Ultra-running legend Aleksandr Sorokin added another world record to his slate of accomplishments this week, bringing his world-record tally to a record-breaking five.
On Sunday, Sorokin, who hails from Lithuania, broke the 100-kilometer (62.137 miles) world record at Nord Security World’s Fastest Run in his hometown of Vilnius. Sorokin covered the distance in a time of 6:05:35, beating Nao Kazami’s previous world record by more than 3 minutes. That breaks down to a blistering 5:53 per mile.
“I am extremely happy that I managed to break a world record and that I did so in my native city,” Sorokin, 41, said. “Vilnius is the city where I started running, and it’s my great pleasure to thank it by making history right here.”
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Despite temperatures pushing 66 degrees Fahrenheit, Sorokin crossed the marathon point at 2:32:30 and, later, the halfway marker at 3:02.
While Sorokin’s record attempt will need to be ratified, the 62.1-mile race was set over a 1.644-kilometer loop that was certified by World Athletics and approved by the International Association of Ultrarunners. (Sorokin previously held the unofficial world record of 6:05:41 that he set in a track race last year, too.)
Sorokin’s epic run can be added to the long list of accomplishments by this underrated runner: he’s run 100 miles in 10:51:39 and covered 110.24 miles in 12 hours. He also holds the world 24-hour record, covering 198.6 miles during that timespan. His next goal: to cover 200 miles in 24 hours.
“I have unfinished business with the 24-hour distance,” Sorokin told Canadian Running in an interview. “There’s much more to come.”
Laura Ratliff is a New York City-based writer, editor, and runner. Laura's writing expertise spans numerous topics, ranging from travel and food and drink to reported pieces covering political and human rights issues. She has previously worked at Architectural Digest, Bloomberg News, and Condé Nast Traveler and was most recently the senior editorial director at TripSavvy. Like many of us, Laura was bitten by the running bug later in life, after years of claiming to "hate running." Her favorite marathon is Big Sur.
