THE FIRST WOMAN TO EVER COMPLETE THE BARKLEY MARATHON 100-MILE RACE
More than 1,000 ultramarathoners have entered the Barkley Marathons since they began in 1989, but only 20 people—all men—have ever finished within the allotted 60 hours. However, Jasmin Paris, a 40-year-old senior veterinary lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, created history on March 22, 2024, when she became the first female finisher of the race. Paris barely made the cut, finishing in fifth place with 59 hours, 58 minutes, and 21 seconds, before collapsing at the finish line.
Held annually in late March or early April, the race takes place at Tennessee's Frozen Head State Park. Every year, the course is altered, but its duration never changes. There are five loops in the event; they are all 20 miles long and off the trail. All of these combine to make the course an exhausting 100 miles, spanning uneven forest terrain with 60,000 feet of up- and down-hill climbing. To put things in perspective, the highest mountain on Earth, Mount Everest, is 29,035 feet high. The racers also don't have time for sleep during the whole 60-hour event because of its fast pace.
In addition to its harsh reputation, the Barkley Marathons are well-known for their peculiar customs. For instance, a gun is not fired to begin a race. Rather, the race director lighting a cigarette sets off the competitors. Furthermore, there is no set start time; instead, competitors who arrive at the park on the scheduled day are only informed an hour in advance by the sound of a conch shell being blown.
Unquestionably, the competition is challenging to finish despite its peculiarities. Even though Paris' performance at the Barkley Marathons is remarkable, it is by no means the only running record she has broken. She tried the race last year as well, starting the fourth loop as the first female competitor. And before Paris, Sue Johnston's 66-mile run in 2001 held the record for the highest score achieved by a female competitor at the Barkley Marathons.
During an interview with The Guardian, Paris explained, “I still find it really exciting to push myself, especially when I don’t know whether I can do something. It sounds a bit corny, but you also find out more about yourself, when you strip away all the stuff that makes life easier.”