Official 2024 Barkley Marathons live discussion thread

John Kelly,Damian Hall and Jasmine Paris together after 3 loops,should be finishing the 4th soon.Reckon they will all stick together until 5.

Ukrainian/Canadian Ihor Verys was the first to start loop four.

Thanks! Wasn't it 5 on Loop 4 last year?

Just here to make my annual post about how this race is stupid and nothing more than an event to stroke Laz's ego.

No need to reply, I don't care. Enjoy it if you want to, but that doesn't make it any less stupid.

Think 10 went out onto loop 3 this year,they were all together at the head.

Roping in the haters? Mission Accomplished with starting this thread!

I used to think this event was stupid until I realized it's not a race or run. It's basically just an ultra adventure survival run/hike.

I'd argue it's a super niche/cliquey event within the ultra running community. To me, it's an interesting and fun event to watch unfold each year.

Agreed. It's fun to follow simply for the horror show that unfolds every year. However, I think the entry procedures are super exclusionary and I can understand why many ultrarunners don't like it. In addition to the fact that running talent is secondary to completing the event.

Serious ultra runners view Barkleys the same way serious marathoners view ultras.

Who cares?

Agreed. I find something wholesome in how savage the event is combined with its relative obscurity.

Thoroughly enjoy seeing intermittent updates from just some guy named Keith Dunn on Twitter. Sports!!

Its not that either. Its a Yaz stroke fest. All for the glorification of his massive ego.

Imagine knowing nothing about this event, and asking questions about it...

Potential Runner: this looks fun, how do get in?

Yaz: don't worry about it, I decide

Potential Runner: umm, ok, how many people get in?

Yaz: don't worry about that either, I decide that too.

Potential Runner: alrighty, when does it start?

yaz: when I feel like starting it

Potential Runner: interesting, but ok...what is the course?

yaz: I'll let you know at the start line, sort of

Potential Runner: that sounds fun, about how long is each lap?

yaz: I won't tell you that at all

Potential Runner: ooooh, mysterious, what are the trails like?

Yaz: its about 10% trails. you'll be bushwhacking most of the time.

Potential Runner: are there any other rules?

yaz: probably

Potential Runner: ok, and how do I know if I violated them?

Yaz: you'll know when I kick you out of the race

Potential Runner: alright, how many people finish?

yaz: none

Yaz seems like the kind of guy who gives a 45 minute speech at the start line when everyone is standing around freezing.

Glad he has something to keep him engaged in his older years. A lot of old men die from simply doing nothing but sitting around with no purpose.

A lot of narcissists can't seem to hang it up. Hell, two of them are running for president.

You sound like someone who is bitter about not being selected to the run. I met Laz once and he was very friendly. He didn't seem egotistical at all.

Is Laz growing soft? Unless the weather turns it seems like there will be finishers this year.

They can't stick together on the last loop, they have to alternate directions. 2 of the 3 can.

So who goes around stashing the books all over the course, cant be Laz.

Trump and Biden are both narcissists in the same way Bekele and I are both runners.

(apologies to KB for the way the analogy lines up)