| Author |
Topic: The Barkley Marathons |
mudrunner
Cool Runner |
 posted Mar-29-2006 12:55 AM
  
'Tis the season...this weekend marks the start of that mother-of-all-trail races...the Barkley Marathons.
For those who haven't heard, this is the one that makes a whole heap of seasoned ultrarunners shake in their boots.5 laps...25 miles each...60 hour cut-off...no markings....crappy weather....nasty terrain...52,900 feet of climbing...no hope of finishing....well, except for 6 out of 500 who've tried since the mid-80's. http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/ Hats off to anyone who is going.
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pmbooks
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-29-2006 07:39 AM
20 mile laps, I believe, mud. Blow the conch, I say, and watch the mountain whittle away the 35 poor souls.Pawl, working on his essay for 2010. ------------------
Moi
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markc7
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-29-2006 07:53 AM
Those pictures are great! I can't imagine doing a single lap of that course, let alone 100 miles! ------------------
Mark My User Profile
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runhikelots
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-29-2006 08:18 AM
So when do you plan on doing this Mud? 
Wes
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mudrunner
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-29-2006 12:00 PM
quote:
Originally posted by pmbooks:
20 mile laps, I believe, mud.
I stand (or sit) corrected.
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mudrunner
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-29-2006 12:08 PM
quote:
Originally posted by runhikelots:
So when do you plan on doing this Mud?
Wes
As soon as I lose a few more brain cells. 
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rustyboy
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-29-2006 12:20 PM
Holy. Mother. Of. GOD.I think I'll pass on that one this year.
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ultrab
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-29-2006 10:01 PM
Barkley Bound I am, Barkley bound I am.This is one of my favorites, nothing like the wonderful mountains of TN.
From the conch to the bugle, fun indeed, fun indeed. Run strong one and all run strong.
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ltrun
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-30-2006 09:49 AM
hmm...the photos dont look as tough as the everyone says... good luck ultrab, and everyone else going for it! I hope theres a finisher or two this year!
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mudrunner
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-30-2006 11:41 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ultrab:
Barkley Bound I am, Barkley bound I am.This is one of my favorites, nothing like the wonderful mountains of TN.
From the conch to the bugle, fun indeed, fun indeed. Run strong one and all run strong.
I hope the weather's better than last year! Enjoy!
You are going to let us know how it went, right?
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Kimba90
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-02-2006 04:15 PM
Update, copied from the ultrarunning list:I got a call from David Horton a little while ago with news from
Barkley.
Jim Nelson, Brian Robinson and Nick Gracie finished the first loop in 9 1/2 hours and started out on their second loop together. Todd Holmes finished
the first loop in about 10 hours. Greg Eason finished loop 1 in about 10 1/2 hours and also started out on his second loop. I think the only other runner to make it to the second loop by that time was Mike Dobies. Sue Johnston and
Keith Dunn were the only ones bugled out so far. No one else had make it in yet from the first loop. Horton said that all the runners commented about the new course being harder than the old course. The weather was also very warm and Horton thought the heat would make it difficult for anyone to complete all 5 loops. That is all the news right now. More updates to follow tomorrow morning! Another update: According to Horton, as of this morning, Brian Robinson and Nick Gracie started their third loop at 24 hours 36 minutes. Jim Nelson dropped out after two laps. Greg Eason and Craig Wilson started their third loop in 25 hours 19 minutes. Those four will probably be the only finishers of the Fun
Run and no one will go for 5 this year. Apparently Brian and Nick got lost on the second loop for a while. The weather is still warm out there and I don't think anyone else had made it in from the second loop. Sounds like fun! [This message has been edited by Kimba90 (edited Apr-02-2006).]
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mudrunner
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-02-2006 08:19 PM
Thanks for the updates!Any word on a Texan named Liam?
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Kimba90
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-03-2006 05:32 PM
Another update from the Ultra List:
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 09:09:38 -0700
From: Michael Bur
Subject: Barkley update...No 100 finishers. No fun run("60" mile) finishers. Only 4 started a third loop. It's reported that after
navigating difficulties going down "Hell", Craig
Wilson(ME) decided that he had all the fun he was
entitled to and made his way back to camp. At the
time he was with Greg Eason(AR) and I'm not sure what
happened to him. If he completed the third loop, it
was certainly well over the 40 hours time limit. Brian Robinson(CA) and Nick Gracie(UK) just missed the
fun run cut off(40 hours) by 7 minutes. Since they
both were new to the course it appears that navigating
may have been what was the big difference for them to
finish in time. The heat took a toll on everyone the first day and
there were extreme thunder storms with high winds
along with a tornado warning later on Sunday. Knowing
the park like I do, I'm sure that precip was frozen on
the ridges and mountain tops. You can always count on
Barkley weather. There are quite a number of stories from this year
that will add to the Barkley lore...an unscheduled
visit to the prison by one entrant and another entrant
who didn't make it back to camp until after the search
parties had been sent out to look for him(30+ hours). Mike Bur
Kensington, MD
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elaineVT
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-03-2006 08:32 PM
quote:
Originally posted by ultrab:
Barkley Bound I am, Barkley bound I am.This is one of my favorites, nothing like the wonderful mountains of TN.
From the conch to the bugle, fun indeed, fun indeed. Run strong one and all run strong.
No.
Way. Dude....I am not worthy to post in the same thead as your trail shoes then!
 Oh...and yer crazier than a loon too.... .
.
.
. Then again....there still needs to be a female finisher doesn't there??
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bpitreau
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-15-2006 10:06 AM
Just happen to open a browser and this was on the homepage:http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5476706?GT1=8012 Didn't read it yet, but I figured I would pass it on. Brian
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voq
Cool Runner |
posted May-01-2007 08:30 PM
Did you all see the Washington Post article?There was also an online discussion with the author. That sounds like one badass race. ETA: Yeah, I bumped a year-old thread.  [This message has been edited by voq (edited May-01-2007).]
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Kimba07
Cool Runner |
posted May-01-2007 08:51 PM
A pretty good article, although I actually enjoyed reading all the comments left more!
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merigayle
Cool Runner |
posted May-02-2007 06:58 AM
The narrated slide show was awesome!!!!!!
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voq
Cool Runner |
posted May-02-2007 08:16 AM
quote:
Originally posted by merigayle:
The narrated slide show was awesome!!!!!!
So when are you going to take this one on, superwoman?
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merigayle
Cool Runner |
posted May-02-2007 09:04 AM
quote:
Originally posted by voq:
So when are you going to take this one on, superwoman?
lol!
My ultrarunning buddy said she would like to do a loop one day in the future, if she does, i would go with her. I am afraid of the prickly bushes though.
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rolyone
Cool Runner |
posted May-02-2007 09:07 AM
quote:
Originally posted by merigayle:
lol!
My ultrarunning buddy said she would like to do a loop one day in the future, if she does, i would go with her. I am afraid of the prickly bushes though.
There is always the "fun run" (only 60 miles of Barkley) 
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merigayle
Cool Runner |
posted May-02-2007 09:18 AM
quote:
Originally posted by rolyone:
There is always the "fun run" (only 60 miles of Barkley)
20 miles seems fun enough
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timlooney
Cool Runner |
posted May-02-2007 03:04 PM
quote:
Originally posted by merigayle:
20 miles seems fun enough
merigayle is the only person I know who would be crazy enough to do this merigayle - if you go I'll prepare your raw eggs for you
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merigayle
Cool Runner |
posted May-02-2007 03:09 PM
I did put my foot in my mouth when i said "if Timmy runs the 150 miles at McNaughton next year, so will I" not thinking he was serious  hehe.
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timlooney
Cool Runner |
posted May-02-2007 04:07 PM
quote:
Originally posted by merigayle:
I did put my foot in my mouth when i said "if Timmy runs the 150 miles at McNaughton next year, so will I" not thinking he was serious hehe.
Just think of it as a 10 mile race that you like so much you run it 15 times.
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