A record 10 athletes start loop 4 at Barkley Marathons

As the Barkley Marathons clock ticks down to the loop four cutoff of 36 hours, a record-setting 10 runners have finished three loops in the allotted time and started on loop four—the most in the race’s 38 year history. 

Jasmin Paris, who is on her third attempt at the Barkley, now holds the fastest-ever time for a woman completing three loops of the course (32:15:53). Paris was one of only three women who started the race on Wednesday morning. Last year, she dropped out during loop four, and this year she’s on track to becoming the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons.

Maxime Gauduin began loop four at 35:59:26. Ten runners are on loop four. #BM100

— Keith (@keithdunn) March 21, 2024

Ihor Verys of Chilliwack, B.C., was the first runner to finish three loops, in 31:31:47. The 29-year-old had reportedly been running in a lead pack that included multi-time finisher John Kelly, Damian Hall of the UK, France’s Sebastien Raichon and Paris (also of the UK). Hall and Kelly were the second and third runners to finish loop three, arriving five minutes after Verys. All have headed out for a fourth loop.

If Verys completes a fourth loop, he will have a chance to make history and follow in the footsteps of his friend and mentor, Gary Robbins, to become only the second Canadian to attempt five loops. No Canadian runner has ever completed the Barkley, although Robbins came close in 2016 and 2017.

Ukrainian Ihor Verys is the first on loop four to lead at the #BM100

Photo credit: ⁦@howiesternphoto⁩ pic.twitter.com/orAckYJTCi

— Keith (@keithdunn) March 21, 2024

Verys, who has made a name for himself as runner-up at Big’s Backyard Ultra World Championships and won the Canadian Death Race last year, has some solid competition in this year’s race—this is Kelly’s seventh time (including two finishes) attempting the race; last year he was one of three finishers, along with Karel Sabbe of Belgium and French athlete Aurélien Sanchez. Sanchez also lined up this year and finished two loops within the cutoff, but dropped out shortly after starting the third.

What is the Barkley Marathons?

The Barkley Marathons is five loops of a 20+ mile course (distances vary; the race is thought to be about 120 miles, or 192 km) featuring thousands of metres of elevation gain, with a time limit of 60 hours. GPS watches are not allowed; each runner is issued a cheap watch set to “Barkley time,” i.e., the 60-hour limit. Runners must collect pages corresponding to their bib number from 13 books hidden on the course (they receive a new bib for each loop); missing pages mean disqualification. There is water available on the course, but no aid stations. Runners may only receive aid from their crew between loops, in camp, where they are on the clock.

The best way to follow live updates of the Barkley Marathons is on Twitter via @keithdunn.