Sri Chinmoy 24hr track race : Run around in circles for 24 hours. Sarah Funderburk, the leading woman as darkness falls at Battersea, is partial to salted potatoes. Brian Robb, the overnight race leader, slurps his way through 57 yoghurt tubes, the sort more commonly seen in a child’s lunchbox.
Samantha Hudson dos Santos Figueira (formerly Amend), a GB 24hr runner and the British women’s 100-mile record holder, has taken it a step further in the past. “I’ve had baby food in a race – because it’s easy to get down.”
In a 24hr track race,
eating on the go takes on a very literal meaning. But getting food – or “fuel”, as many call it – into your body is not easy, especially after it has taken a pounding for several hours.
“I had such a hard time chewing,” Funderburk, an American now living in London, says after the race. “I made loads of jam tortillas but I just didn’t want to eat them.”
Stocks remembers “gagging even when I looked at food”, while Hudson dos Santos Figueira eats raw ginger to combat nausea. “I just munch on it – it’s disgusting.”
Britton, who coaches some of the world’s best ultra-runners, says: “I eat mostly gels. It’s painful but you’re just getting in as much as you can. They taste OK, but does that matter? I’m not eating to enjoy it.”
Every long training run is eating practice, according to 37-year-old Field. “I did one where I ate a Pot Noodle and a tin of rice pudding.”
He stopped for only 26 minutes of his record-breaking run. Britton was on the go for all but 23 of his.
Although there are portaloos by the side of the track, even those few extra footsteps can seem like an unnecessary diversion. In a 2018 race infamous for its atrocious weather, Stocks remembers shunning social etiquette. “It was late, it was pouring with rain, so why would I bother stopping? I would pee in my pants.”
Lined up along the edge of the track are the support crews – normally a partner or friend who has sacrificed their weekend to pull an all-nighter.
Some runners arrive with little more than a plastic bag of snacks and a camping chair. Others operate out of the boot of their car. The best prepared bring a gazebo, fridge and spreadsheet containing a scientific nutrition and hydration strategy.
The Sri Chinmoy 24-hour track race,
where participants run in circles for an entire day, is a true test of endurance, mental fortitude, and physical resilience. While the concept of running around a track for 24 hours might seem monotonous or extreme to many, for ultra-runners and endurance athletes, it represents a unique challenge that pushes the boundaries of human limits. The controlled environment of a track eliminates external distractions, allowing participants to focus entirely on their physical and mental stamina.
Races like this are often as much about mental strength as physical ability. Running in circles for such a long time can be mentally draining, and staying motivated while dealing with fatigue, pain, and sleep deprivation is no small feat. Participants must not only be in top physical condition but also have strategies to stay mentally engaged throughout the race. It’s a demonstration of pure determination and discipline.
Additionally, the race reflects a broader philosophy of endurance events, where success is measured not just by distance or speed but by how much one can endure. Sri Chinmoy’s teachings, which often emphasize inner peace and the transcendence of physical limits, align with the race’s philosophy, turning the event into a personal and spiritual journey for many runners.
Overall, while the Sri Chinmoy 24-hour track race might seem grueling to outsiders, it is a powerful metaphor for perseverance and self-discovery for those who participate.