Canada’s Ihor Verys is on loop 2 at Barkley Marathons

For the first time since 2022, a Canadian runner is taking on the Barkley Marathons. Ihor Verys of Chilliwack, B.C., has completed loop one of five at Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg, Tenn., in eight hours and 32 minutes.

Verys, 29, was one of 20 runners to finish the first loop on the 20+ mile course before the 13-hour cutoff. He came through the camp alongside two other unidentified runners, and is currently out on his second loop.

Off they go!! #bm100 https://t.co/S37bDRUlhZ pic.twitter.com/4Unk4NmD2R

— Jared Beasley (@DbJared) March 20, 2024

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.

Meet the Ukrainian-Canadian ultrarunner who is winning everything

This is Verys first time at the Barkley Marathons and only his fourth year of competing professionally. Last year, he was runner-up at Big’s Backyard Ultra World Championships, which was won by American Harvey Lewis, who ran a mind-boggling 724 km over five days; Verys set a Canadian record of 107 “yards,” smashing his previous personal best by 267 km. Verys also has wins at B.C.’s Fat Dog 120 and the Canadian Death Race.

Last year, the Barkley Marathon saw three finishers, for the first time in 11 years: Aurélien Sanchez of France, Karel Sabbe of Belgium and American John Kelly. (In the race’s 37-year history, only 17 people have finished the race; all are men.)

The first three runners have completed loop one in 8:30:59 & etc., followed closely behind by three more runners. #BM100

— Keith (@keithdunn) March 20, 2024

Two-time finisher (2017, 2023) Kelly, is back for his seventh appearance at the Barkley, along with now-veterans like Lewis of Ohio (this is his third attempt) and Tomokazu Ihara of Japan, who is here for the fifth time. Damian Hall and Jasmin Paris,  both from the U.K., also have returned, and so has three-time finisher Jared Campbell and FKT king Joe McConaughy.

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