Category: Running

News #104: Sri Chinmoy Christmas Dash – Christchurch, NZ

Posted on by Yatkara

Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Christmas Dash 2025 – 10km and Kids 3.2km

The Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Christmas Dash – 10 km & Kids 3.2 km brought runners, families, and supporters to South Hagley Park in Christchurch on 30 November 2025. This festive event blended athletic challenge with community joy, encouraging participants to embrace self-improvement through movement and shared celebration.

Throughout the morning, athletes enjoyed a flat three-lap 10 km route while younger runners completed a single 3.2 km loop. Early arrivals warmed up near Deans Ave and Riccarton Ave before making their way to the start line. Thanks to the relaxed and friendly atmosphere, newcomers and experienced runners alike felt welcomed and supported.

On the Course: 10 km & Kids 3.2 km

South Hagley Park provided an ideal setting for the event. The entire course stayed within the park’s pathways, allowing runners to share the space with walkers, families, and cyclists. Because the area stayed open to the public, the race naturally gained a cheerful, community-focused feel.

Adults and teens raced the main 10 km distance, while children took part in the shorter 3.2 km dash. Parents were allowed to accompany their kids, which made the event even more inclusive. Festive outfits, friendly encouragement, and post-race smiles added warmth to the entire morning. As finishers crossed the line, volunteers and supporters offered applause, creating a joyful closing to the running season.

Results – Full Finish Times

The 2025 edition included personal bests and strong performances from athletes of many age groups. Each finisher contributed to the uplifting spirit that defines the Christmas Dash.

Complete results for all runners are available in the official results file: Results PDF

Photo Gallery – Highlights from the Event

These photos show runners of all ages giving their best, celebrating with family, and enjoying the festive atmosphere.

Experience the race through our lens: View Gallery

Why the Dash Matters

The Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Christmas Dash reflects the philosophy of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team: progress through consistent effort and joy. Unlike races focused solely on competition, this event invites everyone — regardless of pace — to participate, improve, and feel uplifted.    

For many runners, it serves as a meaningful end-of-year challenge. For children, it may be the start of a lifelong love for running. And for families, it becomes a shared tradition filled with encouragement and warmth.

Other Sri Chinmoy NZ Events

Throughout 2025, the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team held several events across New Zealand. Earlier in the year, Christchurch hosted the Self-Transcendence 100 km & 50 km Ultras, offering a demanding endurance challenge. The Spring Half Marathon & 10 km also drew many runners seeking personal progress. Additional local races supported community participation and fitness throughout the year.

Explore More

For more information about sports events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoyraces.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.

News #102: Sri Chinmoy Tan Team Relays, Melbourne

Posted on by Yatkara

Start of the Melbourne Tan Team Relays race with runners taking off

The Melbourne Tan Team Relays took place on 23 November 2025 at the iconic Tan Track around the Botanic Gardens. The event welcomed both solo runners and relay teams, under the banner of the global Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team (SCMT).

Race formats & distances

Runners could choose from the following options:

  • Solo — 1 lap: 4 km
  • Solo — 3 laps: 12 km
  • Solo Marathon — 11 laps: 42.1 km
  • Team Relay Marathon — 4-person teams running a total of 42.1 km, passing a baton each lap

This setup allowed newcomers and experienced runners alike to join — whether for a short run, a 12 km challenge, or a full marathon or relay effort.

Results & photos

About Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team — vision & legacy

SCMT began in 1977, founded by Sri Chinmoy. Its mission is to unite physical fitness with inner growth. Over decades, SCMT has grown into a global network hosting hundreds of events — from short runs to the world-famous 3100-mile race, the longest certified footrace on the planet. Through its races, SCMT promotes not just endurance, but unity, personal growth, and the joy of self-transcendence.

Why the 2025 Tan Team Relays matter

The 2025 Tan Team Relays show that SCMT’s spirit lives on. The mix of solo runs and team relay, short and long distances, made the event inclusive. It welcomed competitive runners and community participants with equal warmth. The race captured the SCMT ethos: pushing physical limits while embracing unity and inner peace.

Whether someone ran 4 km, 12 km, a full marathon, or joined a relay — every finish counts. Events like this renew SCMT’s global tradition, connecting runners in Melbourne with a worldwide community of endurance, friendship, and growth.

We look forward to seeing more runners, new teams, and continuing this journey of growth, strength, and joy in 2026 and beyond.

Explore More

For more information about sports events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoyraces.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.

Video #334: Sri Chinmoy Peace Run Brazil 2025 – 1,000 km of Harmony

Posted on by Yatkara

Peace Run Brazil 2025 has just completed one of its most inspiring and heart-warming journeys ever. In October, an international team of runners carried the flaming Peace Torch more than 1,000 kilometres across the country, spreading Sri Chinmoy’s universal message of oneness and harmony in every city they visited.

Peace Run Brazil – The Full Route

The Peace Run Brazil adventure began in Curitiba (Paraná) at the statue of Sri Chinmoy. From there, the torch travelled through Cerro Azul (Paraná), Eldorado and São Paulo (São Paulo), Santos (São Paulo), Ilhabela, Paraty, Angra dos Reis, Niterói (all in Rio de Janeiro state), and finally reached Rio de Janeiro itself. In total, more than ten cities opened their hearts to the Peace Torch.

Peace Run Brazil Visits Schools and Communities

Everywhere the team arrived, children rushed forward to light their own candles from the Peace Torch. Young people, teachers, athletes and local authorities held the torch and shared their personal dreams for a more peaceful world. These simple, sincere moments created memories that will last a lifetime.

Meeting Olympic and Paralympic Legends

In beautiful Ilhabela, the runners had the honour of meeting Robert Scheidt – Brazil’s most decorated Olympic sailor with five Olympic podiums up to Tokyo 2020. He warmly accepted the Sri Chinmoy Torch Bearer Award and spoke about the importance of inner peace for true success.

In São Paulo, the team joined a joyful race that started and finished at the iconic Ibirapuera Park. There they met Paralympic marathon bronze medallist Edneusa Dorta (Rio 2016), who held the torch with a radiant smile and shared her inspiring story of perseverance.

Peace Run Brazil – One Torch, One Dream

Since Sri Chinmoy founded the Peace Run in 1987, millions of people in over 150 countries have carried the torch with the same silent wish: peace begins in the human heart. Peace Run Brazil 2025 once again proved that one small flame can light thousands of hearts and bring people together across all differences.

Thank you, Brazil, for your open hearts!

Explore More

Official Peace Run Website: www.peacerun.org.
Learn more about Sri Chinmoy: www.srichinmoy.org.

News #99: Sri Chinmoy Thanksgiving Day Runs 2025 – Largest Ever 5K & 10K Celebration

Posted on by Yatkara

Joyful start of the Thanksgiving Day Runs 2025 in New York

The Thanksgiving Day 5K & 10K 2025 set a beautiful new record at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. On Thursday, 27 November, 841 runners – 555 in the 5K and 286 in the 10K – gathered in this historic urban oasis to celebrate the holiday with joyful running and heartfelt gratitude. Cloudy skies couldn’t dim the festive spirit. Instead, they added a soft, reflective glow to the morning. The flat, scenic loops around the Unisphere and 1964 World’s Fair landmarks amplified the festive spirit. Runners, families and friends gathered early, turning ordinary streets into lanes of gratitude and movement. Volunteers, ever the heartbeat of these events, set up aid stations with smiles and encouragement. Organisers thanked every participant and volunteer for making it the largest turnout in the event’s 15-year history.

The Heart of Thanksgiving Day Runs: Gratitude in Motion

First, these runs honor the holiday’s core: giving thanks through action. Second, they welcome all paces and ages. Third, they emphasize harmony over competition. Together, these elements create an atmosphere unlike any other. For instance, in Flushing Meadows Corona Park—the historic site of the 1964 World’s Fair—runners looped flat, scenic paths under the Unisphere. Even with scattered clouds, the air buzzed with positivity. This year, the turnout swelled, proving the runs’ timeless appeal. Participants felt the same gentle pull: run not just for fitness, but for the quiet peace that follows.

5K Highlights: Festive Starts and Swift Finishes

The 5K races ignited the day with pure energy. Fast starters clocked sub-18-minute times in the men’s under-50 group, weaving through autumn leaves with determination. Women led with graceful sub-21-minute efforts, blending speed and poise. Age-group heroes shone too. For example, masters runners in their 50s and 60s posted consistent, inspiring splits. Veterans over 70 brought wisdom to every step, often finishing to roaring applause. With over 100 finishers per site, the 5K embodied inclusivity. Families ran side by side, turning the distance into a shared adventure. Kids’ races added whimsy—tiny legs pumping to the finish, medals dangling like treasures. Despite the clouds, the mood stayed light. Volunteers handed out water and high-fives, reminding all that every lap counted as gratitude. In Queens, the loop around the park’s meadows felt especially symbolic—a circle of thanks in the heart of the city.

10K: Extended Joy and Reflective Strides

Doubling the challenge, the 10K invited deeper immersion. Leaders in the men’s open category pushed sub-36-minute paces, navigating longer loops with focused grace. Masters groups excelled, with 50+ athletes maintaining steady rhythms that belied their years. Over-60 finishers, in particular, drew cheers for their unyielding spirit.  As a result, fatigue gave way to fulfilment. Finish lines became gatherings, where strangers became friends over shared stories of the morning’s gifts.

Building a Legacy: Sri Chinmoy’s Vision Lives On

Since Sri Chinmoy founded the Marathon Team in 1977, these events have grown from small New York loops to global phenomena. The Thanksgiving Day Runs capture his essence perfectly: sport as a path to inner harmony. What began as a handful of joggers now draws thousands annually. Sri Chinmoy himself ran marathons into his later years, teaching that “run and become, become and run.” Today, that mantra echoes in every finisher’s glow.

Since Sri Chinmoy’s students began this event 15 years ago, the Thanksgiving Day 5K & 10K has become a beloved Queens holiday ritual. As part of the annual tradition, a portion of proceeds supports Flushing Meadows Corona Park – like last year’s generous $3,000 donation announced here, turning every run into ripples of good for the community.

Previous Events of 2025 You May Enjoy

Explore More

For more information about sports events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoyraces.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.

 

News #98: Auckland Half-Marathon Series Race 8 – Pure Joy!

Posted on by Yatkara

Auckland Half-Marathon Series

Another beautiful chapter of the Auckland Half-Marathon Series unfolded on Sunday, 23 November 2025. Runners gathered at the peaceful War Memorial Park in Mt Roskill under a soft, cloudy sky. A warm late-spring breeze greeted everyone. Even with a 10-minute late start, smiles never faded. The beloved trio of half-marathon, 12 km and 6 km distances welcomed every kind of participant – from speedy racers chasing personal bests to happy families and giggling children enjoying their first event.

Why the Auckland Half-Marathon Series Feels So Special

First, the park offers flat, shaded loops on the famous Lovelock Track – perfect for relaxed running or fast racing. Second, volunteers cheer with genuine warmth and quiet encouragement. Finally, the atmosphere stays calm and meditative from start to finish. All of this blends into the perfect recipe for joyful running. Many regulars smile and say they come not just for the run, but for the quiet peace they always carry home.

Half-Marathon – Strong Performances

Mark Andrew powered to a clear victory in 1:32:54, followed by Vince Sesto (1:36:45) and Thomas Milliken (1:40:21). In the women’s race, ultra-legend Susan Marshall – who once finished the incredible 3,100-mile Self-Transcendence Race – showed her timeless strength with a winning 1:53:02. Melissa Kjestrup (1:58:24) and Kirsty Sesto (2:00:15) completed a happy podium. Runners spoke afterwards about how the peaceful park setting helped them find a smooth, flowing rhythm.

12 km & 6 km – Speed, Smiles and Family Moments

Melanie James flew to an impressive outright victory in the 12 km with 59:42, while TK Higuchi led the men in 1:03:06. The 6 km brought pure delight: Christopher Rawles sprinted to first place in 29:06, proudly followed by his dad Stephen (36:21). Larissa Wildsmith topped the women in 31:36, with Liz Hardley (36:15) and Melissa Stewart (42:11) enjoying every step. The shorter distances are always full of children, grandparents and first-timers discovering the simple happiness of moving together outdoors.

A Global Family of Peaceful Races

Since Sri Chinmoy founded the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in 1977, members of the SCMT have lovingly organised more than 500 events worldwide every year. The Auckland monthly series, now in its 22nd season (since 2004), is one of the longest-running regular community race series in New Zealand and among the most enduring monthly programmes in the entire global SCMT family.  Whether you race the half-marathon or take the 6 km at your own pace, the same warm, open-hearted feeling is there for everyone. Race 8 at War Memorial Park reminded everyone why they keep coming back: beautiful places, kind people and the gentle feeling that, for a couple of hours, the world is exactly as it should be.

Explore More

For more information about sports events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoyraces.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.