On Sunday 5th November 2006 the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team held inaugural 50km and a 100km ultra-marathon events in Hagley Park North, Christchurch.

The races were open to both individuals and teams and  had a 12 hour cut off.

As with all of the Self-Transcendence races the aim was be to challenge yourself and compete with your own capacities and previous achievements.

What is an Ultra Marathon?

A marathon is 26 miles 385 yards long. An ultra-marathon is any event longer. Typically, 30 miles, 50km, 50 miles, 100km and 100 miles. There are other distances, but those are the most popular. There are also timed events: 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and multi day-races.

Why do an Ultra Marathon?

For some it's the challenge of going further and longer. For others it's the challenge discovering personal limits, then breaking them. And others have mastered the marathon and are interested in bigger more challenging events.

Marathons are the "ultimate" goal for many runners. But there's a core group of runners that believe the marathon isn't long enough; not enough of a challenge. They feel the need to go longer, sometimes A LOT LONGER! These are different runners, not your average 10 K weekend racer. And although they can be competitive, the camaraderie of ultra-marathoners is legendary. The support for fellow runners during an ultra extends further than any other running event.

Whatever your reason for embarking on this gruelling challenge.you're certain to learn two things about yourself:

1) Your level of commitment to running

2) Your personal limits.both mental and physical