UK runner becomes first woman to complete sadistic torture race with rules designed to make sure you don't
A UK runner has become the first woman to complete a hellish 100-mile marathon which seems to get worse the more you hear about it.
The Barkley Marathons in Tennessee is 100 miles long with 60,000 feet of ascents and descents - twice the height of Everest.
It begins when a race official lights a cigarette, which could be anytime between midnight and noon on the start day, with participants only getting a warning an hour beforehand when a conch sounds.
Advert
The route is completely unmarked, with competitors having to find their way with a map and compass.
Checkpoints are unmanned, and the runners have to rip out pages from paperback books matching their bib number.
They have 60 hours to complete the gruelling challenge, which in many ways has been designed for people to fail.
In most years, no one manages to complete the marathon.
Not this year though.
"I only had a few minutes to get up that hill"
British contender Jasmin Paris has become the first woman to cross the finish line, doing so with just under 100 seconds to spare.
Paris, 40, successfully completed the five loops around Frozen Head State Park on Friday.
Although she collapsed at the finish line, Paris told BBC News that she was 'overjoyed' with her accomplishment.
She told the BBC: "I only had like a few minutes to get up that hill. So I ended up sprinting at the end of the end of 60 hours of burning through the forest, which felt really hard."
Only 19 other runners have endured to cross the finish line since 1989, when the route was extended to 100 miles.
Even getting a place in the race is an uphill struggle.
"Good luck, morons"
Applicants need to email an essay on why they should be allowed to participate to director Gary Cantrell, but there's no physical or email address published anywhere.
The race also has no website or online entry forms.
Out of the thousand racers that get accepted, Cantrell will send a letter of condolences to about 40 applicants.
Why?
Because some have been specifically selected as 'human sacrifices', as he says he knows they will fail.
A cake runners are presented with before the race starts is iced with the words: "Good luck, morons."
Successful applicants have to seal their place in the race, by sending in $1.60, a license plate from their home state or country, a specific piece of clothing or one pack of Camel cigarettes.
This year was Paris' third attempt at the challenging race.
"It still hasn’t really sunk in that I’ve finally done it," she said.
"This year I had a strong feeling in the months of training and run up to the race that I could do it. Those final moments have redefined for me what I am capable of."
Massive kudos.
Ben Thompson