Barkley Marathons
The Barkley Marathons 2020 - what you should watch & read before following the most difficult world ultramarathon
If you're interested in ultra running in general, you know what the Barkley Marathons is.
Every year 40 runners are meeting in Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee US to try become next Barkley finisher and join very elite (only 15 people!) group of runners. 160km (100 miles), 60 hours, no GPS, no mobile phones and most hideous track and weather conditions. So you know, fun.
I'm fascinated in Barkley but for sure, even if would live on the same continent, I would never sign up :) So I'm following from the distance and thought I will collect what is worth to check out if you want to know more about the race and follow it this year.
1. Netflix movie: The Barkley Marathons. The race that eats its young.
(now also available on Amazon)
2. Birth of the race and first few first years of it - 2 super detailed articles and podcasts from UltraRunningHistory.com by Davy Crockett:
19: Barkley Marathons – The Birth
20: Barkley Marathons – First Few Years
3. The Ginger Runner: Where Dreams Go to Die.
+ interview with Jared Campbell (only 3-times finisher! from 2012, 2014 and 2016) and Garry Robins on 2016 edition
+ interview with Garry Robins on 2017 Barkley
3. The Ginger Runner, interview with Guillaume Calmettes, Amelia Boone, Maggie Guterl - three "virgins" that started on the starting line (sic!) in 2018.
4. Run Steep Get High: The Year the Barkley Won.
5. Live chat with Jamil Curry who tried to beat the course 4 times already, but so far the course beat him mercilessly (although I really hope he will finish someday!).
How to actually follow the race? As there is almost no service in Frozen Head State Park, each year we are doomed to tweets from Keith Dunn (@keithdunn) - but no worries at all guy is hilarious! ;)
If you believe this list should be expanded by other pieces of content - please let me know!
Every year 40 runners are meeting in Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee US to try become next Barkley finisher and join very elite (only 15 people!) group of runners. 160km (100 miles), 60 hours, no GPS, no mobile phones and most hideous track and weather conditions. So you know, fun.
I'm fascinated in Barkley but for sure, even if would live on the same continent, I would never sign up :) So I'm following from the distance and thought I will collect what is worth to check out if you want to know more about the race and follow it this year.
1. Netflix movie: The Barkley Marathons. The race that eats its young.
(now also available on Amazon)
2. Birth of the race and first few first years of it - 2 super detailed articles and podcasts from UltraRunningHistory.com by Davy Crockett:
19: Barkley Marathons – The Birth
20: Barkley Marathons – First Few Years
3. The Ginger Runner: Where Dreams Go to Die.
+ interview with Jared Campbell (only 3-times finisher! from 2012, 2014 and 2016) and Garry Robins on 2016 edition
+ interview with Garry Robins on 2017 Barkley
3. The Ginger Runner, interview with Guillaume Calmettes, Amelia Boone, Maggie Guterl - three "virgins" that started on the starting line (sic!) in 2018.
4. Run Steep Get High: The Year the Barkley Won.
5. Live chat with Jamil Curry who tried to beat the course 4 times already, but so far the course beat him mercilessly (although I really hope he will finish someday!).
How to actually follow the race? As there is almost no service in Frozen Head State Park, each year we are doomed to tweets from Keith Dunn (@keithdunn) - but no worries at all guy is hilarious! ;)
If you believe this list should be expanded by other pieces of content - please let me know!