How to train like Barkley Marathons finisher Jasmin Paris

British ultrarunner Jasmin Paris made history in March when she became the first woman runner to finish the Barkley Marathons, charging to the finish with only 99 seconds to spare before the 60-hour cutoff.  But Paris, from Midlothian, Scotland, isn’t just a phenomenal ultrarunner; she’s also a full-time small-animal vet at the University of Edinburgh and a dedicated mother to six-year-old Rowan and three-year-old Bryn. Her ability to juggle these roles while excelling in her sport is extraordinary, and runners of any distance can learn from the tactics Paris takes with her training, as reported by Athletics Weekly.

Time management mastery

For Paris, the most significant challenge is managing her time effectively. “The desire to do it is there and that’s why I make it [training] happen, but ultimately what ends up happening is that my sleep suffers most,” she says. Despite often getting less sleep, Paris manages to fit in her training sessions, even if it means running laps at 3 a.m. around the vet school. “Running became more important from that point of view [after having children] because it was the only time I could really get away and be ‘me’, like before I had other responsibilities,” she says.

In 2019, Paris jumped to world attention on the ultra scene when she smashed the overall (men’s) course record–by 12 hours–at Britain’s 268-mile Montane Spine Race, finishing in 83 hours, 12 minutes, 23 seconds–while also pumping breastmilk for her infant daughter. Having children has shifted her perspective, making running an essential personal escape. “It’s really nice to have something that’s not work, it’s not being a mum,” she says. Running offers her a rare opportunity to disconnect and be herself.

What an incredible achievement #JasminParis pic.twitter.com/LVFDDUee2d

— Tom Brunt 🏊🏼‍♂️🏃🚴🏼‍♂️👨🏽‍💻👕 (@tom_brunt) March 23, 2024

Adapting to new challenges

Post-pregnancy, Paris faced a physical reset, leading her to embrace new racing challenges like the Spine Race and the Barkley Marathons. These events provided fresh goals that were not comparable to her pre-childbirth performances, avoiding the demoralization of chasing past benchmarks.

One standout training session for the Barkley Marathons involved Paris waking up at midnight after just four hours of sleep to fit in a long run, before taking her children swimming at 10:30 a.m. Battling a blizzard and ascending a hill 17 times, she described the session as exhilarating. “By the time I’d got to that point of training I was trying to get a huge amount of ascent in and that takes a long time, but my mindset is always just to get it done,” she recalls.

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Choose your own adventure

During a holiday in Callander, Scotland, Paris incorporated a peak training session by climbing Ben Ledi (879 metres) five times. She says the intense workout surprised a few tourists. “I just went up and down it.” Working with coach Damian Hall (since 2019, shortly before her Spine Race triumph) has also been crucial, she says. Hall’s guidance helps Paris stay accountable and manage her training efficiently in the middle of her busy life. (Hall has also raced the Barkley several times, including this year, but has yet to finish before the cutoff.)

Strength, conditioning and structure

One significant change in her training for the Barkley Marathons was the addition of consistent strength training. Paris incorporated weights three to four times a week, focusing on building upper body muscle, which proved advantageous for the demanding terrain of the Barkley. “It made a big difference,” she says, emphasizing the importance of strength in her success.

Before collaborating with Hall, Paris’s training was less structured. Now, each session is carefully planned, ensuring she makes the most of her limited time. This structured approach, combined with her natural resilience and ability to adapt, has made Paris a formidable force in ultrarunning.