Runners must find a number of books, which serve as “checkpoints.” To prove they passed each checkpoint, they must tear out the pages corresponding to their bib number and deliver them to Laz in camp after completing each loop. In the past, racers have been issued a cheap Casio watch to track their time (Dunn reports that this year’s version is “a no-frills analog pocket watch”), and they change direction after the first two loops. The race, a curious mix of 100-mile ultratrail, orienteering challenge and demonic scavenger hunt, takes place on a course that is not marked, and GPS watches are forbidden. RELATED: Barkley Marathons book documents race’s 15 finishers Searching with vague directions for important things hidden in obscure locations (post boxes). Approximate lines drawn on maps to follow 'footpaths' that don't exist.

This week's random UK Thursday thought: it's long been clear to me why a Brit was the 1st #BM100 finisher. Fans are rooting for Dauwalter to be the first. ultrarunner Nicky Spinks, Canadian Stephanie Case and several other women tackled the course, but were unsuccessful. He crewed for Canadian runner Gary Robbins in 2018, who did not finish, and entered the race for a fourth time in 2019, shocking everyone by dropping out after two loops.) No women have ever finished the race. (Kelly had attempted the Barkley twice before finally finishing. The most recent is John Kelly in 2017, who grew up in the area and who went on to win the Montane Spine Race, the 429-km race along Britain’s Pennine Way, in January 2020. The race, which involves completing five 20-mile loops on unforgiving and steep terrain in under 60 hours, has seen only 15 finishers in its 35-year history.

in February and the Lone Cactus last-person-standing ultra in November 2020. According to, Mortimer is 39 and finished second at both the Elephant Mountain 50 Miler in Cave Creek, Ariz. he tweeted the runner’s name: Peter Mortimer. Five and a half hours into the race, Dunn tweeted that someone had already dropped.

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