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the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend
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Hardness measured by % starters to % finishers. 12 finishers in 27 years.


The Barkley Marathons.

Its a pretty secretive race, but it has gained public awareness in the past few years. Most recently by the NYT here:
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barkley_Marathons

It just sounds kinda dumb when you read about it but at least you got me to read about it!
Last edited by: johnnybefit: Mar 28, 13 8:17
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [johnnybefit] [ In reply to ]
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you must not read 95% of the threads on here...
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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I still think finishing the Tour Divide is harder.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [NordicSkier] [ In reply to ]
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ironically, i just watched the "ride the divide" documentary the other night. good stuff...I can't imagine going back to an office job after that.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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Marriage.

sometimes
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [mustangchef] [ In reply to ]
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But this says it is the hardest marathon in the world!
Inca Trail Marathon to Machu Picchu
& Inca Trail Classic to Machu Picchu
26.2 Mile Inca Trail Marathon on Measured Course
"The Most Difficult Marathon in the World" http://www.andesadventures.com/run2asum.htm
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [KAlber] [ In reply to ]
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KAlber wrote:
ironically, i just watched the "ride the divide" documentary the other night. good stuff...I can't imagine going back to an office job after that.

Is it available online? I'd like to watch that.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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I thought you were talking about being at home with the kids on spring break :0)

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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [Bmanners] [ In reply to ]
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Bmanners wrote:
I thought you were talking about being at home with the kids on spring break :0)


Very close second!!
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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Like the worst HHH run ever. I feel bad for the contestants this year. 3 people finished last year. This year will not be kind.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [mustangchef] [ In reply to ]
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Yup...this
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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2 finishers yesterday.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [knewbike] [ In reply to ]
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Amazing. Laz must be going soft.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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 Another .8 and 1300 ft per loop added this year. I think people are getting hard. Rain and fog this year too.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
Ed Furtaw, a man known as Frozen Ed, became the first person to finish what was then a 55-mile race in 1988. The next year, Cantrell decided to make the Barkley more difficult by creating a 100-mile race, currently consisting of five 20-mile loops, while retaining a 60-mile Fun Run.

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!!!

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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [NordicSkier] [ In reply to ]
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Netflix - Ride the Divide

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But, he said I was an Ironman.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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It has always been a bullshit event. Races are events where people race against people, not where an ego-driven organizer gets pissed off when people finish.

If you want hard then do the Hardrock 100 where you will face real competition.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [AmaDablam] [ In reply to ]
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You've just eliminated a lot of prominent races with your definition.

Funny you mention hardrock. I remember meeting a guy who had done the hardrock 100 4 times and couldn't make the cutoff for the first loop at the Barkley. Cool guy actually.

And Laz, the RD, is probably among the most humble guys I've ever met. Ego has nothing to do with this race.

But by all means, continue spouting conjecture.
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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What is the quality of the average entrant? Does he ever allow world class ultra/adventure racer types in? Or is it mostly just his buddies since it is limited to only 35 people and the process for entering is kept secret.

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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [RowToTri] [ In reply to ]
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Not sure how to react to this level of arrogance but to humor you I'll answer your question.

Yes, some of the best ultrarunners have attempted it. Some have attempted it multiple times and failed.

As far as quality, not sure how to answer that since you seem to have a specific criteria in mind for quality. Perhaps you can elaborate on what quality means to you.

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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [RowToTri] [ In reply to ]
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Why don't you look into the pedigree of the athletes who compete in the event and the answer to your question should be pretty obvious.

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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [JenSw] [ In reply to ]
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Geez... where was I arrogant in my post? Where did I indicate that I had specific criteria in mind? This is a race that I have never heard of. In the small amount of reading I have done thanks to this thread, I learned:

1: This race declares itself the hardest in the world
2: The field is limited to 35 competitors
3: The entry process is secret, but requires mailing an essay about why you should be allowed to race to the home of the RD which means that
a) entry process is subjective
b) you must be at least familiar enough with the RD to know his home address. I do not know if that is published anywhere

Therefore I think none of my questions were arrogant, unreasonable, or rude. You can choose to answer any way you please, or not. Or you can be ultra-sensitive about it and get all insulted for no reason whatsoever. I see you chose the latter.

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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [%FTP] [ In reply to ]
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%FTP wrote:
You've just eliminated a lot of prominent races with your definition.


Really? Name another "race" where 2% finish and the director continually makes the course harder to prevent people from finishing. Name another race where the director DQed two of the few finishers because for a short section of an unmarked course where _everyone_ gets lost, they were off course by a few hundred yards on one section. That had to be one of the biggest dick moves ever by a race director. How about the time when two runners worked together to route-find their way to the finish, so the RD changed the rules to prevent that.

%FTP wrote:
Funny you mention hardrock. I remember meeting a guy who had done the hardrock 100 4 times and couldn't make the cutoff for the first loop at the Barkley. Cool guy actually.


I've done Hardrock. I have no desire to do Barkley because it is not a real race. It is just some tool obsessed with being able to say he has the "hardest" race. It is no different than me laying out an unmarked course across the Nevada desert then crowing about having the toughest race because none of the handful of people I allow to start manage to finish, and if anyone gets close then I change the rules.

A race is a race against people on a course where you can actually race against each other. An event where people can spend more than a day lost in the first three miles is not a race.
Last edited by: AmaDablam: Apr 2, 13 19:02
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Re: the hardest endurance race in the world begins this weekend [RowToTri] [ In reply to ]
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You can't see the arrogance in your post? If you ask if he lets in any quality entrants, you imply you have an idea of what quality is. Your idea of quality can be completely different than mine so I asked for clarification.

He has never labeled it the hardest race in the world, others have.
His home address can be found.
The entry process for many races are subjective so that isn't new to this race.
The field is limited because of the nature of the race.
He doesn't want a bunch of uppity punks to race so he keeps it small with no commercial backing.

And it is a race. Against a lot of things including the clock, the mountain, the weather, yourself and if you are lucky another racer.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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