UKH

Not sure if this is old news, but only just seen it.

So exciting. a real inspiration.

Pavel Paloncy as well. Exciting stuff this year!

Great news!

For anyone who hasn't heard of this legendary ultramarathon (ca. 160 km but varies, 16500m ascent/descent, in the worst imaginable territory in Tennessee), there's a great film on Netflix of the same title. The Wiki article is also well worth reading, describing as it does all the quirks* of the single and inimitable organiser, who's ensured that only 18 people have finished in over 30 years. Great stuff!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barkley_Marathons

*Teaser: the number of participants is limited to 40; to apply, you must submit an essay explaining why you should be allowed to participate. If you're accepted, the entry fee is 15$ plus a car numberplate from home, and a specified article of clothing for the organizer. And so it goes on ...

https://www.inov-8.com/blog/nicky-spinks-barkley-marathons/

I don't get it at all. The Nolans? Classic mountain lines. Fast running like the JFK I get, fast marathons I get. 

Random loops in shitty Tennessee woods.. sorry Tennessee. 

I suppose it highlights what ultra's have become. 

I'm back racing roads and just love the honesty. You see guys in their 50's running 2:30 marathons and nobody knows who they are and they don't care.

I guess that some of us just don't get any pleasure from chasing seconds on bland tarmac courses?

Complete agreement. 

Then classic mountain lines, or orienteering?

TBH I even don't see the point in multiple BGR's, but each to their own. I'd just rather see even longer classic lines at that point.

Bland courses? Do you know those woods? I've not been down that far but not too far off and it's hardly scenic. 

It's a curious choice. Why not Badwater, or similar?

Perhaps it's the fun and quirkiness that appeals, rather than a belt buckle and more press coverage.

More press coverage? This is undoubtably one of two biggest press days in the american ultra scene. This and Western. Even Sonoma, which is just an incredible field in 2 weeks, will get less press than this.

Badwater gets nothing nowadays, even hardrock gets less than this.

Appeal to her sponsors marketing because it appeals to the Cross Fit and OCR crowd as  much as fell and trail runners.

I think that's unfair. For someone like Nicky Spinks, this isn't a million miles away from the ethos of her club (Dark Peak) in terms of rough terrain and random challenges. The teaming up side of Barkley is a big part of it and crucial to success. She's done her double rounds being supported/working together with others, so I suspect she likes that team effort. Plus she's already done some of the classic Ultras in Europe.

I've followed Gary Robbins wrt Barkley and can understand the appeal for that type of athlete used to masses of vert and who enjoy difficult nav. 

Interestingly, 2017 finisher John Kelly is/has just moved to the UK and says he wants to try and enchain the 3 big rounds cycling between them... in under 100 hours!

What isnt fair?

I know Nicky, I paced her on her Paddy and she paced me on mine. Total legend. Having grown up in Sheffield and know many DPFR runners (I was second claim I think), a good club. I'm not sure how this ties in though. They look at classic lines, random repeatable challenges.

I still think I can criticise the Barkley. Its random. Have you watched the videos? I really dont see the skill tbh. Do you not think it is artificial?

John Kelly can go.. he took one of my FKT's on a 40 mile section of the AT across 4 states. That's a cool challenge he's looking at. 

That her motivation would be "more press coverage" as opposed to simply wanting to have a go at the course.

They would have a very hard time being any blander than tarmac for me

A lot of running is about personal challenge and different people have different ideas of what constitutes a worthy challenge.

Barkley is just a long orienteering event isn't it?

Become? The event's been going for over 30 years, making it one of the first off-road ultras

She is a sponsored athlete.

It's got more hyped in the last 5. before that 'top' runners paid little attention to it. I use 'top' because many aren't, they are more high profile. A few exceptions.

First off road ultra.. JFK was JFK's assassination.

Isn't it a single repeated lap?

Orienteering on the first lap but less so on successive laps intil fatigue starts to bite or the lap is reversed.

You've taken a question and put it somewhere else.

I didn't say that.

No doubt she sees the challenge.

I was questioning that other races have more press coverage. living in the US and knowing many of the runners personally my facebook feed is more full of BM or WS than any other race. Sonoma is going to be awesome this year, even being the same weekend as Boston it's probably got 25-30 top runners, the top 10 is impossible to predict this year. For an ultra that's pretty incredible.

JFK is undoubtably the strongest ultra in the East and it gets little press in comparison. I suppose for me when I moved over I looked at it but at it but JFK had the history and is just brutal. 

I see more of an appeal in the Last Man Standing type events but again would rather go for something like a Nolan or big whites challenge TBH. The Long Trail looks an incredible challenge if I had to pick an East coast one.

Sort of, map allowing.. it's 5 of the same laps but changes each year. But the laps are 3 one way, 2 the other. I'm assuming its the same this year.

I do believe that events of this nature should reconsider the use of the word Marathon. Nowadays there is an definition of what constitutes a Marathon, and whilst it is probably OK for some of the old established events to continue using the word they ought to be clear whether their event meets the current specifications. For the well informed it isn't a problem, they will know what's what, but for a lot of folk who just see the word  'Marathon' in the event title it  does lead to confusion.

John

Ah, I get you now - apologies!

I certainly do see the appeal for Nicky.

its a chance to see an iconic American race.

I’d be interested to hear her views after the race as she’s certainly not one to hold back.

I think the 3 one way and 2 the other was a twist that was thrown in within the last couple of years?

Who knows how  it will change this year

It's actually "Barklay Marathons", the thread title is wrong.

There are only a small number of men who have completed it no woman  as yet. So I think that this could add to the motivation as well; be the first woman completer.

If you are interested I loved these podcasts.

http://badboyrunningpodcast.com/ep-151-lazarus-lake-aka-gary-cantrell-on-ba...

Laz is the real deal. A real pleasure to listen to.

It’ll be interesting. I don’t think of Nicky as a great navigator either. But haven’t seen her do many nav events.

her skill on the mountain rounds is her route knowledge, on the Paddy she taught me lines and I knew it well. 

I’m certainly more interested that she’s in it.

No, it was like that in the 2014 film. And it wasn't a new idea then. 

The Conch has been blown.

Good guy to follow to get the latest  is  The Real Keith @keithdunn

Paul Giblin is doing it. That’ll be interesting.

Thanks for the info, it appears that time genuinely does fly faster as I get older

I read on Twitter that Carol Morgan (spine winner) is doing it also.  

I don't think Pavel, Nicky or Carol will finish but predict NIcky will get furthest out of those three.

Jasmin Paris for the win... When she decides to have a go. She broke the Spine, so I don't see why she shouldn't break the States... Especially if she forgets hanging around to express milk for sprogs. 

Bartley Gorman would KO Leon Spinks in the first round. Not a marathon at all.

Artichokes. Three for a quid at Tesco. 

Didn't eion do it last year? I can see the appeal personally, it looks fun in a different kind of way, but then again I enjoy tripping over brambles in steep woods, makes me giggle. Good luck to all, its a different kind of thing to do, but equally for what it's worth I see what you're saying about the publicity thing....

He’s certainly been there recently.

sounds like there’s only 3 runners in the a chance to finish, John Killy, Guillaumme Calmettes, and Jamil?

thats from Keith Dunn’s twitter feed

Carol Morgan’s husband is an ocassional contributor to these forums, so he might be able to comment. Although if she is doing it, he is probably in the arse end of Tennessee with a shit signal.

Seems like Nicky is no longer running according to Keith Dunn’s Twitter. No women left apparently. 

Sounds like nobody has a chance of completion do they? They've got to keep the same pace for the next 35-40 hours.

John Kelly has dropped. 

I'd have thought Paris, of the British women, would stand the best chance. 

Here's some updates. 

https://runningmagazine.ca/trail-running/barkley-marathons-no-women-left-ca...

Last man standing is Karel Sabbe, currently on loop 4. He cant make the loop 5 cut off - or can he.....

and so it ends......

Indeed, reception was not great in the woods! 

I think it seems the amount of social media coverage seems to get people's backs up, but on site, all is low key and old school. Contrary to some people's perceptions, the woods and trails are beautiful. Although I didn't get to run off-trail as it's not allowed and the park rangers have guns, I spent a few days running round the park and it's certainly not bland.

I think it's the number of uncertainties that make the race so difficult to complete. My runner had a knee injury which meant the tough cut offs were never going to be made, but I think the biggest factor for most this year was the massive temperature differential between the first day (very hot and humid) and the first night (well below freezing and sleeting/snowing). There is also a big advantage if you have been there before. 

I live here, I love the woods but after almost a decade in the US, 5 as a full time resident, 5 spending 2-3 months a year here they lack the variety of the UK.

I haven't been down that far but I've ran in most of the Appalachia from VA, WV, PA, MD, NJ, NY, MA, NH, VT so have a reasonable knowledge of the typical terrain.

Its very samey in the woods, we get the colours, we get the wildlife. Its why tree line is considered such a magical thing and we love time above the treeline so much here. You finally get a bloody view.. 

I'm just moving down to central mass and not overly looking forwards to it, due to historic forest fires I can get above tree line in central NH at elevations you typically don't elsewhere (Kearsarge, Cardigan etc). The woods are great as its not city life but give me some open terrain any day..

Anyway, how much does he actually vary the difficulty level each year? did anyone say?