Editor's note

The 24-Hour Pepsi-Cola Bicycle Marathon in Central Park was held over the Memorial Day weekend in May 1977. More than 9,000 cyclists entered. From the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team 135 cyclists participated.

Despite severe leg cramps, Sri Chinmoy reached a total of 175 miles. The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team pedalled a total of 22,530 miles and won the prizes for the best riding team and for best uniform. The team had only begun practising two weeks earlier.

In the last half hour of the marathon, Sri Chinmoy led the entire team in a victory lap around the five-mile course. A photo of the victory lap appeared in The New York Times on Monday, May 30, 1977.