The weather was pretty incredible this year, although the water jugs provided at the tower on Frozen Head still froze during the night.
For loop five (if any runners reached that far), the first runner could choose their direction, and the next runner would have to go in the opposite direction. Loop one was in the clockwise direction, two and three would be counter-clockwise, four in the preferred clockwise direction. Seven runners did not finish loop one in time to start loop two, but 31 started loop two. No GPS contraptions are permitted, but they could take a compass and a primitive watch.
There were no course markings, just general directions to the book checkpoints, and they could take a map. To get an official finish, runners needed to finish five loops within 60 hours. Several runners finished loop one in a blazing 8:18. This year, Furtaw was the first Barkley casualty, returning to camp early during loop one. This Barkley legend also came up with the idea for the book checkpoints, so runners could prove they made it around the course. He was the first person ever to finish the Barkley Marathons back in 1988 when the course was about 55 miles.
In addition to writing an essay, this year, they had to answer a series of questions including, "What will be the 119th element on the periodic table." Frozen Ed at Frozen Head State Park 75-year-old “Frozen” Ed Furtaw was the oldest starter. They had all trained hard, but also had to figure out and endure the purposely mysterious and fun registration process. The 2023 start of the Barkley Marathons The 2023 field, including eight women, ran or walked up the trail toward the Cumberland Mountains. Laz, sporting a new "geezer" hat in Japanese, lit the ceremonial cigarette, and about 40 daring athletes were off and running on the grueling course that “eats its young.” Previously, only fifteen people had finished the 100-mile version of this brutal trail race which was introduced in 1986. Laz (Gary Cantrell) blew the conch shortly before 9 a.m., on March 14, 2023, signaling to the competitors that they had one hour to prepare for the start. By Davy Crockett You can read, listen, or watch Subscribe to Ultrarunning History Podcast New Book! Strange Running Tales When Ultrarunning was a Reality Show The Barkley Marathons course (thought to be roughly 130 miles and about 63,000 feet of elevation gain) at Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee was conquered for the first time in six years.
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