No matter how healthy you are, no matter how much sport you do, no matter how much you go running every day, late yes and late too, even if it snows, it rains or the birds fall from the trees in the heat of August in the Levant, most likely is that you think twice before even considering aspiring to the Barkley Marathon.
That’s right. There are hard marathons, there are very hard ones and then, almost on another level Far enough from the standard to deserve a category of its own, is this devilish competition from Tennessee designed by Gary Cantrell, inspired by the escape of a notorious murderer in the late 1970s.
It may sound exaggerated to you, but the data speaks for itself. Let’s see. The Barkley consists of five loops, loops of 32 kilometers each that end up giving shape to a competition of more than 160 km. A lot? well that it’s just the beginning. The runners have a maximum of 60 hours to complete it, with a time limit for each lap, and during their feat they do not have help points, nor can they use mobile phones, GPS or any other navigation system.
Not suitable for the faint of heart… or the impatient
License plates delivered by ultramarathon athletes: everyone must provide one from their state or country.They are only allowed a compass to orient themselves. That and two points where they are offered water. Once a new loop has started, the only help they can receive is from the rest of the competitors in the race. Throughout his journey, which runs through mountains covered with brush and steep slopes, falls, scratches and loss of orientation are part of the daily routine. The miraculous thing about the Barkley is not just reaching the finish line. It is doing it without having injured yourself.
Does it seem excessive? well the thing it doesn’t end there either.
Forget about the traps or take advantage of the length and duration of the loops to falsify your participation. When designing his peculiar ultramarathon, Cantrell, better known as “Lazarus Lake”, devised a method that is as simple as it is infallible: at certain points on the circuit there is a book from which each athlete must tear out the page that corresponds to their race number. dorsal. So that? To show that he has been there: at the end of each loop they have to have the leaves in one hand.
The Barkley Marathons are held in the park of Frozen Head, in Tennessee, USA, and its route may vary from one edition to another. His background philosophy is almost as peculiar as the design of the loops. The competition is inspired by the escape carried out in 1977 by James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King.
but I gave it my best effort and I’m proud of that. I still think a woman can finish 5 loops, although I suspect Laz will make next year even harder 😁. 2/2 📷: Howie Stern pic.twitter.com/4QI47wPTG3
— Jasmin Paris (@JasminKParis) March 18, 2023
The criminal managed to escape the control of the nearby Brushy Mounatin state penitentiary and travel about 19 kilometers for just over 54 hours, crouching in the woods to avoid the authorities. When Lazarus found out about this a few years later, he thought he’d show that in the time it took them to hunt down Ray they might as well cover at least 100 miles.
The idea was crazy, but it caught on. And from that the first Barkley Marathons arose, which began to run —although given the circumstances the correct thing to do would be to speak of “running”— in 1986 with a name that serves as a tribute to Barry Barkley, friend and long-time trail running mate on Lazarus Lake itself.
Hard? Elaborate? Well, watch out: there is more.
Perhaps the marathon seems excessive to you and within the reach of a select minority of athletes who are as well trained as they are willing to suffer, but the truth is that over the years the Barkley has gained popularity to the point of becoming almost a legend. The devilish evidence of it has been echoed by international media of the reach of the BBC, CNN or even The New York Timeswhose reporter Jared Beasley recently sat down to chat with Cantrell and learn about his motivations.
“It’s not about winning. It’s about trying to win, trying to reach your potential”, explained the veteran endurance racing designer, to whom the magazine Trail Runner baptized with the eloquent nickname of “Da Vinci of pain”.
The fact is that the Barkley Marathon has become popular enough that even opting to finish its loops is more than just a demonstration of strength, integrity and resistance, both physical and emotional: running in one of its loops it is also a privilege. And a fairly disputed one. Lazarus only accepts 40 runners in each edition, which is usually held between March and April.
How do you select them? Testing your intelligence and patience. The ultramarathon is not only for gym-hardened athletes. They must also demonstrate their ability and some cultural and scientific background.
To begin with, it must be the applicants themselves who discover how to apply. If they succeed, they still have to pass a selection test that includes questions as far-fetched as “What will be element 119 on the periodic table?”, “Wrote the Gettysburg Address in Sawveh” or “Who built the Khatt Shebib?”. These are not random examples, but issues that racers have faced. this same yearaccording to The New York Times.
If you manage to sneak among the handful of 40 selected runners, you will still have to comply with the Barkley ceremonial, which involves presenting yourself on the day of the test with a plaque of the country or state from which you come. Many of them are now hanging from the trees, as a reminder of past deeds… and not always successful.
Although almost 40 years have passed since the first edition, only 17 athletes have managed to finish all loops Of the test. Others stay for example in the three circuits, equivalent to around 96 km, which among the faithful to the Tennessee ultramarathon consider simply a “fun run”.
If you’re still thinking about it at this point, here’s some news for optimism: 2023 has been a memorable year for Barkley. because for the second time in its history three of the runners have managed to complete it. It had not happened since 2012. The British athlete Jasmin Paris also added to the annals of the competition by becoming the second woman to start the fourth loop.
Who knows? If you train and pass all the tests, the ones that Barkley requires you to pass on the field and in the registration phase, maybe next year your name will be added the small club of athletes who have won his pulse.