In both 2023 and 2024 a double-figure number of runners completed two loops of the Barkley Marathons inside 24 hours – but this year not a single runner managed it.
The absolute deadline to be allowed to start a fourth lap is 36 hours so it is still possible but looks a huge ask given the course has bared its teeth following the unprecedented eight five-lap finishes inside 60 hours which we have seen in the last two years.
There is a more realistic chance of a ‘fun run’ which is three laps inside 40 hours – but to be allowed to go for that runners needed to complete two laps in 26 hours and 40 minutes (two thirds of the ‘fun run’ total) and just the four managed that.
They were Japan’s Tomokazu Ihara, who was the first of those to finish loop two in 24:32:50 and he wasted little time in setting out on loop three.
Three-time finisher John Kelly was next in 25:00:40 and took less than 10 minutes for his turnaround.
And then came French duo Sébastien Raichon in 25:29:15 and Maxime Gauduin in 25:29:16.
What’s changed?
The difficulty of the course – especially from a navigation point of view – looks to have been ramped up to another level, with the first climb in particular setting the tone.
It was the theme of the first loop when 30 of the 40 entrants failed to make it back in time, because the weather was actually very favourable, albeit quite warm.
And it’s since emerged that some of those first loopers were lost out on the course for more than 24 hours themselves!
Who’s still going?
Ihara and Kelly have a huge amount of Barkley experience with no less than 14 attempts between them so their times underline just how tough conditions are.
Meanwhile multiple Spine Race winner and two-time Barkley runner Eoin Keith is providing a great blog on this year’s race and he was spot on with his suggestion that Raichon was likely to be one of those still going. He said: “He made it to the 5th lap last year on his first attempt, and by all accounts was a phenomenal navigator on the course.
“He is a multiple winner of the Tor De Glaciers, so big climbs over multiple days are his speciality. His team won the adventure racing world championships last year, so his all round skillset is world class.
“He will always be a contender to get the 5 laps done. The fact that he is well over 50 elevates how impressive an athlete he is to another level (Any “back to the future” references from Keith [Dunn] are probably related to his hair!)”
It’s Raichon’s second visit to Frozen Head as it is for Gauduin, who completed a ‘fun run’ last year.
‘Fun runs’ beckoning?
Ten runners made the cut-off on loop one but only nine set out on loop two.
The first three of those nine to exit on loop two were named by Keith Dunn, who is the official – and only – source of information for the race.
He posted: “Chris Fisher and Thomas Calmettes both have dropped out on Loop 2 at Bald Knob. Though seemingly about a hundred yards apart, they did not see each other.”
And then he added: “Julien Chable has become the latest to drop out on Loop 2. Six runners remain in the race.”
All of which left two ‘unknowns’ still to be revealed, who didn’t make it back to base camp before the cut-off of 14:17 local time on Thursday.
The first of those proved to be Ian Farris, whom Keith said “quit on Loop 2 and has been tapped out”. And the second was British debutant Tim Landy.
