Thoughts on Barkley Marathons - Designed for Failure

All distance runner wrote:

SPARTA!!!! wrote:

Try one.

Im from the west where there is competition. There is none in new york. Western runners rarely go out there and when they do they annhilate the field.

You should have travelled then.

zxcvzxcv wrote:

Since you could easily hike faster than a couple miles per hour even with all that vertical, this race must be that difficult precisely because you have to find the books in the right order and there are no markings to tell and so most just get lost for much of the time.

The part about easily hiking 2mph is wrong. I live in similar Tennessee hills about a 3-hour drive from the Barkley Marathons. I just hiked 8 hours in the hills behind my house a couple of days ago. In places, the grades were greater than 30%. I had to use my hands on the ground to go up one of them. Plus, there are lots of loose leaves on the ground to make footing slippery. Several times I looked at a ridgeline only a half mile or so away and thought that it would take me nearly an hour to get there.

I covered about 6 miles in 8 hours. I'm not a speed hiker, but I was still exhausted. All that slipping takes a lot out of you.

Of course, the orienteering is a huge factor, plus Laz doesn't really give precise or clear instructions, according to reports by runners. My guess is that participants are limited by the park service, not by Laz.

Barkley marathons are for liberal soypersons who just want participation trophies for everything.

I "ran" Little Hell.

I happened to driving near the site of Barkley on a trip, called my friend who knows Gary well and he (Gary) gave me directions. It's all of 1300 feet in .6 of a mile. I, admittedly am not that great of a climber, but that was the worst thing I've ever seen and/or attempted, running-wise.. Any inclination or thought of ever applying for, or attempting, Barkley (as slight as they were) was immediately dead. It probably took me close to 50 minutes to get to the top...and the thing is..that isn't even the worst climb! I can't even imagine what that hill and trail is like when it's wet. After just that one hill, I have absolute respect for anyone who attempts that race. I've spoken with two previous finishers and when I told them my experience they just laughed. One said "but you felt like you accomplished something once you got to the top, right?" I looked at him and said "Yes, utter failure like I've ever never known before".