The Barkley isn’t easy. But then that’s the point. It’s not your average ultra marathon. From the sign-up process to the completion of the course. The vast majority who attempt it never reach the finish line.

The race was conceived by Lazarus Lake (Gary Cantell) and Raw Dog (Karl Henn) as a mocking homage to a 1977 prison escape. The course, which changes every year, always traverses a tunnel under the prison.

You can view the madness on Netflix (and probably elsewhere).

Barkley Marathons Movie:

A famous prison escape sparks the idea for a cult-like race that has seen only 10 finishers in its first 25 years. This award-winning, oddly inspiring, and wildly funny documentary reveals the sports world’s most guarded secret.

This page was last updated on 2018.02.23