There were no finishers of the 2025 Barkley Marathons – though John Kelly was able to complete a three-loop ‘Fun Run’ – as the brutal course emerged the clear winner in the notorious race created by Laz Lake.
There have only been 20 finishers (those who complete five 20-mile loops inside 60 hours) in the 30+ years of the existing format – to put that into context, more humans have made the journey to the moon.
But no fewer than eight in the last two years, including the first female finisher in Jasmin Paris 12 months ago, had raised expectations.
So it should probably come as no surprise that the challenge facing the 40 runners this year was significantly ramped up and that was reflected in the stats right from the off.
Tough from the start
Just 10 of the 40 made it round loop one – the first of the potential five – inside the allotted time.
There were just four left after loop two – Japan’s Tomokazu Ihara, American three-time finisher John Kelly and French duo Sébastien Raichon and Maxime Gauduin.
Gauduin dropped soon after and the other three were way off schedule in terms of a potential finish, so a ‘Fun Run’ – which is three loops inside 40 hours – became the more realistic target.
It soon became the only target as Keith Dunn, the sole official source of information for the race, posted the following shortly after 23:37 local time on Thursday night: “We are 36 hours into the race, meaning the three runners still on Loop 3 cannot continue to Loop 4. However, if they complete Loop 3 within 40 hours they will be credited with a Fun Run. That’s where the real race is now. #BM100“
‘Fun run’ consolation
The cut-off for ‘Fun Run’ status was 03:37 local time at Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee – 07:37 in the UK and 08:37 CET.
But as if things weren’t tricky enough the weather then turned – just as it had been forecast to – with Dunn saying: “50 mile per hour wind, steady rain, less than 1:15 to go. The runners better be on Ball Bearing Hill if they hope to get here in time. Wherever they are, things are getting intense. This is the Barkley.”
As the countdown continued there was no sign of any runners’ lights but with less than 10 minutes to go until the 40 hours were up, Dunn posted the following: “John Kelly @RndmForestRunnr finished Loop 3 in 39:50:27.”
American star Kelly is a three-time Barkley finisher and was one of the ‘famous five’ 12 months previously.
But he would prove to be the only one to complete the ‘Fun Run’ this time, though Raichon went incredibly close as Dunn added: “Sébastien Raichon comes in two minutes before the 40 cutoff but did not complete the loop.
“John Kelly, who is credited with a Fun Run, tapped himself out, after which Sébastien Raichon was tapped out. Tomokazu Ihara is still on the course after 40 hours.
“The 2025 Barkley Marathons is over. There are no finishers.”
