Ultrarunner Gary Robbins to host “Barkley Night in Canada” with special guest

Two of ultrarunning’s biggest names will be hosting “Barkley Night in Canada, an evening with Gary Robbins and Jared Campbell” at the end of November.

Barkley Marathons legends Jared Campbell and Gary Robbins will host a Q&A session following the screening of the event’s documentary on Nov. 30 in support of North Shore Search and Rescue. The event will be held at Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver, B.C., where Robbins resides.

Movie trailer

Campbell, who resides in the Salt Lake City area, is the only person to have completed the Barkley Marathons three times after completing the race as the lone finisher in 2016. Robbins made it to the fifth and final loop of the course, the farthest ever by a Canadian, but was forced to drop out after making a crucial navigational error.

All challenges are relative. For some athletes, competing a 10k is a daunting undertaking. For others, like former pro adventure racer and HURT 100 champion @garyrobbins, a challenge is a race so hard that he doesn’t know if he can finish it. Read our full story about the Barkley Marathons, linked in our profile. ?: @trappephoto #StravaRun #StravaPhoto

A photo posted by Strava Run (@stravarun) on May 9, 2016 at 10:51am PDT

The ultramarathon in Frozen Head State Park near Wartburg, Tenn. is considered one of the world’s toughest races. It’s also one of the sport’s most unique events. The race is approximately 100 miles (160K) and involves five loops with a 60-hour time limit. Registration is capped at 40 runners and the entry process is very secretive. The recent documentary “The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young” has raised the profile of the event considerably.

RELATED: Now playing on Netflix in Canada: The Barkley Marathons.

Completing three loops of the course, which equates to 97K, is cruelly considered a “fun run.” The event director, Gary Cantrell, sometimes known as Lazarus Lake, begins the race with the lighting of a cigarette. The one-hour roll call is signaled by the sound of a conch call. The course is unmarked and there are no aid stations on route. Runners must collect pages of books scattered along course to prove they completed the predetermined loops.

This may b final Barkley Night update b4 we r officially sold out! Conch is being blown 🙂
Just 68 tix remain! https://t.co/bBmJpHm7e6 pic.twitter.com/GEc4NYQyDg

— Gary Robbins (@gary_robbins) November 14, 2016

The Nov. 30 interactive session’s description reads: “A famous prison escape sparks the idea for a cult-like race that has seen only 14 finishers in its first 30 years. Join three-time Barkley finisher Jared Campbell, along with the one Canadian to have made it to the fifth and final lap, Gary Robbins, as they share tales of their 2016 running of this completely unique event.”

RELATED: What Gary Robbins’ Barkley Marathons was really like.

UPDATE (11/29): Tickets for the event are sold out.

Barkley Night in Canada is officially SOLD OUT!
650 people at the Centennial Theatre next Wed night 2 c @barkleymovie & @derajslc Q&A https://t.co/sEzhO4tYxq

— Gary Robbins (@gary_robbins) November 23, 2016

A Suunto Ambit3 watch, backpacks, shoes, race entries, headlamps, jackets and beer will be part of the draw prize pool. An additional 200 pairs of socks will be handed out.