6 Day Race
Encyclopedia
For the bicycle race see Six-day racing
The 6 Day Race became a standard distance in the 1870s and was a popular form of entertainment where up to 70,000 paying visitors, in 1877, came to watch the Pedestrians
battle it out.
in 1867 walked from Portland, Maine
to Chicago, Illinois in 25 days, a distance of 2134 km (1,326 mi), earning him $10,000 and national fame. In 1874 Weston walked his first six-day race and was challenged by Daniel O'Leary, who completed 500 miles (804.7 km) in 153 hours. The big battle took place in Chicago in November 1875 with O'Leary emerging victorious with 503 miles (809.5 km) and Weston finished with 451 miles (725.8 km). In a re-match in 1877 O'Leary was victorious again and the excitement created enough interest for Sir John Dugdale Astley, a British Member of Parliament, to inaugurate a series of 6 day races to determine the "Long distance Champion of The World". These became known as the "Astley Belt" races and cash prizes were offered. O'Leary won the first two and was thwarted by Charles Rowell in his quest for three in a row. Weston won the fourth, setting a record of 550 miles (885.1 km) and Rowell won the final three races to permanently keep the Astley Belt.
The first women's six-day race took place in 1879 and was won by Bertha Von Berg with 372 miles (598.7 km).
In 1880, Fred Hitchborn set a new record of 565 miles (909.3 km) earning $17,000 dollars, a fortune at the time.
By the early 1890s the six-day races were in decline and no longer drawing the public or offering large prizes. It wasn't until Don Choi hosted a 6 Day race in 1980 in California that interest began to grow again.
Briton Mike Newton became the first man to cover 500 miles/800km in a modern 6 day race at Nottingham in November 1981. In 1982, Tom O’Reilly took the six-day total to 576 miles/927km. In 1984 Yiannis Kouros
twice ran over 1022 km (635 mi) setting a new world record that would stand until 2005 when he broke his own record again with 1036 km (643.7 mi) at the Cliff Young Australian 6-day race
in Colac, Australia.
The women's world record was broken by Australia's Dipali Cunningham
in 1998 when she covered 504 miles (811.1 km) at the Sri Chinmoy six-day race
on Wards Island in New York in very wet conditions. In 2001 Cunningham set a new Women's road best of 510 miles (820.8 km).
Six-day racing
A six or six-day is a track cycling race that lasts six days. Six-day races started in Britain, spread to many regions of the world, were brought to their modern style in the United States and are now mainly a European event. Initially, individuals competed alone, the winner being the individual...
The 6 Day Race became a standard distance in the 1870s and was a popular form of entertainment where up to 70,000 paying visitors, in 1877, came to watch the Pedestrians
Pedestrianism
Pedestrianism was a 19th-century form of competitive walking, often professional and funded by wagering, from which the modern sport of racewalking developed.-18th- and early 19th-century Britain:...
battle it out.
History
Edward Payson WestonEdward Payson Weston
Edward Payson Weston was a notable pedestrian, who was largely responsible for the rise in popularity of the sport in the 1860s and 1870s.-Biography:...
in 1867 walked from Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
to Chicago, Illinois in 25 days, a distance of 2134 km (1,326 mi), earning him $10,000 and national fame. In 1874 Weston walked his first six-day race and was challenged by Daniel O'Leary, who completed 500 miles (804.7 km) in 153 hours. The big battle took place in Chicago in November 1875 with O'Leary emerging victorious with 503 miles (809.5 km) and Weston finished with 451 miles (725.8 km). In a re-match in 1877 O'Leary was victorious again and the excitement created enough interest for Sir John Dugdale Astley, a British Member of Parliament, to inaugurate a series of 6 day races to determine the "Long distance Champion of The World". These became known as the "Astley Belt" races and cash prizes were offered. O'Leary won the first two and was thwarted by Charles Rowell in his quest for three in a row. Weston won the fourth, setting a record of 550 miles (885.1 km) and Rowell won the final three races to permanently keep the Astley Belt.
The first women's six-day race took place in 1879 and was won by Bertha Von Berg with 372 miles (598.7 km).
In 1880, Fred Hitchborn set a new record of 565 miles (909.3 km) earning $17,000 dollars, a fortune at the time.
By the early 1890s the six-day races were in decline and no longer drawing the public or offering large prizes. It wasn't until Don Choi hosted a 6 Day race in 1980 in California that interest began to grow again.
Briton Mike Newton became the first man to cover 500 miles/800km in a modern 6 day race at Nottingham in November 1981. In 1982, Tom O’Reilly took the six-day total to 576 miles/927km. In 1984 Yiannis Kouros
Yiannis Kouros
Yiannis Kouros is a Greek ultramarathon runner based in Melbourne. He is sometimes called the "Running God" or the "Pheidippides Successor". He holds every men's outdoor road world record from 100 to 1,000 miles and every road and track record from 12 hours to 6 days...
twice ran over 1022 km (635 mi) setting a new world record that would stand until 2005 when he broke his own record again with 1036 km (643.7 mi) at the Cliff Young Australian 6-day race
Cliff Young Australian 6-day race
The Cliff Young Australian 6 Day Race is an ultramarathon race that takes place in Colac, Victoria. One of a small handful of Six Day races around the world, the Cliff Young has had many fine performances culminating in November 2005 with Yiannis Kouros, arguably the best multiday runner in the...
in Colac, Australia.
The women's world record was broken by Australia's Dipali Cunningham
Dipali Cunningham
Dipali Cunningham from Melbourne, Australia is one of the world's best women ultramarathon runners. She began multiday running in 1991 with the Sri Chinmoy 7 Day race in Flushing Meadow, Queens, New York. Cunningham has won every edition of the Self-Transcendence 6 Day Race since it began in 1998...
in 1998 when she covered 504 miles (811.1 km) at the Sri Chinmoy six-day race
Self-Transcendence 6 & 10 day
-History:The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team held a 1000 mile race in the spring of 1985, and later in the year held the first Sri Chinmoy Five Day Race at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens, which lasted for three consecutive years and led to the Seven Day Race, the forerunner of today's Ten Day event. The...
on Wards Island in New York in very wet conditions. In 2001 Cunningham set a new Women's road best of 510 miles (820.8 km).
Current 6 day Races
- George Archer 6 dayGeorge Archer 6 dayCreated in 1995, the current edition of this multiday race, The George Archer 6 day race, was formerly known as the Toyota Dealers circuit race and is the only such event held in the Southern hemisphere with the Cliff Young/Colac event being discontinued at this time....
- Self-Transcendence 6 daySelf-Transcendence 6 & 10 day-History:The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team held a 1000 mile race in the spring of 1985, and later in the year held the first Sri Chinmoy Five Day Race at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens, which lasted for three consecutive years and led to the Seven Day Race, the forerunner of today's Ten Day event. The...
- Antibes 6 Day RaceAntibes 6 Day RaceThe Antibes 6 day race is a multiday race that is part of the French Ultra Festival which takes place in Antibes in theJuan-Les-Pins in the South of France...
- Arizona 6 Day
- Gothenburg 6 Day
- No Finish Line 6 Day
External links
- 6 Jours D'Antibes.com
- Self-Transcendence
- Erkrath
- Cliff Young
- ULTRAmarathonRunning.com Global Ultramarathon Races & Events Calendar
Literature
- Ultramarathoning: The Next Challenge, by Tom Osler and Ed Dodd
- Ultrarunning magazine
- Multiday Running Magazine
- King of the Peds, by P.S. Marshall