the Six Day Race began for the 25th time, the leader Ashprihanal Aalto from Finland assumed the position as head of the group, reaching 108.45 miles/ 174.54km in the first day. Abhejali Bernadova from Check Republic led the ladies with 78 miles/ 123.98 km.

The Ten Day Race had more intense efforts that showed great movements from the top 10 or 11 runners. The air was pleasant, the rain stayed away, but runners did not stop. Budjargal threw down 84.5 miles on Day Five, and moved over 70 miles ahead of second for the men. Annabel Hepworth continued her powerful movement and placed fourth overall , and nearly 80 miles ahead of second lady Gesiane Nascimento of Brazil. Alex Ramsey from the US, and Benjamin Torok from Hungary was really putting up a real test to move into fifth or sixth place for the men. By the eighth and nine day efforts they were only a few miles apart. Each of the two men were really enjoying the test of finding more miles and more joy in becoming great distance runners.

The total of runners who reached 1000km+ became seven, as six men and the top lady showed us all they are in a great place. Budjargal made it to his best ever, reaching 817.5 miles/ 1315.6 km. He passed his previous best of 810 miles in 2018. Second place came to Andrea Marcato, the Italian who reached 743.4 miles/ 1196.3km. Third place reached the Taiwanese hero Chia-Hung Wei. It was another personal best for him as he reached 709 miles/ 1141 km. He surprised himself!

Fourth place overall was our top lady - Annibel Hepworth, 685.1 miles/ 1102.5 km. She reached a PB, a national W50.

Fifth place was Radu Budan, setting a PB with 646.2 miles/ 1039.9 km.

Fifth place for the men, sixth overall was Alex Ramsey. Another personal best of 623.8 miles/ 1003.9km. And finally, the Sixth mail and seventh member of the 1000km group was Benjamin Torok, who reached 623.0 miles/ 1002.6km.

There were also several other PB’s in the Ten Day. One of the most remarkable was the fourth place for the women- Tamara Babich

From Katachstan, who at age 73 reached 483.7 miles/ 776.7 km.

The Six Day Race also had excellent performances. Ashprihanal Aalto won overall with 436.1 miles/ 701km. Abhejali Bernardova reached 344.8 miles/ 554.8km. And last but not least- 86 year old Don Winkley from Texas, USA-m completed 148 miles/ 238.1 km, after five days (his plane was delayed a day by heavy storms in the South west.)

As always, thanks to all the runners for testing themselves in any way possible, and all the helpers keeping our multiday races continuing on the lists in the US as well as in Europe. Good Luck to all

Sahishnu

Photographs from

Photos of 6-10 Day Race by PJ Street
Photos of 6-10 Day Race - Akbota

Video

View full article »

About the author:

Tejvan organises short-distance running and cycling races for the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in his home city of Oxford. He is also a very good cyclist, having won the National hill climb championships in 2013 and finished 3rd in the National 100 Mile Time Trials in 2014.

In the 27th edition of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Race, Tswi Wen-Ya attained a new women's world record for the 3100 Mile Race, in a time of 45 days +12:28:44. The diminutive runner from Taiwan, overcame tiredness, heavy rain and numerous physical challenges to set this remarkable new record which involved running an average of 68 miles for 45 days straight. After a short victory celebration, she continued to set a new world record for 5,000km in a time of 45 days +14:56:42.

The race saw fourteen runners take to the start line, and each runner had their own unique experience of self-transcendence. The first place finisher was Andrea Marcato from Italy. it was his fourth consecutive 1st place in the 3100 Mile Race and comes after an amazing year which included two ten day races and other ultra-distance events. His time of 43 days+13:33:23 was not a personal record, but he joins the Finnish men's world record holder Ashprihanal Aalto for being the only runner with four consecutive first places.

Another notable achievement was 2nd place, Lo Wei-Ming (Taiwan) who covered 17 of the last 19 days in 71+ miles, including 14 days over 72.4 and 74.3 miles, with two days wrangling 79.4 miles. He averaged 68.343 miles/ 109.986 km per day. He then completed the 13 extra laps needed to reach 5000km in a sparkling time of 45 days+ 11:16:51. These top personal results are National records and Asian records.

The race was inspired by Sri Chinmoy who saw distance running as a unique challenge to bring to the fore all the inner and outer resources of the competitor. Sri Chinmoy taught the real goal was not the outer accomplishment, but the inner progress which can come from transcending our previous capacities, and remaining cheerful whatever happens during the race.

“We compete not for the sake of defeating others, but in order to bring forward our own capacity. Our best capacity comes forward only when there are other people around us. They inspire us to bring forward our utmost capacity, and we inspire them to bring forward their utmost capacity”

– Sri Chinmoy

The race inspired many people who both took part, but also who came to help or cheer on the runners. This video gives an insight into the thoughts, feelings and experiences of the runners