The latest from the 2018 Barkley Marathons
Updates from on the ground at Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee
Latest updates at the bottom of this page
Barkley Marathons race director Gary ‘Lazarus Lake’ Cantrell’s curve ball for this year’s race was that the Tennessee 100-miler would be held one week prior to April Fool’s weekend.
The bizarre trail race in Frozen Head State Park began on Saturday morning and the small field of runners have 60 hours to try and finish five 20-mile loops through mountainous and challenging terrain. In more than 30 years, just 15 people have finished the race.
RELATED: What you need to know about the Barkley Marathons.
Notably, Canadian Gary Robbins is in search of an elusive finish after posting DNFs in 2016 and 2017. Canadian Running is on site in the Wartburg, Tenn. area and these are notable updates from the race so far.
RELATED: This Canadian may be the most interesting person running at the 2018 Barkley Marathons.
UPDATES
The 2018 Barkley Marathons got underway at 9:33 a.m. on March 24. Runners have 60 hours to complete the 100-mile ultramarathon.
With the light of a cigarette, the 2018 Barkley Marathons began at 9:33 a.m. #bm100 pic.twitter.com/PJq0Dd4uOt
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 24, 2018
Gary Robbins is the first to finish the first of five 20-mile loops at approximately 6:12 p.m. on March 24.
Barkley update: @gary_robbins has completed lap 1. He's in camp at 6:12 pm. And in great spirits! #BM100 #16 pic.twitter.com/zgQe1Xr6lT
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 24, 2018
Robbins spent seven minutes fuelling and recovering between loops one and two.
Gary Robbins is the first runner out on lap 2. Spent 7 minutes fuelling. The two others aren't far behind (1 minute) #BM100 pic.twitter.com/2bKaR3p3Io
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 24, 2018
Others follow shortly through the end of loop one including Jamil Coury and Canadian Jodi Isenor.
Fourth runner is in! @JamilCoury looks solid; in 6:30 pm. Just under 9 hours. #BM100 pic.twitter.com/US0DFqHHKw
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 24, 2018
Canadian Jodi Isenor is out running lap 2. He finished lap 1 in about 9:23. And took about 20 minutes in camp #bm100
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 25, 2018
The first woman through loop one is Amelia Boone, one of the most accomplished OCR athletes in the world.
Canadian Stephanie Case finishes loop one.
Stephanie Case?? is in from loop 1 under the cut off. Mulling going back out again for lap 2. #BM100 pic.twitter.com/G5xlsFGe3W
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 25, 2018
Robbins finishes loop two on the morning (8:38 a.m. local time) of March 25. “Everything that could go wrong went wrong,” Robbins said of loop two.
Gary Robbins has finished lap 2! Came in at 8:38 a.m. #bm100
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 25, 2018
During lap 2 "everything that could go wrong went wrong," according to Gary Robbins. But he's focused on getting this done #bm100 #16 #nobugles2018
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 25, 2018
Runners reported lightning and heavy rain on course, which subsided on Sunday morning.
It has stopped raining at Frozen Head. #finally #BM100
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 25, 2018
This was the scene on Sunday morning in camp.
As of 10:16 a.m., 11 runners are on loop two while three are on loop three. To finish a ‘fun run’ (three loops), one must complete the 60 miles in 40 hours or less. However to continue onto loop four, a runner be under the 36-hour mark.
Benoit is tapped out, having not finished loop two. There now are 11 runners on loop two and 3 runners on loop three. #BM100
— Keith (@keithdunn) March 25, 2018
How the cutoffs work.
The time limit for loop 1 is 13:20
The time limit for loop 2 is 26:40
The time limit for 3 loops to count is 40:00
The time limit to be eligible to continue beyond 3 loops is 36:00 – an average of 12hrs per loop.#bm100 @iRunFar— Brad Bishop (@triplebradbb) March 25, 2018
A fourth runner heads onto loop three.
Johan is beginning loop three. #BM100
— Keith (@keithdunn) March 25, 2018
A fifth runner heads onto loop three.
Valery began loop three with 8 minutes to spare; the first French runner to begin loop three. #BM100
— Keith (@keithdunn) March 25, 2018
Time cut-off for loop two arrives.
The time limit passes for loop 2. All 9 runners still on loop 2 will be tapped out once they return #bm100 @iRunFar
— Brad Bishop (@triplebradbb) March 25, 2018
Robbins reaches Rat Jaw, a notable climb, on loop three. John Kelly, the 15th finisher of the Barkley Marathons, and Robbins’s wife Linda meet him at Rat Jaw.
.@gary_robbins has come and gone from Rat Jaw. Making good time. He's on pace. And clear weather. #BM100 pic.twitter.com/PdFHnkKN1C
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 25, 2018
Hanging out waiting for @gary_robbins at Rat Jaw with his wife Linda and @RndmForestRunnr #bm100 pic.twitter.com/nAKhYZKTTw
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 25, 2018
Notables arrive back at camp after loop two, but well above time limit.
Eoin Keith, @ameliaboone, @JamilCoury, Maggie, and John Burton complete loop two hours over the time limit. #BM100
— Keith (@keithdunn) March 25, 2018
Two remain in the race.
Dammit. Johan dropped on loop three; got to Indian Knob. Now there are 2. #BM100
— Keith (@keithdunn) March 25, 2018
No finishers. Read ‘Zero Finishers at the 2018 Barkley Marathons’ here.
Gary Robbins didn't make it in under the cut off to complete the Barkley Marathons #bm100
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 26, 2018
Can’t get enough of the Barkley? Watch this new 20-minute film about the race.
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