I feel like this needs a standalone thread for all the Barkley haters out there, but Joe 'STRINGBEAN' McConaughy only made it through 3 of of the 5 laps (60 miles or so). He has track PRs of 15:08 5k and 4:12 mile as a Boston College runner. He also has multiple FKTs on long trails, meaning he's has fastest known time ever to hike those trails. For example, he hiked the Appalachian Trail at a pace of 48 miles per day. Basically a D1 level athlete and the fastest thru hiker ever got chewed up by the Barkley. So for all the sub-3 hour knobheads that think they can just train up and smash this event, no, you can't.
Previous finisher John Kelly was the first to head out for Loop 5 and chose clockwise direction . Followed 5 minutes later by Aurélien Sanchez, who then had to go counter-clockwise direction (They say Clockwise is easier...for whatever that's worth). Karel Sabbe (CW). Damian Hall (CCW).
First time in Barkley history 4 runners have started Loop 5. Weather is looking great. Dry and 60 (which given the time, distance and terrain and lack of sleep will probably feel like 90). Hall will be pushing the 60 hour time limit. Kelly, Sanchez and Sabbe should finish, but it's Barkley and it's Loop 5, so you never really know.
I feel like this needs a standalone thread for all the Barkley haters out there, but Joe 'STRINGBEAN' McConaughy only made it through 3 of of the 5 laps (60 miles or so). He has track PRs of 15:08 5k and 4:12 mile as a Boston College runner. He also has multiple FKTs on long trails, meaning he's has fastest known time ever to hike those trails. For example, he hiked the Appalachian Trail at a pace of 48 miles per day. Basically a D1 level athlete and the fastest thru hiker ever got chewed up by the Barkley. So for all the sub-3 hour knobheads that think they can just train up and smash this event, no, you can't.
All this does is reinforce that Barkleys is not running. It’s not even trail running. It’s wandering around in the woods seeing who can stave off hypothermia, under fueling and sleep deprivation. Call it way you want, a test of mental fortitude (or mental illness), but it’s not really a test of running ability.
That should already be clear considering John Fegyveresi finished who had no running background at all and didnt even team up with anyone which everyone says is necessary.
Why is loop 5 harder. The fatigue? Wouldn’t the orienteering be getting easier since they’re in theory retracing the same route?
The fatigue too. These guys have been essentially hiking up and down Everest (the vert, not the lack of oxygen) for 48 hours with maybe 1-3 hours of sleep. There's basically no way to eat enough during the race so they're likely operating at a major caloric deficit and are probably dehydrated. It wears on the mind, especially when you're alone.
Since most of the race takes place off trail, it gets harder and harder to identify the most efficient route up and down those mountains. Trees, ridges, etc. all start to blend together. While you're generally familiar with what you need to do, it's not like you're just putting one foot in front of the other on a marked trail.
One year, a runner on loop 5 started hallucinating from sleep deprivation and began thinking he was a garbage man in a suburban neighborhood. He wandered up and down imaginary driveway paths on the same hill near Book 2 for hours before he realized what he was doing. He was going clockwise (the easier route).
Why is loop 5 harder. The fatigue? Wouldn’t the orienteering be getting easier since they’re in theory retracing the same route?
They are out there for 48 hours already. Everything is hard then. Unless you have done races past 30 hours you have no idea how smushed your brain is at that point.
That should already be clear considering John Fegyveresi finished who had no running background at all and didnt even team up with anyone which everyone says is necessary.
Oh don't gaslight. John was in a group for 3.5 loops and pulled ahead of his struggling competitor overnight to finish loop 4 and start loop 5. He completed loop 5 on his own, which is insane. But don't pretend he didn't team up with anyone for the first 4 loops in 2012.
That should already be clear considering John Fegyveresi finished who had no running background at all and didnt even team up with anyone which everyone says is necessary.
That should already be clear considering John Fegyveresi finished who had no running background at all and didnt even team up with anyone which everyone says is necessary.
Oh don't gaslight. John was in a group for 3.5 loops and pulled ahead of his struggling competitor overnight to finish loop 4 and start loop 5. He completed loop 5 on his own, which is insane. But don't pretend he didn't team up with anyone for the first 4 loops in 2012.
In a "race" like this you team up with the people you can keep up with. That is a lot more difficult than you think.
Oh don't gaslight. John was in a group for 3.5 loops and pulled ahead of his struggling competitor overnight to finish loop 4 and start loop 5. He completed loop 5 on his own, which is insane. But don't pretend he didn't team up with anyone for the first 4 loops in 2012.
In a "race" like this you team up with the people you can keep up with. That is a lot more difficult than you think.
Dont assume what I think is difficult or not.
I've seen countless people say that unless you team up with a previous finisher you dont stand a change of finishing.
I've run plenty of ultras, so I realize people run in groups. Not what I was referring to.
I feel like this needs a standalone thread for all the Barkley haters out there, but Joe 'STRINGBEAN' McConaughy only made it through 3 of of the 5 laps (60 miles or so). He has track PRs of 15:08 5k and 4:12 mile as a Boston College runner. He also has multiple FKTs on long trails, meaning he's has fastest known time ever to hike those trails. For example, he hiked the Appalachian Trail at a pace of 48 miles per day. Basically a D1 level athlete and the fastest thru hiker ever got chewed up by the Barkley. So for all the sub-3 hour knobheads that think they can just train up and smash this event, no, you can't.
All this does is reinforce that Barkleys is not running. It’s not even trail running. It’s wandering around in the woods seeing who can stave off hypothermia, under fueling and sleep deprivation. Call it way you want, a test of mental fortitude (or mental illness), but it’s not really a test of running ability.
Yes, exactly, it's more of an adventure race. And it takes more than running ability. Which is why the people that think any decent marathoner could level up to the Barkley are delusional.
This post was edited 30 seconds after it was posted.
Reason provided:
Added specificity
I disagree. It's version of running. It's not the kind of running that I find appealing to do, but I'd say the same about UTMB as well. Even so, it tests your ability to race against other competitors and the clock. It's running, but obviously not the same sport as track or road running. I enjoy reading about it and watching updates, it's kind of a novelty, so it has it's place in the running community.
