Barkley Marathons

The Barkley Marathons is an ultramarathon trail race held each year in Frozen Head State Park in Morgan County, Tennessee, United States. Described as "The Race That Eats Its Young", it is known for its extreme difficulty, purposefully difficult application process, and many strange traditions, having been completed only 26 times by 20 runners since 1995.

The course, which varies from year to year, consists of five loops of 20 miles (32 km) of off-trail course for a total of 100 miles (160 km) of harsh terrain. The race is limited to a 60-hour period from the start of the first loop, and takes place usually between mid-March and early April each year, though the actual start date and time is a closely held secret until shortly before the race begins. A "fun run" ultramarathon, which consists of three of the loops for a total of 60 miles, can be run within the larger race.

The Barkley course was the brainchild of Gary "Lazarus Lake" Cantrell and Karl "Raw Dog" Henn, who often hiked Frozen Head together. The idea for the race was inspired by the 1977 escape of James Earl Ray, who was convicted for the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., from nearby Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. Ray covered only about 8 miles (13 km) after escaping for 54 hours. Mocking Ray's low mileage, Cantrell said to himself, "I could do at least 100 miles". Thus, the Barkley Marathons were born. Cantrell named the race for his longtime neighbor and running companion, Barry Barkley. Barkley died in 2019 at age 70.