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Surely there must be a few HAZ'ers willing to take on the ultimate hiking challenge... and what would that be?

Last night we watched The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats It's Young on Netflix.

And just what is the Barkley Marathon?
One of the most challenging ultra-marathons held in the United States, if not the world...
A 100-mile run (or 60-mile "fun run") held annually in Frozen Head State Park near Wartburg, Tennessee in late March or early April.

Although stated as 100 miles (5 laps x 20 miles) it has been rumored to be closer to 130 (5 laps x 26 miles), with a total AEG of 54,200 feet. To be considered a finisher, one must complete it within a single 60-hour time span.

A piece of cake, wouldn't you say?
Well, not so much... think about it:

- Number of finishers since 1986: ONLY 16
- ONLY two-time finishers: Brett Maune = 2011 & 2012 and Jared Campbell = 2012 & 2014
- ONLY Repeat WINNER: Brett Maune = 2011 & 2012
- Fastest finisher: Brett Maune = 2012 = 52:03:08
- Slowest finisher: John Fegyveresi, 2012 = 59:41:21
- Only Arizona finisher: Nick Hollon = 2013 = 57:39:24

NO FINISHERS in 2015!

Cost to run? $1.60 plus a specific item Gary Cantrell needs. It changes from year-to-year, 2012 it was a flannel shirt.

However... since obviously the field is limited to 40 starters, it's up to Gary to decide who is selected to run. Previous runners appear to have a better chance of being selected.

One curious item... Gary will always include one person who he believes has no chance at all, someone he knows will be way out of their depth. When that person registers and is handed the number 1, they know they are the chosen one.
In 2012, the 'chosen one' quit within 2 hours.

Sounds exciting? or

So back to the question at the top... do we have any HAZ'ers up for this ultimate challenge?
(Definitely not me... just watching the race wore me out)
I don't believe it has been run yet this year but I'm sure the 40 have been chosen by now... so there's time to prepare for 2017.

I watched that movie a few weeks ago. Great movie.

The guy who is the race director for most of the ultras here in Arizona tried doing the Barkley last year I believe.

rtaylor3235 mentioned this last week. Roughly a C2C every 12 hours, five times in a row. Figure it'd take a month of training to get to 2 and nine months to 5. However I'd probably cramp up into a ball, die before completing or the humidity would take it's toll.

If anyone goes, I'd like to tag along...

Roughly a C2C every 12 hours, five times in a row

Its funny, I was thinking in my head, oh that seems doable, its only a 100 miles in two and a half days, but when you break it down like that it really puts it into perspective..maybe not so easy

Sounds stupid. Both the movie and the race.

Is there an Arizona version of this or should their be?

Like maybe putting JJ and FOTG in charge of it.

@chumley

Sounds stupid

Sounds like somebody didn't get an Easter basket this morning :-({|=

I've never been tempted, although I used to do some mileage. There was a three-year stretch in the early 2000's in which I ran a half-marathon or longer every weekend, but I never wanted to go beyond 18 miles. Those distances are easy to recover from. Ultras are too much punishment.

Once on a backpacking trip I ran into people setting the course for the Leadville 100. They were running it as they set the markers and seemed to be enjoying themselves, so obviously some people can handle it well enough.

friendofThundergod wrote:it really puts it into perspective..maybe not so easy

As a catclaw Lover you'd have a chance to see if you'd get any more love from the briers of Tennessee than cat-claw. As one person quipped when looking at the shredded legs of another competitor, "you look like a scene from the Passion of Christ."

@Chumley I pretty much agree the race being stupid, not quite so much the movie. It was entertaining to see how many self-flagellants would subject themselves to something so far past their capabilities, and yet somehow believing "I can do this".

It was interesting that one of the non-finishers in 2012, who had been in Special Forces for years said it was harder than anything he'd every been subjected to. Of course in this case it was what he subjected himself to.

big_load wrote:Leadville 100. They were running it as they set the markers and seemed to be enjoying themselves, so obviously some people can handle it well enough.

For comparison sake...
Fastest Barkley 100 = 52 hours 3 minutes = 54,200' AEG
Fastest Leadville 100 = 15 hours 42 minutes = 15,600' AEG

So comparatively speaking, with less than 30% of the time & AEG, they probably were enjoying themselves a lot more than a Barkley competitor.
Whereas "fewer than 50% of Leadville 100 participants finish", the finishing rate for the Barkley is barely 1.4%.

I'll pitch in 20. to sponsor Booneman to go.

@friendofThundergod
Au contraire mon ami! My morning was bunnylicious! :GB:

chumley wrote:My morning was bunnylicious!

Ears first?

CannondaleKid wrote:Fastest Barkley 100 = 52 hours 3 minutes = 54,200' AEG

That's a lot of up and down! I've hiked a bit in that part of TN, and it does seem like one big hill after another.

CannondaleKid wrote:It was entertaining to see how many self-flagellants would subject themselves to something so far past their capabilities, yet yet somehow believing "I can do this".

flag·el·lant
ˈflajələnt,fləˈjelənt
noun
plural noun: flagellants
a person who subjects themselves or others to flogging, either as a religious discipline or for sexual gratification.

dang, I was just interested in a challenging hike

Blake Wood (one of the guys who actually finished this) was one of my high school cross-country coaches. He's described the race using many adjectives, but "fun" was not one of them

ok, where do I sign up?

Nolans 14 seems way harder. ive done all 14 peaks but 14 14ers in under 60 hours is wicked awesome. 15 percent success rate.

sbkelley wrote:He's described the race using many adjectives, but "fun" was not one of them

Perhaps stupid was one of them? ;)

I'd venture to say that no one on HAZ could complete a Barkley. I'd like to think I could maybe make it for one lap. Maybe.

And I'd for sure not quit within 2 hours. It's TN, not Colorado, although I've read all about Barkley and watched the documentary, so I know how hard it is...