Sri Chinmoy: My longest distance was 47 miles. I did it twice. Now I no longer do it, but every year about three hundred disciples of mine from all over the world come here on my birthday and run 47 miles. Being the spiritual father of the family, it gives me tremendous joy when I see my spiritual children run 47 miles. The number 47 is very important to me because in 1947 India got its independence. With this run we are celebrating our inner freedom.
At midnight on August 27th, 1978, the first Sri Chinmoy 47 mile race was held to honour Sri Chinmoy's 47th birthday.
Sri Chinmoy made the announcement for the race with little forewarning, which was characteristic of his spontaneous approach to new races and new challenges. The late 1970s was still very much pioneering days for the notion of running ultramarathons. As reported in the running press:
He (ed. Sri Chinmoy) had just presided over eight hours of qualifying trials for his meditation community's upcoming annual international sports day in New York City. As the tired meditators were finishing a well-deserved picnic lunch, the muscular Guru wondered aloud, 'So, who is going to run 47 miles for my birthday?...'
Kamen, Jeff. "The Guru's Ultra." Marathoner/Winter 1979. (47 Mile Race at Sri Chinmoy Races)
Despite the late notice, many students of Sri Chinmoy put their names forward. Only a handful of the participants had run even 26 mile marathons before. As a result, Sri Chinmoy asked his good friend and ultra pioneer, Ted Corbitt to give advice to those taking a step into the unknown. Ted Corbitt's advice and the spiritual atmosphere of the race, helped 57 out of the 58 starters to finish the distance, a remarkable completion rate. The Runner's Gazette also commented on the international flavour of the event.
Oddly enough, the 58 devotees in the run represented nine different countries, so the field in this otherwise obscure event was actually the most international in scope of any U.S. ultramarathon...Garima Hoffman (led) the women in 8:00:44.
Anahata Nada reported 47 men and 11 women raced around a 1 1/4 mile loop circling Jamaica High School in Queens.
On the morning of August 27th, as several runners were still completing the distance, local Queens Councilman Morton Povman came to the track at Jamaica High School to read the proclamation of Sri Chinmoy Day in Queens.
To encourage the runners, Sri Chinmoy himself ran most of the night until an injury disabled him.
1979 - 47 Mile Race
By the 1979 edition, the numbers participating had risen to 85 men and 37 women.
In 1979 Sri Chinmoy himself completed the 47 mile race in a time of 12:41:48.
1980 - 47 Mile Race
This was the second time Sri Chinmoy completed the 47 mile race, improving on his previous time by over an hour. He finished in a time of 11:27:24.
It would be Sri Chinmoy's final race at the distance.
The Race continues
In 1981, the race was temporarily increased to 50 miles, in honour of Sri Chinmoy's 50th birthday. But apart from that year, the race has been held at 47 miles annually ever since and is an important aspect of Sri Chinmoy's Birthday Celebrations.
Although Sri Chinmoy no longer ran, he would always visit the race and often walk meditatively around the course. Sri Chinmoy really valued the benefits of running, especially when combined with a spiritual attitude of self-transcending - competing with ourselves.
He once said that the best birthday present his disciples could give him was to run the 47 mile race.
Sri Chinmoy encouraged the organisers to decorate the race with inspiring aphorisms and photos to help create a spiritual vibration. Many who run or help with the race comment on the spiritual atmosphere which is created by the overnight race.
The race continues
Further reading
- Sri Chinmoy - ultradistance running at Sri Chinmoy Reflections
- The 2025 Sri Chinmoy 47 Mile Race - reported by Utpal (Perfection Journey)
- 47 Mile Race - Karteek Clarke