I climb, I stop, I climb, I lay down, I climb, I lay down in a fetal position, I get disgusted with my weakness and decide to power over this mountain, I puke, I lay down in my fetal position again, I was hearing a voice crying ‘Mommy’, not sure who it was though, I never saw them. Couldn’t have been me. I climb. One hour and 36 minutes blistering minutes later and I’ve covered the ¾ mile and am with Walking Lazarus, Book 10. - David Harper, Barkley 2007 Competitor... New record set this year, just not by David Harper! The guy that won this year is Brian Robinson in 55 hours and 47 minutes! Here is a link to David's account of his failure to complete one full loop in the 2007 event...http://www.daveharper.com/Barkley/index.htm...makes me wanna try it...

The write-up is good, but those linked videos are really entertaining. If either of you go, make some like that, please!

Great read, Lynn. Barkley is not ... normal. Any of you guys tried it? Has anybody ever finished all 5 laps?

I know a few people who have tried, mostly with 0 official loops, but hours and hours on the course. I think less than a dozen have ever finished all 5 loops. Once, two guys finished together and it pissed the RD off, so he made a new rule that if 2 were still standing after four loops, they had to go opposite directions from each other on the 5th... just cruel... A friend of mine is the first woman to ever finish the "fun run". I'd love to try it, but I'm not that good at navigation...worried I'd spend all my time lost.

There have been 7 official finishes with Flyin' Brian Robinson's finish this year breaking the course record. His time was 55:47... 56 hours to go 100-ish miles. Holy cow. Brian was the first person to complete the "Calendar Triple Crown", backpacking the PCT, AT and CDT all in one calendar year. I'm really good at navigation but I doubt I can stay on my feet for 60 hours, walking up and down those insane hills, through sawbriars and mud. I'd be crying for my mother by the middle of the first lap (or sooner!). Still sounds "fun" in a sick twisted sort of way and I'd love to give it a try some day. Heck, it's only $1.15, a pair of warm socks, and a license plate from your state to enter, so at least you wouldn't be out much money :-)

Where is it, exactly? It sounds tempting for someday. Even if just one lap.

Frozen Head State Park, TN... so it's right in your neck of the woods! http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/parks/FrozenHead/ It's apparently nearly impossible to gain entry, which is based solely on Gary's whims. Here's the entry form: http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/bark-ent.txt

I think I just fell in love:

Requirements: Rigorous requirements must be met: NO women. They are too soft. No children. They are too small. No Californians. This race is not cool. NO soccer fans. Soccer sucks. NO marines. They don't biodegrade. NO yankees. We don't want them buried here. NO wimps, worms, slugs, or weenies. They don't got what it takes. And most of all, NO Health Fascists. We encourage smoking during the race.

Obviously the no Marines part has to go (and he has to learn to capitalize it). Bu the rest is awesome. I could have a cigar on the course?

That is like 2 miles per hour.

Only 7 people in 30 years have been able to maintain that "2 miles per hour". From the original Barkley website (last updated in 2000): The Barkley Marathons 60 hours to run 100 miles 36 minutes a mile I don't care how tough the course I don't care how steep the hills I can run 36 minutes a mile All it takes to finish I must only not quit Over 300 runners have thought this Only one has backed it up The others have heard a voice A pitiful, plaintive voice in the wilderness crying "Mommy, I can't take it anymore." "Mommy, I want to go home." And the voice was their own Humility Awaits at the Barkley