Stunning running

The clock was ticking as the lone figure came up the final straight in the TennesseeA state in the south of the USA known for country music. woods. To the cheers of onlookers, Jasmin Paris forced herself towards the barrier that marked the end of her ordeal. The moment she touched it, the 40-year-old Scot tumbled to the ground, exhaustion etched on her face.

Jasmin's finishing time was 59 hours, 58 minutes and 21 seconds. The rules of the race stipulate that it must be completed in less than 60 hours. She had made it with 99 seconds to spare.  

"I was just telling myself, 'If you don't finish it now, you'll have to do it again,'" she told an interviewer,¹ her voice hoarse with fatigue. "I couldn't believe I was still going - it was like, everything was just screaming for oxygen. I just thought, either I'll pass out or I'll finish."

Did she have a message for the world? "I guess whatever adventure you have, to believe in yourself, and to be willing to take some risks and give it a go. I had to come back three times... I believed that it was possible."

The race is not just the toughest in the world, but the most eccentric. It was inspired by an escape attempt from a local prison by James Earl Ray, the man who assassinated Martin Luther KingThe civil rights leader was shot dead in Tennessee in 1968. .

Ray was found after 54 hours, having covered 12 miles of challenging terrain. Reading about this, runner Gary Cantrell believed that he could do 100 miles in the same time. In 1986 he launched the Barkley Marathons, named after his friend Barry Barkley.

The race consists of five loops through the thickly wooded Frozen Head State Park. Each is officially 20 miles long, but includes such steep hill climbs that runners may cover 130 miles in all. It is equivalent to climbing up and down Mount Everest twice.²

One hill, Rat Jaw, has been described as "an absolute soul-destroying grind from bottom to top". In rainy conditions it becomes "a vertical skating rink".

Even entering is a challenge. Would-be competitors have to send an essay entitled "Why I should be allowed to run in the Barkley" to a secret email address at a specific minute on a specific day.

Around 40 entrants receive an acceptance letter. It warns them to prepare for "failure and humiliation" and an "extended period of unspeakable suffering".

There is no official start time. Runners are given an hour's notice by someone blowing on a conchA very large sea snail with a thick spiral shell. It is also the name of the shell itself, which people collect once empty. shell. The race begins when Gary Cantrell lights a cigarette.

The course is not marked: competitors study a map beforehand and then must rely on the notes they take. Along the way they must find a dozen books and tear out the pages corresponding to their race numbers.

Only 20 runners have ever finished the course within the 60-hour limit. Some do not even manage the first loop. In 2018 there were no finishers at all.

The first winner, Mark Williams, had to stop and lie down four times during his fourth loop. He said he was "hallucinating quite badly and practically falling asleep on my feet".³

Are our limits all in the mind?

Yes: It is simply a matter of belief. Jasmin failed to finish twice, but succeeded at the third attempt - not because she was fitter, but because she convinced herself that she was capable of doing so.

No: The course is so challenging that only highly trained athletes can attempt it. You may have an extraordinary will to win, but that will be of no use to you if you do not have the requisiteNecessary or required. physique.

Or... It is hugely important to recognise your limits. As the organisers' letter warns, the Barklay Marathons can result in "unspeakable suffering". Anyone not up to it can do themselves a serious injury.