The Barkley Marathons Has Begun!

Barkley Hater wrote:

bebo wrote:

Yeah date change most certainly to keep people from coming to spectate but also pretty much guarantees there will be no finishers. Gary Robbins was smart to let this race go, he basically already finished anyway even if it wasnt an 'official' finish but why waste your life chasing an official finish of a race that is guaranteed to be next to impossible?

I hate this event.

I'm convinced that this race only exists so Laz can stroke his ego. He selects the participants. It starts randomly when he says it does. He makes the course, he sets the rules, he makes all decisions. He smokes a cigarette at the beginning? What a cool guy. "Look at me, look at me, look at me!"

Why people participate in this event is beyond me. Its not running, its not even walking, its bushwhacking and subjecting yourself to Laz's whims.

If it were a novelty race run for fun, that's fine, but its not. Laz takes himself way too seriously for that.

I can do this too. Here's my event. Run the Boston marathon, if you make it to mile 26.2 in 2:10:00 or less, and collect a cup from each aid station, I will allow you to turn and run back to the start. You have 2:10 to make it back or you are disqualified.

Sounds stupid? That's because it is.

Barkley Hater wrote:

bebo wrote:

Yeah date change most certainly to keep people from coming to spectate but also pretty much guarantees there will be no finishers. Gary Robbins was smart to let this race go, he basically already finished anyway even if it wasnt an 'official' finish but why waste your life chasing an official finish of a race that is guaranteed to be next to impossible?

I hate this event.

I'm convinced that this race only exists so Laz can stroke his ego. He selects the participants. It starts randomly when he says it does. He makes the course, he sets the rules, he makes all decisions. He smokes a cigarette at the beginning? What a cool guy. "Look at me, look at me, look at me!"

Why people participate in this event is beyond me. Its not running, its not even walking, its bushwhacking and subjecting yourself to Laz's whims.

If it were a novelty race run for fun, that's fine, but its not. Laz takes himself way too seriously for that.

I can do this too. Here's my event. Run the Boston marathon, if you make it to mile 26.2 in 2:10:00 or less, and collect a cup from each aid station, I will allow you to turn and run back to the start. You have 2:10 to make it back or you are disqualified.

Sounds stupid? That's because it is.

AP5000 wrote:

Barkley Hater wrote:

I hate this event.

I'm convinced that this race only exists so Laz can stroke his ego. He selects the participants. It starts randomly when he says it does. He makes the course, he sets the rules, he makes all decisions. He smokes a cigarette at the beginning? What a cool guy. "Look at me, look at me, look at me!"

Why people participate in this event is beyond me. Its not running, its not even walking, its bushwhacking and subjecting yourself to Laz's whims.

If it were a novelty race run for fun, that's fine, but its not. Laz takes himself way too seriously for that.

I can do this too. Here's my event. Run the Boston marathon, if you make it to mile 26.2 in 2:10:00 or less, and collect a cup from each aid station, I will allow you to turn and run back to the start. You have 2:10 to make it back or you are disqualified.

Sounds stupid? That's because it is.

Yeah it's the only race I can think of where the RD sets the course, dictates the start time, selects the day of the event, personally determines at least some of the participants.

AP5000 wrote:

Barkley Hater wrote:

Name me one major race where the RD exhibits authoritarian control over these things, and changes them regularly.

You are being absurdly disingenuous. The entire point it to change the course each time. They tell you that up front. It's not like they spring it on you. Just because you can't get in the event or maybe and failed spectacularly doesn't mean you have to hate the event.

The Barkley is not a major event, it's wildly obscure. It has 40 entrants. Why does the comparison have to be a major event?

Here's one where the distance is unknown: The Unknown Lake District (runabc.co.uk).

There, I named another one. And there's another one in the UK just like this but the name escapes me where the course and distance is unknown to the participants before the race.

"Your first mental challenge is to enter knowing very little about it. The event will be held somewhere in the Lake District. You must be able to read a map and use a compass and be able to run. It will also take you about 8 hours, but that depends how good you are.
We will tell you more information when you enter.
*please note: This race is called The Unknown; any locations or start times given are for illustrative purposes only. The only correct information is that the event takes place in the Lake District."

Barkley Hater wrote:

AP5000 wrote:

You are being absurdly disingenuous. The entire point it to change the course each time. They tell you that up front. It's not like they spring it on you. Just because you can't get in the event or maybe and failed spectacularly doesn't mean you have to hate the event.

The Barkley is not a major event, it's wildly obscure. It has 40 entrants. Why does the comparison have to be a major event?

Here's one where the distance is unknown: The Unknown Lake District (runabc.co.uk).

There, I named another one. And there's another one in the UK just like this but the name escapes me where the course and distance is unknown to the participants before the race.

"Your first mental challenge is to enter knowing very little about it. The event will be held somewhere in the Lake District. You must be able to read a map and use a compass and be able to run. It will also take you about 8 hours, but that depends how good you are.
We will tell you more information when you enter.
*please note: This race is called The Unknown; any locations or start times given are for illustrative purposes only. The only correct information is that the event takes place in the Lake District."

Ok, so if you want to make it a man vs course thing, then it should be in some way physically possible. Making 80% of the course hacking through bushes and scaling cliffs doesn't make it challenging, it makes it stupid. Anyone can set a ridiculous course and a cut off time that is way too short and pretend like they are a mad genius.

Cornbread Smuggler wrote:

No fake name here wrote:

If the Barkley wasn’t quirky it would just be another local race.

Fan or not, saying you are a Barkley finisher has more credibility than saying you are a RnR marathon finisher.

I don’t get the need to make self serving posts about bashing someone else for being self serving.

Dude, if Jesus Christ came back to Earth and resurrected John F. Kennedy, and then Kennedy got elected President and negotiated a diplomatic solution to the world's problems with Russia, at least a few people would get on LetsRun and call them all attention whores. That's just how it is.

BM100 is an orienteering race. It's pretty cool, and the mystery around it makes it interesting. But, this is a track forum and most aren't interested for obvious reasons.

I guess I'm pulling for a female to win it. That would be something. I imagine Courtney could keep up with John K if he doesn't intentionally ditch her. He probably wouldn't since Maggie G is crewing him.