Lazarus ‘Laz’ Lake‘s real name is actually Gary Cantrell and this relative man of mystery has made a huge impact on the ultrarunning scene.
The Barkley Marathons is his most famous – and fiendish – creation but Backyard Ultras, which go from strength to strength around the world, are all thanks to him too.
He’s now turned 70 and though he doesn’t run anymore, he does walk – and over extreme distances. Soon after the historic 2024 Barkley Marathons he set out on what was dubbed ‘Lazcon’ – an epic walk from the east coast of the United States to the west coast, Delaware to San Francisco.
And he’s currently doing his own virtual Backyard Ultra event of running a yard every day – he’s already over the 40 mark but the next few days during the 2026 Barkleys could be a challenge!
He’s actually ceded plenty of the control of the ‘race that eats its young’ over the last couple of years to Carl Laniak.
And we were lucky enough to interview him late last year for an hour to chat about the first ever authorised biography – check out that chat here.
So here’s what we know about the man, the myth and the legend…
Laz Lake’s back story
In his younger days Lake was a seasoned ultrarunner himself who began creating long-distance challenges in the early 1980s. He was also a school basketball coach.
Now living with his wife Sandra on a farm near Bell Buckle, Tennesse, he no longer runs, but usually walks five to 10 miles a day. In 2018 he first walked 3,300 miles across the USA from Newport, Rhode Island, to Newport, Oregon before attempting something similar in mid-2024 as we mentioned earlier.
Lake was an accountant before retiring in 2011, but is now busier than ever as a race director. As well as the Barkley Marathons, Lake’s roster includes Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra and the Barkley Fall Classic.
These races are renowned for their difficulty and often have unconventional entry requirements, but Lake’s creations are something of a phenomenon and their popularity continues to increase exponentially.
Close to impossible
In the 2025 biography we found out for the first time all about Laz’s desperately challenging childhood when a tumour discovered behind his nose led to yearly surgeries.
We learnt how he drifted towards the fringes of society before showing incredible humanity as a hospital orderly and volunteer coach.
And we started to see the first signs of what was to come.
His own experiences as a high school cross-country and track athlete would plant the seed for the Backyard Ultras and then in his early twenties he organised his first race: a trail marathon held on a near-unnavigable course in Tennessee which had a nominal entry fee and very few finishers. Sound familiar?
What is Laz like?
David Miller met him in person when he photographed the Barkley Marathons for the first time in 2023 – and he was back a year later to capture what are now iconic images of Jasmin Paris as she became the first female finisher.
Miller told us: “Laz is a very intelligent guy. He really loves the sport, really loves pushing people to their limit, and I think that’s what the Barkley is about – pushing people to their absolute limit so they can find those new limits.
“He’s created a family there, he welcomes everyone, but at the same time, you just don’t want to break the rules or cross him.”
