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British Ultrarunner Jasmin Paris Makes History at Barkley Marathons
British ultrarunner Jasmin Paris made history on Friday as the first woman ever to complete the Barkley Marathons, one of the toughest ultramarathons globally, with only 99 seconds to spare before the 60-hour cut-off.
Paris was one of five ultrarunners to conquer the approximately 100-mile annual race located in Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee. This race, which has seen no finishers in over half of its races in nearly four decades, is renowned for its extreme difficulty.
The Barkley Marathons: A Brief History
The Barkley Marathons was established in 1986 by Gary Cantrell and Karl Henn, inspired by the escape of James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King Jr., who managed to cover about 12 miles in 54½ hours after fleeing from a nearby prison in 1977. Originally a 55-mile race, it was later extended to 100 miles in 1989.
The current course comprises five loops of around 20 miles each within the park, featuring a substantial climb and descent of 54,200 feet. Notably, there are no aid stations along the course, except for water at two designated locations.
Notable Achievements and Records
Mark Williams made history in 1995 by becoming the first runner to finish the Barkley Marathons within the 60-hour time limit. Since then, a total of 20 individuals have conquered the race, with Jared Campbell achieving this feat a record four times.
Brett Maune holds the record for the fastest finish, completing the race in an impressive 52 hours, 3 minutes, and 8 seconds in 2012. On the other hand, the latest winner, Ihor Varys, a Canada-based Ukrainian, crossed the finish line in 58 hours, 44 minutes, and 59 seconds.
Paris, a 40-year-old veterinarian scientist residing in Edinburgh and a mother of two, had previously shattered the course record for the Montane Spine Race in Northern England by an astounding 12 hours in 2019.
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