The Barkley Marathons 2025 | WeRun (2024)

FAQs

Has a woman ever finished the Barkley Marathon? ›

This year, Dr. Paris became the first woman to cross the finish line at the notoriously grueling race, whose approximately 100 miles must be completed in less than 60 hours. She clocked in at 59:58:21.

Weird and Interesting Facts About the Barkley Marathons:

The race is limited to 40 participants, and entry is by invitation only. No website and good luck finding out how to register. Potential entrants must complete an essay on “Why I Should be Allowed to Run in the Barkley,” and pay a $1.60 application fee.

Since 1989, more than 1,000 ultramarathoners have attempted the Barkley Marathons in Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee. But only 20 have ever finished the 100-mile course, which includes about 16,500 metres of elevation – the equivalent of climbing Everest twice – within the 60-hour time limit.

Gary Robbins' history at the Barkley Marathons

He completed the full race but reached the end merely six seconds after the 60-hour mark.

Aryasova, a Russian, won the marathon's grand $100,000 prize because she was the first runner – male or female – to cross the finish line downtown. The elite female runners had a 19-minute, 38-second head start on the men's field, and usually that makes for good TV during the last few miles of the marathon.

Five runners — including the first woman ever — complete the 2024 Barkley Marathons. The 2024 Barkley Marathons – one of the world's most notoriously tough and secretive races – concluded on Friday, with a record five finishers, including the first woman finisher.

The Barkley Marathons is an ultramarathon trail race held each year in Frozen Head State Park in Morgan County, Tennessee, United States. The course, which varies from year to year, consists of five loops of the 20+ mile, off-trail course for a total of 100 miles (160 km).

Runners hoping to take part in Barkley must figure out how to apply on their own, along with a $1.60 entry fee. The lucky, or should we say unlucky, few selected receive a letter of condolences. Virgin Barkley runners must bring a vehicle license plate to the start, while vets must bring an item of Laz's choosing.

This award-winning, oddly inspiring, and wildly funny (89 min) documentary describes how a chap named Lazarus Lake goes about organising one of the most challenging ultra marathons and, prior to this film being made, one of the sports world's most guarded secrets.

The Barkley Marathons is not a race in the traditional sense. It's a war of attrition where participants, at times, work together more than they want to beat each other to the finish line. Completing five 20-ish mile laps under the 60-hour time limit is the goal—the order of the finishers is secondary.

Who is the female finisher in the Barkley marathon 2024? ›

2024 Barkley Marathons Women's Race. It was a historic moment at 5:16 p.m. on Friday, March 22, under two minutes before the race's 60-hour cutoff, at Frozen Head State Park when Jasmin Paris (U.K.) became the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons in a time of 59:58:21.

World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji.

David Goggins is renowned for his commitment to ultra-running but one race that he is yet to take on is the infamous Barkley Marathons. The fabled annual event has been completed by just 17 different people since 1986 and is arguably the toughest race in the world.

In March 2023 Kelly finished the Barkley Marathons with a time of 58:42:23 for a second time. In March 2024 Kelly became the second three-time finisher of the Barkley Marathons with a time of 59:15:38. He is the third person to complete the course more than once.

Gary Robbins - Athlete, Coach, Race Director.

Sometimes life brings unexpected gifts. Such was the case for Danya Crawford on September 14, when the 33-year-old mother of two sprinted across the finish line of the Big Cottonwood Marathon, winning not just the women's title, but the overall race.

Diță won the women's marathon at the 2008 Summer Olympics in 2 hours, 26 minutes and 44 seconds. At 38 years of age, she became the oldest Olympic marathon champion in history.