Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
What is the Barkley Marathons?
The Barkley Marathons is a 100 mile race in Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee. Usually held around April Fools Day, this race is unmarked. Runners must use compass and map to navigate around the course. They are required to tear pages from books hidden about the course to prove that they made their way through the 20 mile loop. The time limit for the 100 mile race is 60 hours.
History of the BarkleyThe idea for a race on this terrain started with the prison break from Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in 1977 by James Earl Ray. Ray managed to go 8 miles in 54 hours. Gary Cantrell, a local runner was interested in seeing the terrain that took a grown man to only travel 8 miles in 54 hours. The idea for the Barkley Marathons was germinated.
Mark Williams First FinisherMark Williams, a Brit, was the first 100 mile finisher. Mark did not know it was impossible to finish the Barkley.“Most of us who were familiar with the Barkley from several years of experience here, did not believe it was possible. But Mark was not limited by that self-fulfilling belief. For him it was just a challenge to be given his best effort and to keep going until he either finished or ran past the time limit.” -Frozen Ed Furtaw, Tales from Out There
Finishers of the Barkley
1995 Mark Williams2001 David Horton Blake Wood2003 Ted "Cave Dog" Keizer 2004 Mike Tilden Jim Nelson2008 Flyin Brian Robinson2009 Andrew Thompson2010 Jonathan Basham2011 Brett Maune 2012 Brett Maune Jared Campbell John Fegyveresi2013 Nick Hollon Travis Wildeboer2014 Jared Campbell 2016 Jared Campbell
Gain of Popularity
Despite, or perhaps because of the lack of finishers and limited starters, the Barkley Marathons has become a popular race to follow and perhaps try and enter. The 2012 Documentary increased interest and brought its experience into the mainstream living rooms of non-runners.
Lack of Info
There is a charming lack of info about the Barkley. There is no official website. There are no directions to the park. There is no post time that the race begins. There are no directions on how to gain admission to the race.
On Line Lurking
With the onset of technology, like the internet and email,, it has become more easy to follow the Barkley. It’s rumored there is now even internet access at Frozen Head.Twitter has been the way to follow the Barkley. The Twitter King has been Keith Dunn, an old time Barkley runner.Hashtag #bm100 and follow @KeithDunn for your updates.
Top Ten Activities to Pursue While Waiting for Barkley Updates
10. Go for a RUN. It’s going to be HOURS before anyone is back to camp-8 hours for the fastest runner, maybe 32 hours for the back of the pack crowd. Sooner if they just quit.
9. Read Mark Williams Race Report
Mark Williams was the first finisher. If you are a Barkley fan or historian, you will see how some of the rules of the Barkley have changed over the years. Read his race report here.
8. Learn about the Blind Runner from Barkley 16
Rhonda Avery became the first blind runner to attempt the Barkley Marathons in 2016. Listen to an interview with her here.
Read the race report from her guide runner.
7. Listen to a podcast with Flyin Brian Robinson 2008
Listen to an old school podcast interview with Flyin Brian Robinson, the 7th finisher of the Barkley, from 2008.
6. Watch Video Jamil Coury 2015
Watch a cool video from Jamil Coury’s 2015 Barkley attempt.
5. Read Immortal Horizons by Leslie Jamison
This is a wonderful essay by Leslie Jamison. She was crew for her brother, Julian Jamison in 2011. You do get a sense of the Barkley from this essay. This essay was part of the inspiration for Annika and Tim, the producer of the documentary.
4. Read Interview with Jared Campbell
Jared Campbell is the three time finisher of the Barkley Marathons. Read an interview at Trail Runner Magazine about his experience.
3. Watch the Documentary
Buy, rent, or stream the documentary that peaked interest in the race. The Barkley Marathons: The Race that Eats Its Young
2. Buy and Read “Tales from Out There”
Frozen Ed Furtaw wrote a book several years ago about the history of the race. If you are even thinking of attempting this race, this book should be bought and read. If you are just a fan of the race, it’s a serious good read. Go here to buy “Tales from Out There”.
1. Listen to an interview with Laz
Obstacle Racing Media sat down and chatted with Gary Cantrell, also known as Lazarus Lake, Race Director of the Barkley Marathons. Listen to the interview here
Anyone back to camp yet?
Who I amMy name is Kim, my trail name is Kimba.
I’ve never run the Barkley. I’ve been a big fan since I started ultra running. You can find me here at my website kim.today where I write about running, trails, comfort zones, and celebrating an active lifestyle at any age.
