#The sheer astonishing grit of the long-distance runner

[deweydecimalchickens]

Endlessly refreshing the Barkley Marathons updates to see if my girl Jasmin Paris makes it onto loop 5. About 8 hours ago she was on track to be the first woman ever to finish the race.

You might remember her from previous ultra running achievements like "fastest woman to complete a Barkley Fun Run (3 loops, 60 miles)" and "overall winner and record-smasher of the Pennine Way Spine Race while expressing milk for her baby at aid stations".

For the uninitiated, Barkley is the most straight-up insane race that exists:

Limited to 35-40 attendees

5 loops totalling 100+ miles

Entrance requirements are...unclear, but include an essay section and a scavenger-hunt-type item

Course is unmarked and very mountainous; GPS navigation not permitted

Invented to mock James Earl Ray, who managed a measly 12 miles in the area during his prison escape

Most people don't finish the race, or even the Fun Run (only 10 people were left running as of last night, and that was a record high)

"Checkpoints" come in the form of finding a book that's been hidden on the course and tearing out the page matching your race number

Start time is whenever the organiser lights his cigarette

[deweydecimalchickens]

Ihor Verys, John Kelly, Jared Campbell and Greig Hamilton have all finished. Damian Hall and Sebastien Raichon have dropped out. Jasmin Paris is still running with 6 minutes left. THIS IS TENSE.

Endlessly refreshing the Barkley Marathons updates to see if my girl Jasmin Paris makes it onto loop 5. About 8 hours ago she was on track to be the first woman ever to finish the race.

You might remember her from previous ultra running achievements like "first woman to complete a Barkley Fun Run (3 loops, 60 miles)" and "overall winner and record-smasher of the Pennine Way Spine Race while expressing milk for her baby at aid stations".

For the uninitiated, Barkley is the most straight-up insane race that exists:

Limited to 35 attendees

5 loops totalling 100+ miles

Entrance requirements are...unclear, but include an essay section and a scavenger-hunt-type item

Course is unmarked and very mountainous

Invented to mock James Earl Ray, who managed a measly 12 miles in the area during his prison escape

Most people don't finish the race, or even the Fun Run (only 10 people were left running as of last night, and that was a record high)

"Checkpoints" come in the form of finding a book that's been hidden on the course and tearing out the page matching your race number

Start time is whenever the organiser lights his cigarette

[deweydecimalchickens]

JASMIN PARIS IS ON HER FIFTH AND FINAL LOOP!!!!!

ALL MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS ARE VERY NORMAL AND PROPORTIONAL!!!!!!!!!!

Endlessly refreshing the Barkley Marathons updates to see if my girl Jasmin Paris makes it onto loop 5. About 8 hours ago she was on track to be the first woman ever to finish the race.

You might remember her from previous ultra running achievements like "first woman to complete a Barkley Fun Run (3 loops, 60 miles)" and "overall winner and record-smasher of the Pennine Way Spine Race while expressing milk for her baby at aid stations".

For the uninitiated, Barkley is the most straight-up insane race that exists:

Limited to 35 attendees

5 loops totalling 100+ miles

Entrance requirements are...unclear, but include an essay section and a scavenger-hunt-type item

Course is unmarked and very mountainous

Invented to mock James Earl Ray, who managed a measly 12 miles in the area during his prison escape

Most people don't finish the race, or even the Fun Run (only 10 people were left running as of last night, and that was a record high)

"Checkpoints" come in the form of finding a book that's been hidden on the course and tearing out the page matching your race number

Start time is whenever the organiser lights his cigarette

[deweydecimalchickens]

Seven runners remain from a starting field of 35:

John Kelly, USA

Ihor Verys, Ukraine/Canada

Greig Hamilton, New Zealand

Damian Hall, Britain

Jared Campbell, USA

Jasmin Paris, Britain

Sébastien Raichon, France

This is the most that have ever got this far.

Endlessly refreshing the Barkley Marathons updates to see if my girl Jasmin Paris makes it onto loop 5. About 8 hours ago she was on track to be the first woman ever to finish the race.

You might remember her from previous ultra running achievements like "first woman to complete a Barkley Fun Run (3 loops, 60 miles)" and "overall winner and record-smasher of the Pennine Way Spine Race while expressing milk for her baby at aid stations".

For the uninitiated, Barkley is the most straight-up insane race that exists:

Limited to 35 attendees

5 loops totalling 100+ miles

Entrance requirements are...unclear, but include an essay section and a scavenger-hunt-type item

Course is unmarked and very mountainous

Invented to mock James Earl Ray, who managed a measly 12 miles in the area during his prison escape

Most people don't finish the race, or even the Fun Run (only 10 people were left running as of last night, and that was a record high)

"Checkpoints" come in the form of finding a book that's been hidden on the course and tearing out the page matching your race number

Start time is whenever the organiser lights his cigarette