Wacky Races: The Barkley Marathons Quiz

Answer:

Hiked numerous times by the race co-creators, Frozen Head State Park was chosen for its brutally steep uncharted trails and thick briar patches creating an unforgiving environment.

The eccentric Gary Cantrell or if you prefer "evil genius" as referred to Cantrell by "Trail Runner" magazine is the primary race organizer. The origin of the "Barkley Marathons" name stems from his longtime neighbor and running partner Barry Barkley.

The escape by James Earl Ray from Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary inspired this ultramarathon race. When James Earl Ray absconded, he managed to stay on the run for 54 hours and cover a distance of 8 miles. Gary Cantrell was not impressed claiming "I could do at least 100 miles" and as the saying goes, the rest is history.

There is no ceremonial fanfare to signal the start of the race. The mere lighting of a cigarette reflects the low-key, indifferent atmosphere of the best-kept secret that is the Barkley Marathons.

There are no course ribbons, markers or GPS allowed. Runners must be expert navigators and skilled with reading a map and compass, as one wrong turn will add miles to an already soul-crushing route.

Tear out the page corresponding to their race number - Not just any ordinary book, books you will find on this course are strategically chosen usually with thematic elements such as suffering, exploration or philosophy. Runners must tear out the page of each of the 9-15 books placed on the course's 5 loops (of 20 miles each), that corresponds to their assigned race number. This bizarre exercise functions as a checkpoint system.

Each runner is assigned a unique race number that corresponds with the page number they are required to tear out of books located along the course. At the start of each new loop, a new race number is assigned to any remaining survivors and thus have a new page requirement, which also contributes to the overall difficulty of the Barkley Marathons.

The distance of 100 miles is a rough estimate of the course length, as the actual measurement is intentionally vague and is believed to be longer. According to Cantrell "the race is about 100 miles". This unpredictability adds to the mythic aura surrounding the Barkley Marathons.

Running is bad enough, let alone having to climb the equivalence of Mt. Everest twice due to the cumulative elevation gain on the race course which is approximately 60,000 feet.

As the time limit for completion of the 100 mile course if 60 hours, you will have to pace yourself to cover each 20 mile loop in no more than 12 hours apiece. Each runner is issued a cheap Walmart watch to keep track of the time. Some runners have reported experiencing the effects of sleep deprivation and hallucinations towards the end of the marathon.

The Fun Run is the sarcastic (one could argue sadistic better applies) name given to the first 60 miles of the course (three loops) and would be the crown jewel of any other ultramarathon event. At the Barkley Marathons, it's just the warm-up act.

The essay is the final step in the registration process shrouded in secrecy to become a participant in the Barkley Marathons. To even get to this step in the application, potential entrants must send an email to the correct address which must be sent in at the correct time, and pay a $1.60 application fee, representing one penny per mile for both the 60-mile and 100-mile races. This is then followed by an entry quiz which features nonsensical questions such as "Write the Gettysburg Address in Sawveh". The race roster is filled until around 40 participants are reached.

This unique entry free decorates the trees at the start of each annually held Barkley Marathons event. Prior race participants who failed to finish a race and wish to compete again must provide a clothing donation which are designated not for charity, but for the current needs of Cantrell. This required article of clothing has ranged anywhere from socks to a size 18 flannel shirt. Prior finishers of the 100 mile course are required to provide a pack of Camel cigarettes as their entry fee for future marathons.

Across the first 30 years, 1995 to 2025, 19 men and 1 woman make up this astonishingly low number of finishers of the long version of the Barkley Marathons. This low completion rate is a testament to the sheer difficulty of this challenge. Finishing the Barkley is perhaps one of the rarest feats in all of athletics.

The Race That Eats Its Young - This nickname perfectly encapsulates the Barkley Marathon's notoriety to mercilessly destroy the hopes of even the most talented and physically gifted runners. Those who fail to finish receive a farewell sendoff courtesy of the playing of 'Taps' by a bugler. According to Cantrell, the bugle "rings out all night long on the first night".