Barkley Marathons heartbreak for Damian Hall: So near again

There was heartbreak for British ultrarunner Damian Hall as he once again came agonisingly close to finishing the infamous Barkley Marathons.

He has a whole host of big race wins to his name – most notably the Winter Spine Race – as well as a list of FKTs (fastest known times).

But it’s become clear in the last 12 months or so how much the Barkley – a maverick but incredibly highly regarded brutal event – means to him.

Why it means so much

He’s a co-founder of ‘The Green Runners’ and has pledged to fly just one return trip a year.

Last year that was to his first Barkley appearance at Frozen Head State Park in rural Tennessee where he got to the start of the fifth and final loop before becoming understandably disorientated as the sleep deprivation and incredible physical and mental challenge took its toll.

Looking to go one better this year he again made it to the last of the five 20-mile loops in the required time and looked as comfortable as you can do for a test that features similar elevation to climbing Mount Everest twice from sea level.

Last lap agony

But something can’t have gone to plan on that final loop for – soon after revealing that Hall’s great friend and rival John Kelly had finished – Keith Dunn, the race’s official information provider, then posted this:

Damian Hall @Ultra_Damo came in from the wrong direction after not completing loop five of the #BM100.

— Keith (@keithdunn) March 22, 2024

Either way it was a magnificent performance in what has been a record-breaking year for the race.