Imagine a race so brutal, so shrouded in mystery, that it’s been dubbed “the race that eats its young.” That’s the Barkley Marathons, an ultramarathon unlike any other, and for the second year running, not a single participant conquered its punishing course through Tennessee’s Frozen Head State Park. “The 2026 Barkley Marathons is over. There are no finishers,” confirmed long-standing race reporter Keith Dunn.
Conceived in 1986 by Gary Cantrell (aka Lazarus Lake), this 160-kilometer nightmare was inspired by a prison escapee who barely made it 20 km in two days. Cantrell famously thought, “I could have made 100 miles.” It turns out, it’s not that easy. The course demands five 32-km loops with an insane 60,000 feet of elevation change – equivalent to climbing Mount Everest, twice!
But it’s not just the terrain that makes Barkley legendary. The rules are as bizarre as they are brutal. The race starts only after Cantrell blows a conch and lights a cigarette, within a secret 12-hour window. There are no aid stations, no GPS, and competitors must find pages from books hidden along the trail. If you drop out, “The Last Post” is played on a bugle. Oh, and one unlucky runner is always dubbed the “human sacrifice,” chosen purely to fail.
In its 40-year history, only 20 people have ever finished the full course. So, why do elite ultrarunners subject themselves to such torment and humiliation? As Cantrell himself puts it, “Because it’s a tremendous challenge.” Participants often speak of a profound, powerful experience, a stark contrast to our hyper-connected world. It’s a journey into the unknown, a test of will against insurmountable odds, and a reminder that some battles are meant to be against oneself.
Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/barkley-marathons-no-finishers-9.7093996?cmp=rss
