The Barkley Marathons

#1
crusse10

crusse10

THIS MAN IS A PERVERT
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Apr 28, 2008
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#1
I just watched the documentary on the run and was wondering if any VNers have partaken in the event. Seems straight up insane, but since it's so close to Knoxville, maybe someone here has tried
 
#2
#2
Watched that a couple months ago, never had a clue it ever existed. Now I want to go next year. Oh, I have no illusions, I couldn't run half that distance on a track, but I'd love to go hang and just take in the scene. Really well done film. Them folks crazy.
 
#3
#3
I enjoyed the part about angry letters saying this event was created in honor of James Earl Ray, when really it was more mocking him for not being good enough
 
#4
#4
I just want to complete one lap. I've completed 3 marathons, but this is totally different. I don't think I could handle going through those briar bushes.
 
#5
#5
Honestly, I'd consider it a feat if I put in an entry and I wasn't the guy picked to fail without question.
 
#6
#6
this was an interesting documentary to watch. i saw it a few months back and also never knew it never existed. would be interesting to try one day though. it looks like a cool event to at least try
 
#7
#7
So one of the guys who finished the race in the documentary on his first attempt has now finished it 3 times. Last year after he finished it, he borderline mocked it.

"I am honored and lucky to have been given another opportunity to participate in the one and only Barkley Marathons. Past events have been quiet, introspective, and “dark” challenges for me in some ways. In contrast, 2016 was a different experience as I traveled out with other people, had multiple close friends running, Mindy (my wife) came along, I had fantastic company for the first 4 loops, the skies were clear for nearly the entire race, and the temperatures were perfect. Was this really Barkley? I am thrilled to have finished in 59 hrs 33 minutes, forfeiting only 27 minutes and setting a new personal standard for how much adventure I can extract out of $1.60."

Still seems dumb to even attempt, though
 
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#8
#8
crusse10 said:
So one of the guys who finished the race in the documentary on his first attempt has now finished it 3 times. Last year after he finished it, he borderline mocked it.

"I am honored and lucky to have been given another opportunity to participate in the one and only Barkley Marathons. Past events have been quiet, introspective, and “dark” challenges for me in some ways. In contrast, 2016 was a different experience as I traveled out with other people, had multiple close friends running, Mindy (my wife) came along, I had fantastic company for the first 4 loops, the skies were clear for nearly the entire race, and the temperatures were perfect. Was this really Barkley? I am thrilled to have finished in 59 hrs 33 minutes, forfeiting only 27 minutes and setting a new personal standard for how much adventure I can extract out of $1.60."

Still seems dumb to even attempt, though
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That was mocking it? Seems like he was pleased with his result despite the easier go of it this year compared to years past.
 
#9
#9
VOLatile said:
That was mocking it? Seems like he was pleased with his result despite the easier go of it this year compared to years past.
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eh idk it just read to me like he was saying "come on, Barkley. Is that all you've got??"
 
#10
#10
I met a man at one of the ultra races I competed at in 2015 that had attempted it. He finished one loop and quit. Said it was the most insane thing he's ever done. At that point he had been running ultras for over 15 years. Entry into it was annoyingly difficult. Not just anyone can go and try Barkley, select people are given indtruction on how to enter then it's made even more difficult after to weed people out.
 
#11
#11
crusse10 said:
eh idk it just read to me like he was saying "come on, Barkley. Is that all you've got??"
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Possibly, compared to years past maybe he expected the westher to be rubbish or to run alone. Weather itself can make or break an ultra marathon.
 
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#12
#12
I agree with pismonque, it would be an awesome event to just hang out and kinda hear the stories of previous years. Cool people who have put themselves through hell to learn more about themselves
 
#13
#13
Having worked on the edge of the route taken by runners for many years, I am amazed nobody has been taken down by a rattlesnake. Frozen Head is absolutely full of rattlesnakes.

Hats off to anyone who has finished that race. :hi:

Edit: Hats off for the effort put forth. That is one tough-azzed course.
 
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#14
#14
I watched it last weekend. That's just a whole new level of insane. The cumulative climb in each loop is approximately the elevation gain from Base Camp to the summit of Everest. 120-130 miles on flat ground is just amazing, but the addition of climbing cliffs, balancing on tall rocks, going through water and briars... Honestly, it doesn't even seem humanly possible.

I agree that the documentary was very well done.
 
#15
#15
steve328 said:
Having worked on the edge of the route taken by runners for many years, I am amazed nobody has been taken down by a rattlesnake. Frozen Head is absolutely full of rattlesnakes.
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Funny, I was thinking the same thing watching the film. If you got bit 5-10 miles from anything, you might be in serious trouble.
 
#16
#16
kiddiedoc said:
I watched it last weekend. That's just a whole new level of insane. The cumulative climb in each loop is approximately the elevation gain from Base Camp to the summit of Everest. 120-130 miles on flat ground is just amazing, but the addition of climbing cliffs, balancing on tall rocks, going through water and briars... Honestly, it doesn't even seem humanly possible.

I agree that the documentary was very well done.
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also kinda surprises me that the functioning jail doesn't have a problem with all the runners going underneath the jail
 
#17
#17
crusse10 said:
also kinda surprises me that the functioning jail doesn't have a problem with all the runners going underneath the jail
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If you're talking about Brushy Mountain Prison, it closed several years ago. When it was open the Towers and Outside Security were made aware of the race. It was never a problem to the prison.
 
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#18
#18
steve328 said:
If you're talking about Brushy Mountain Prison, it closed several years ago. When it was open the Towers and Outside Security were made aware of the race. It was never a problem to the prison.
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Isn't there a distillery there now? And, what happened to the proposed park, festival lawn, campsite, etc?
 
#19
#19
Yes it was bought by a distillery. No idea if the park, campground, ect are still in the works. One of the ghost hunter shows did a ghost hunt at the prison. I wasn't impressed. There's a lot of spots in the prison that would not surprise me if they were haunted, but they didn't go to any of those places.
 
#20
#20
One finisher this year. One person that missed the cut off by SIX FREAKING SECONDS!
 
#24
#24
volfanbill said:
Actually, it turns out he missed two miles when he got lost
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Jeez, I think that makes the 6 seconds even more painful! He damn near overcame it!


Edit: Wait... you mean he skipped two miles and would have been DQ'd anyway? Or he just went two extra miles off track?
 
#25
#25
pismonque said:
Jeez, I think that makes the 6 seconds even more painful! He damn near overcame it!


Edit: Wait... you mean he skipped two miles and would have been DQ'd anyway? Or he just went two extra miles off track?
Click to expand...

Was Dq'd for missing two miles of the last loop
 
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