March self-transcendence series has two world class ultra-marathon women, Dipali Cunningham and Suprabha Beckjord speaking on how meditation has helped them reach unimagined new heights.

Dipali Cunningham (born 1958) from Melbourne Australia is one of the world’s best woman ultamarathon runners. Dipali began multiday running in 1991 with the Sri Chinmoy 7 Day race in Flushing Meadows Queens, New York. Dipali has won every edition of The Self-Transcendence 6 day Race since it began in 1998. In 2009 she reset her own World 6 day road record.

Records

• 1993 1000 Mile Race -First Place (Australian record) – 15days+12:52:02
• 1997 1000 Mile Race-First Place (Australian record) – 13days+20:18:40
• 1998 women’s world best on the road for six days with 504 miles.
• 2001 women’s world record on the road for six days with 510 miles.
• 2004 women’s age group 45-49 world best for six days with 479 miles.
• 2009 women’s world best on the road for six days with 513 miles. (Subject to ratification)

Suprabha Beckjord (born 1956) is an ultramarathon runner. The only person to have completed every edition of the Self-Transcendence 31oo mile race (until 2009), Suprabha is one of the most enduring multiday athletes in the world. On the Jamaica, New York course, a loop of just over half a mile, Suprabha has covered 30,600 miles over the last ten years battling extremes of temperature and humidity, injury and exhaustion in what is the world’s longest certified footrace.

Racing History

• 1986 200 Mile Race 200 Miles First Place
• 1987 Five Day Race 347 Miles First Place
• 1988 Seven day Race 521 Miles First Place
• 1988 700 Mile Race 700 Miles First Place (US Record)
• 1989 Seven Day Race 470 Miles First Pace
• 1989 1000 Mile Race 1000 Miles First Place (World Record)
• 1990 Seven Day Race 500 Miles First Place
• 1991 Seven Day Race 523 Miles First Place
• 1991 1300 Mile Race 1201 Mile Third Place
• 1992 Seven Day Race 484 Miles First Place
• 1992 1300 Mile Race 1300 Miles First Place (US Record)
• 1993 Seven Day Race 490 Miles Second Place
• 1993 1300 Mile Race 1300 Miles Second Place
• 1994 Seven Day Race 502 Miles Third Place
• 1994 1300 Mile Race 1300 Miles Second Place
• 1995 Seven Day Race 508 Miles Third Place
• 1996 2700 Mile Race 2700 Miles First Place (World Record)
• 1997 3100 Mile Race 51 days+02:09.56 First Place (World Record)
• 1998 3100 Mile Race 49 days+14:30:54 First Place (World Record)
• 1999 3100 Mile Race 3100 Miles First Place
• 2000 3100 Mile Race 3100 Miles First Place
• 2001 3100 Mile Race 3100 Miles First Place
• 2002 3100 Mile Race 3100 Miles First Place
• 2003 3100 Mile Race 56 days+03:00.22 First Place
• 2004 3100 Mile Race 3100 Miles First Place
• 2005 3100 Mile Race 63 days+04:23:28 First Place
• 2006 3100 Mile Race 60 days+4:35:24 First Place (First person to complete all 10 3100 mile Races)
• 2007 3100 Mile Race 3100 Miles First Place
• 2008 3100 Mile Race 3100 Miles First Place
• 2009 3100 Mile Race 3100 Miles First Place

Ashrita Furman holder of more than 150 Guinness world records will be in town to add his inspiration and  try to break a new world record.

Ashrita Furman ( born 1954 ) has set more than 400 Guinness records since 1979 and currently holds 151 Guinness records^. He has set records on all seven continents and in more than 30 different countries. He has the official record for “The most current Guinness World Records held at the same time by an individual.” (Marco Frigatti, Head of Records, Guinness Book of World Records)

Creating new records

Furman has also been a pioneer in setting records in several new activities including landrowing. Using a converted indoor rower with wheels and brakes, Furman rowed 1,500 miles (2,400 km) in 16 days in Bali in 1991. Furman also developed the sport of gluggling, underwater juggling, which he did for 48 minutes at Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World in Auckland, New Zealand in 2002 and distance sack racing which Furman did for a mile while racing against a yak in Mongolia in 2007. On January 30, 2008, Furman unveiled his giant $20,000 pencil – 76 feet (23 m) long, 22,000 pounds (with 4,000 solid pounds of Pennsylvania graphite). The pencil was built in three weeks as a birthday gift for teacher Sri Chinmoy on 27 August 2007. Longer than the 65 feet (20 m) pencil outside the Malaysia HQ of stationers Faber-Castell, it was transported from Queens, New York, to the City Museum in St. Louis.

“ I’m trying to show others that our human capacity is unlimited if we can truly believe in ourselves. ”

— Ashrita Furman

Daulot Fountain,  Seattle race director for the Self-Transcendence  7 hour running race, ultra marathon runner, 20 year meditation teacher,and business owner will be in town to lead the Meditation and Sports meditation classes.