A run around the block, for 51 days
Susan Marshall believes if you feel strongly enough about something then you are capable of achieving it. And the Auckland runner has been putting that mindset into practice by finishing the world’s longest certified running race in 50 days, 16 hours, 23 minutes and 53 seconds.
Marshall, 38, becomes just the second Kiwi runner to finish the SelfTranscendence 3100 Mile Race following her close friend, New-York based Cantabrian Harita Davies, who has completed the journey twice.
The 3100-mile (4989km) distance is the equivalent of running from Kaitaia to Bluff, turning around and running back to Kaitaia, then turning again to run to Wellington and then still having 107km to run.
Marshall made the finish line late last month approaching midnight, on a rainy New York night, extremely tired, with some minor niggles and a long recovery time in front of her but importantly, with zero regrets.
‘‘It’s not a big deal, I think my body coped really well during the race. If you feel something strongly enough there’s a way to do it,’’ Marshall said.
Crossing the finish line was a relief and Marshall also felt satisfied and fulfilled but said the journey of the race would take her some time to process.
Founded by Sri Chinmoy, an Indian spiritual teacher and leader who found peace in mediation and running, the SelfTranscendence 3100 is contested around one 800-metre block in Queens, New York. Athletes need to average around 60 miles (96.5km) – the equivalent of two marathons plus 6km – day after day to finish the race within the time period of 52 days.
Runners are pounding the pavements between 6am and midnight each day.
So every day, Marshall would push herself to front up again, and again. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. For Marshall, running is almost like a by-product of where her passion for the race lies.
Her biggest driver centres around the Sri Chinmoy movement, the philosophy of self-transcendence and challenging herself to be a better person on a journey of self-discovery.
‘‘The people I saw who had achieved these races, they had a special quality about them which I felt quite drawn to,’’ Marshall said.
Running 3100 miles in 52 days might seem absolutely crackers to most of us, but that’s essentially why Sri Chinmoy founded the race.
Sri Chinmoy, who died in 2007, wanted to create an opportunity for runners to
discover the limits of their capacities were actually much higher than they believed.
‘‘He believed we all had so many dreams inside of ourselves, but we often don’t have the courage or conviction or whatever to actually go out and fulfil them and these are the things which are
going to make our world and our own lives something which is very meaningful to us,’’ Marshall said.
‘‘In a sense, this has all been the continuation of me trying to discover my own inner self, a life that’s full of peace and satisfaction for me.
‘‘I really got inspired, not so much for the physical aspect but for the philosophy of self-transcendence and exploring outwardly what we have within and developing ourselves through the pursuit of goals.’’
Marshall believes it can be easy to base your future on what you’ve seen in your own past and in the past of others but there’s more to our own lives than what we have already achieved, she explained.
‘‘The future can often be something beyond our conception of what we’ve seen previously, so I felt within myself that this was possible, that’s why I tried it and it turns out that feeling was not lying to me.
‘‘Slowly and surely if we put one foot in front of the other we do actually achieve something and that thing – the sum total of however many days – it can be beyond our imagination because generally, these things build slowly and then all of a sudden you have this incredible thing in your life.’’
Marshall, who finished fifth overall in the 2022 edition, becomes just the ninth female in the 26-year history of the race to finish the full 3100 miles. During her incredible feat, Marshall wore out 12 pairs of shoes.
Being away from home and work for so long are just part of the logistical issues with years of training and preparation, racing in marathons and building up to seven day races, to prepare for the 3100 race.
‘‘There’s definitely space and opportunity for people when they want to do something extraordinary or special or something that’s meaningful to them, it’s possible you can find a way.’’
Marshall has already proven the near impossible is possible because of her mindset, so would she put herself through 3100 miles again?
‘‘Your whole being has to be into it, your body, mind, heart and soul so if my body, mind, heart and soul are into it, I’ll definitely do it again.’’
‘‘Slowly and surely if we put one foot in front of the other we do actually achieve something.’’ Susan Marshall