Zero finishers at 2018 Barkley Marathons
Gary Robbins falls short in his third attempt at the Barkley Marathons as no one finishes the 100-mile ultramarathon in the Tennessee mountains for the first time since 2015
Gary Robbins was one of two runners still on course as the 36-hour mark of the Barkley Marathons passed meaning there are zero finishers in 2018.
RELATED: Known Canadian results from the Barkley.
The Canadian in search of an elusive finish after two failed attempts in 2016 and 2017 said that on the third 20-mile loop (of a possible five) he “screwed up one book” and it cost him 30 minutes. The Barkley Marathons is a 100-mile ultramarathon in Frozen Head State Park, Tenn. that must be completed within 60 hours, or 12 hours per 20-mile loop. Runners collect pages from books to ensure they followed the correct route.
The North Vancouver, B.C. runner did finish the ‘fun run’, which entails completing three 20-mile loops in less than 40 hours. To continue onto the fourth loop, Robbins needed to be under 36 hours. A fun run is a DNF.
Keith Dunn reports Robbins’s fun run time to be 36:12:12:54, meaning the ultrarunner narrowly missed the necessary cutoff to continue racing.
The second runner who was on course with Robbins on loop three is Guillaume Calmettes, who, if he completes the third loop under 40 hours, also earns a ‘fun run’ finish. He’s on course as of 10:14 p.m. EST on March 25. (UPDATE/March 26 9:10 a.m.: Calmettes did not complete the fun run.)
Robbins made it to loop five in 2017 but got lost and did not follow the correct route back to camp, where the start/finish is located, arriving six seconds beyond the 60-hour cutoff.
Weather for this year’s race was awful with rain, lightning and cold temperatures affecting runners’ pace. See what we mean by checking out photos here.
Gary Robbins didn't make it in under the cut off to complete the Barkley Marathons #bm100
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 26, 2018
Gary Robbins is one class act. He thanked everyone, and cracked jokes. Inspiring performance, regardless of the outcome. #BM100
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 26, 2018
He said he screwed up one book and it cost him 30 minutes, and that otherwise it was going well #BM100
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) March 26, 2018
Incredible effort @gary_robbins you exemplify fortitude, resilience and discipline which inspires us and the generations beyond. Good on you my friend. As my son Logan said a few moments ago, "That guy gets it, and wants us to get it too." #BM100
— Andy Jones-Wilkins (@ajoneswilkins) March 26, 2018
The 2018 Barkley Marathons started on March 24, one week earlier than when the race has historically been held on April Fool’s Weekend. It’s the first time since 2015, and the second since 2007, that no one finished the Barkley Marathons.
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