The World's Longest Foot Race

The Self-Transcendence Race

• A super-ultra-mega-marathon that covers a distance of 3,100 miles
• The race is held on a single block in New York City, which contestants run around for 51 days
• The race is equivalent to running two full marathons every day for almost two months straight

The Daily Routine of Contestants

• Wake up at 6am and run for 18 hours on a concrete surface
• Try to fit in a couple of pre-made meals during the running period
• Sleep for a few hours before repeating the cycle for 51 days
• Contestants have to forgo their six-hour rest period, which means no leisure activities like TV, video games, or socializing with friends

Motivation of Contestants

• Some contestants participate in the race because they enjoy running
• Others are disciples of the Bengali Guru Sri Chinmoy and believe that taking on physical challenges is part of their spirituality
• The race requires immense willpower and determination to complete

Environmental Concerns in Vietnam

• 79% of Vietnamese citizens are worried about air pollution, making it the top environmental concern.
• 71% of citizens are concerned about water pollution, followed by food contamination (62%), plastic waste pollution (59%), and deforestation (55%).

Concerns and Demographics

• 84% of respondents pay higher attention to environmental issues than the previous year, while 14% remain the same.
• Females and older individuals tend to be more concerned about environmental issues than males and younger people.

Environmental Information Sources

• 67% of Vietnamese citizens get environmental information from TV.
• 60% get information from Facebook, and 56% from online news sites.

Actions to Protect the Environment

• 67% of citizens purchase eco-friendly products to protect the environment.
• 66% adopt savings habits, and 63% save electricity.

Air Pollution in Vietnam

• Air pollution in Hanoi and HCMC has worsened in recent years due to exhaust fumes, factory smoke, and construction dust.
• Vietnam suffers an estimated $10.8-13.2 billion worth of economic loss due to ambient air pollution each year, equivalent to 5% of GDP.
• In 2017, an estimated 71,365 Vietnamese people lost their lives to pollution, including 50,232 to air pollution.