It was billed as one of the strongest line ups ever assembled for the infamous Barkley Marathons – but exactly 70% failed to make it past the first loop in the requisite time.
It is a race like no other in Frozen Head State Park – click here for our beginner’s guide and here to learn more about its enigmatic creator Laz Lake.
Just 20 runners have finished the five 20-mile loops since the event started back in 1986 and there was a curveball straight away this year with a Valentine’s Day start, the earliest ever and way off the usual mid to late March slot.
And there was another big change announced too – normally the direction of the loops alternates starting with a clockwise first loop but this year the first two laps were both to be run in an anti-clockwise direction.
Worrying times
And when the action got under way at 6am local time as Laz lit his ceremonial cigarette, Keith Dunn – who is the sole source of reliable information – revealed that: “The starting field came from 15 Countries as well as 15 States, and included ten women.”
It also quickly became evident that there was a heavy French influence this year and one of those – perhaps 53-year-old Sébastien Raichon, who recently won the Winter Spine Race in the UK – was first to complete the first lap.
Dunn said: “Old French Guy does a 9:22 turnaround and is the first to begin loop 2, followed quickly by three more runners.”
To put that time into context – it’s slower than the top 10 at the same stage in 2024 which was the last year we had a finisher. Indeed you have to go back to 2021 (when no one managed five laps) for a slower leading time.
Here comes the rain
So that doesn’t bode well and neither did the weather forecast as rain was predicted as we headed towards Sunday.
As the first loop continued, more cryptically-named runners would emerge at the temporary yellow gate used this year, necessary because of park renovations at the usual campsite.
“A Pale Guy and Happy Guy with Red Shirt finished loop 1 in 10:40:27 and :29,” posted Dunn before he added: “The rain has begun, several hours early.”
Given the runners have 60 hours to complete five loops, you would want to be ticking them off inside 12 hours but the actual cut-off for loop one is 13:20 and at that point Dunn revealed: “Over 70% of the field is done. We are 13:20 into the 2026 Barkley Marathon. 12 runners are on loop 2; the rest are out of the race.”
Only one of the 10 women who started was confirmed to be among the select 12 who made it to loop two.
All of which made for a busy time for the bugler, with Dunn adding: “Let there be Taps to fill the air. In the last few minutes, eight runners have faced the bugler.”
CLICK HERE for our review of the entire 2026 Barkley Marathons.
