About Sri Chinmoy Races

The Sri Chinmoy Races in London are held in the green and leafy oasis of Battersea Park. Runners of all ages and abilities are welcome. Our 5k and 10k races attract a lot of club runners, but also runners and joggers who are new to the world of running. The UK Athletics certified route inside the park comprises of loops on a traffic-free road, providing a fast and flat course.

The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team and Run and Become have been organising races in the park for over 35 years. The format of the races is professional yet simple, providing a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere. The marshals and officials are all volunteers, many of whom work at Run and Become.

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Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team

The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team was founded in 1977, and each year organises over 500 races worldwide, as a service to the running community. These include the popular series of races in London’s Battersea Park, as well as the 6-Day, 10-Day and famous 3,100 Mile Race that takes place in New York during the summer months. 24-hour races are also organised annually in North America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia.

The founder of the Marathon Team, Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007), was a great advocate of running and a pioneer in the development of running races around the world. In keeping with his vision, these races are organised to inspire runners, to create a positive experience for each individual and to promote health, happiness and well-being.

Self-Transcendence 24 Hour Race

An annual highlight in the ultra-distance calendar is our Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 24 Hour Race. For 30 years this race was held at Tooting Bec, but it moved to the Millennium Track in Battersea Park in 2021. On a selected weekend in September, a field of 50 athletes run around the track from midday on the Saturday to midday on the Sunday, covering anything from 80 to 180 miles.

This unique race attracts competitors from around the UK and Ireland, and further abroad. Food, refreshments, medical aid and chip timing are provided by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team for the athletes. Family and friends of the participants set up their tents along the back straight to offer 24 hour support and encouragement, creating an enthusiastic community that keeps the runners going through the small hours of the morning. By the time the finish horn is sounded, everyone - competitors, supporters and spectators alike – are basking in the glow of all the heroic achievements.

Sri Chinmoy, the inspiration for this race, writes:

“We run. We become. At every moment we are running to become something great, sublime, divine and supreme. At the same time, while we are becoming, we feel that we are in the process of reaching our ultimate Goal. But today’s goal is only the starting point for tomorrow’s new dawn. At every moment we are transcending our achievements; we are transcending what we have and what we are.”

The Peace Run

Run and Become proudly supports the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run, the world’s longest relay run. Founded by Sri Chinmoy in 1987, the Peace Run has visited the shores of the United Kingdom several times and 160 nations around the globe. A team of international runners carry a flaming torch and visit schools, towns, and organisations to share the message that we all belong to one human family. Schoolchildren, athletes and all participants are invited to hold the torch, and run a few steps or miles to express their own commitment to Peace. 

“There shall come a time when this world of ours will be flooded with peace.
Who is going to bring about that radical change?
It will be you: you and your sisters and brothers, 
Who are an extension of your reality-existence.
It will be you and your oneness-heart, 
Which is spread throughout the length and breadth of the world.”

– Sri Chinmoy