‘Concede or improve’: John Kelly responds to 2026 Barkley Marathons lessons

Whenever John Kelly writes about the Barkley Marathons it’s worth reading.

Normally his insights reveal how he was able to excel in ‘The Race That Eats Its Young’ – only 20 people have ever finished it since its inception in 1986 and Kelly has done so on three separate occasions.

In what was a brutal 2025 edition, he was the last person standing as he was credited with a ‘Fun Run’.

But this year – again with no finishers – was a very different experience for the American ultrarunning legend.

A navigation error on the first loop all but put him out of contention for a potential finish and left him in the unaccustomed position of being one of the backmarkers rather than leading and showing the way.

Little things make a big difference

Writing on Instagram he said of that first loop: “The little things really do kill out there. After last year’s course seemed to already be only maybe possible for a flawless race, we had the same course plus a few wrinkles.

“A start/finish water crossing: 5-10 minutes total across 5 loops, plus the cost of wet feet or changing shoes & socks.

“A month earlier start = an hour more darkness per day

“A drizzly forecast. Even a small amount of rain turns the ground to mush. It doesn’t matter how strong you are uphill if the harder you push the harder you slip backwards. Physics wins, always.

“But we set out pursuing the seemingly impossible, whether it actually was or not. I found myself hesitant on the early descents w/ my recently injured knee, but I made up for it w/ strong climbs & good lines.

“Then there was a pile up at the 2nd book, I lost a couple minutes on the lead group, and that’s all it takes to feel separated when the forest is so dense & the terrain so undulating that you can rarely see 100 meters ahead. The little things.

“I was alone with first-timer @lone_wolf_run. We moved well, apparently keeping pace with the lead group. I was the only person out there who had ever done the final section in that direction, and I was the one who messed it up.

“My brain went on auto-pilot following an old route (a small downside of experience) & I missed a turn. Normally I would have been alerted to the turn by frogs croaking in a small pond, but in February the frogs aren’t out. Little things.

“I even told Oskar I thought I missed the turn. But then there it was – a pond where it should be, a uniquely shaped fallen tree, a set of rock outcroppings, the perfect compass bearing… a doppleganger of where we should have been. I’m usually really good at quickly identifying & fixing mistakes at #bm100 – it’s why I have been so consistent. But there I was, so convinced it was the right spot that an hour & a half later I was on my hands & knees digging through leaves convinced the book had fallen off a ledge or into a crevice.

“By the time I decided to backtrack the possibility of a finish was 100% gone, alongside my own focus & motivation.”

‘Stopping crossed my mind’

So huge credit to him for persevering on loop two – and he revealed that there was a brief moment of hope late on too.

He said: “Barkley Loop 2. The 1st loop was my worst ever by over 2 hours. Stopping crossed my mind. Or going to the 1st book & walking the mile to my parents’ house. 😂

“But there are many reasons I’m out there at #bm100. Some were gone, some not. I set off with Oskar at sunset for a wondering wander through the woods.

“My reasons for moving fast & focused? Those were gone. I broke a pole on the 1st descent, then made a wrong turn. Oh well. 🤷‍♂️ I was no longer racing; I was exploring. That’s what I had wanted to do as a kid anyway, and these were my childhood mountains, so it sort of made sense.

“We did pretty well on the sections I’m least confident on, as if my sub-conscious knew when I should still focus & learn. The weather matched my mood – drizzle, stiff wind chills at times, but generally calm & comfortable w/ good visibility.

“At the same spot where I made the fatal loop 1 error, at around sunrise, we passed the trio of @mathieu__blanchard, @ultra_damo, & @sebastien_raichon heading the other way on loop 3. My watch had been under my jacket sleeve for the entire loop. Curious, I pulled it out. “Well, they should still make a Fun Run, but no finishers,” I thought.

“Then, I did the math on me. Alertness shot back into my eyes, and I spun around to Oskar, “We only have an hour & a half left for this loop to count!” I pointed at the next book, then bolted down the hill. Maybe, just maybe. It was almost an identical situation as when I finished the Fun Run with 10 minutes to spare last year.

“I flew to the next 2 books. It was reassuring in a strange way. “Hey, look how fast I can still move if I really want to!” I thought I could make it, but for every step on the last climb I seemed to slide a half step back, like a cartoon character with its legs frantically spinning in place.

“In my haste I made a wrong turn at the top, sealing my fate. The rain became steady. I’ve always loved a rainy day in the woods. It’s so peaceful & relaxing. But that tranquil pitter patter of raindrops on the forest floor’s leaves also drowns out the sound of the creeks I use as a navigation aid. One last error, before my wander returned to camp for Taps.”

‘Concede or improve’

And having had more time to process what happened he says he now has two clear potential courses of action: “With a seemingly impossible challenge, there are 2 choices: concede or improve. Either the goals have to lower or the capabilities have to rise.”

His decision will surprise no one and you can read more about that here as he sets out his stall for the future.

As ever it’s going to be fun to watch – and read about.