Every year in June, a small group of runners arrive at a tree-lined street in Queens, NY at 6 a.m to begin an epic journey that will take them anything from one and a half to two months to complete. Every day they run for 18 hours, averaging anything between two and three marathons a day, around and around a city block measuring just over half a mile, in weather that can range from scorching heat to monsoon-like rain. Read more >>

"Ladies and gentlemen, here is the result of event 9, the one-mile: 1st, No. 41, R.G. Bannister, Amateur Athletic Association and formerly of Exeter and Merton Colleges, Oxford, with a time which is a new meeting and track record, and which - subject to ratification - will be a new English Native, British National, All-Comers, European, British Empire, and World Record. The time was 3..." The stadium speaker never got to finish his sentence for he was drowned out by the thunderous roar of the crowd. Never before in history had any athlete broken the elusive four minute barrier in the standard mile. Today, May 6th 1954, changed all that. Read more >>

As we all know at this stage, one's enjoyment of running depends crucially on one's inner attitude. However, many people just surrender to whatever mood they happen to be in on the day and let the race turn out accordingly. With a greater awareness of their inner attitude they might just be able to turn the "race from hell" into an experience to be grateful for. Sounds difficult, but it can be done! Read more >>

In April 2007, Harita Davies from Christchurch, New Zealand completed the Self-Transcendence Six-Day Race in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York, home of the famous Unisphere sculpture. Here she talks about why she runs ultra-distance races, and how they have made her a better and stronger person in many different ways. Read more >>

There is an old saying that a marathon only really begins around the twenty mile mark. The truth is, no matter how long the distance, there are races where you have problems right from the beginning of a race. From the outset, our body doesn't seem to be moving as well as it should, and you begin wondering how you are going to make it through the next few miles, never mind the end of the race! Read more >>