Notorious Barkley Marathon Proved Impossible in 2025 with No Finishers

Originally posted on Outdoors on SI | By Maria Aldrich | Last updated Mar 25, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The Barkley Marathon

The Barkley Marathon can be described as mysterious. There isn't an official race website, the dates and times are kept under wraps, and locating a course map is nearly impossible. The secrecy of the race is for good reason — it preserves the challenge and draws in curious runners. Despite being such a famous race, there is little information made available to the public.

Founded by Gary Cantrell (a.k.a. Lazarus Lake) in 1986, the Barkley Marathon quickly racked up a brutal reputation of being one of the most difficult ultra races in the world, all taking place at Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee. Each year, approximately 40 runners gather together in hopes of being named a finisher.

The Course

Taking a look at what is known about the course, runners must complete five loops of approximately 20 miles each with every loop presenting a variety of terrain difficultly and thousands of feet of elevation change. To make matters even more challenging, to be considered a "Barkley Finisher," one must complete the race within 60 hours by using a map and compass for navigation as the course is unmarked — the use of a GPS is prohibited. One of the more peculiar aspects of the race involves the careful placement of books along the course which serve as checkpoints. Upon reaching a book, runners are required to tear out designated pages.

According to Brian Metzler of Runner's World, the race has only been completed by a total of 20 runners. 2024 was a big year for the race as it saw the largest number of finishers in history, a grand total of five runners. Among those five runners was 41-year-old British runner Jasmin Paris who became the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathon. Finishing alongside Paris in under 60 hours were four other runners: Ihor Verys, John Kelly, Jared Campbell and Greig Hamilton.

Although 2024 had an impressive spike in the number of finishers, 2025 dropped back down after zero runners completed the race within the allotted time. However, John Kelly from the U.S. did complete the "Fun Run" after he successfully completed three loops under 40 hours.

Furthering the oddity, the race doesn't have a designated start time. Instead, there is a 12-hour window for the event to commence. This year, on March 18 at 11:37 a.m., the legend himself Gary Cantrell lit his cigarette to mark the start of the event. Filled with adrenaline and anxiety, the runners took off, unsure of what was ahead of them. When a runner drops out of the race, a bugle is raised to play "Taps."

To participate in the event, runners must pay a low-cost fee of $1.60 — while this price won't break your bank, it will put your mind and body to the test. How quickly can you navigate the rolling terrain? How much can your body handle? Where is your breaking point? There is only one way to find out!

This article first appeared on Outdoors on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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