'Sadistic torture race' that only 20 people have ever finished starts for 2026

After no one managed to complete it last year, the annual ‘sadistic torture race’ has begun.

As is tradition, a cigarette was lit to signal the start at 6am this morning (14 February) for the 2026 Barkley Marathons.

Race director Gary Cantrell (‘Laz’) gave the brave contenders the usual head’s up an hour in advance by blowing the conch at Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg, Tennessee. Today marks the earliest calendar start in the race’s 40-year history.

And after all these decades, only 20 people have ever completed the infamous race with hundreds attempting it.

While it varies ever year, it spans roughly 120 miles with a quite a bit of elevation gain and the runners (who are selected to take part) have to complete it within 60 hours.

It was 2024 when people last completed the Barkley Marathons and that marked a historic year, with a record five finishers and the first woman, Jasmin Paris.

After her completion, she told LADbible she experienced ‘hallucinations’ during her experience, getting ‘really tired’ and feeling ‘really sick’.

But it was only during the very final kilometre that she began to doubt herself, not sure she would actually make it to the finish line.

“Inside I thought I’m going to give it everything, I’m either going to finish or I’m going to collapse - I was that committed,” Paris said. “I just emptied myself out completely. I did believe I was going to do it and that stayed with me all the way through but that last kilometre I doubted.”

The only woman to complete it, she secured the achievement in 59 hours, 58 minutes and 21 seconds.

And if you can’t tell from everything I’ve said so far, the Barkley Marathons is quite the extraordinary race.

The Barkley Marathons is famously gruelling. (Preston Keres/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

GPS devices are prohibited with participants given an inexpensive watch on ‘Barkley time’ (the 60-hour limit).

Five loops are to be completed of the course, with it said this year the first two loops are counterclockwise.

There aren’t any traditional aid stations (though there is water available) but runners can get assistance from their crew at the main camp in between loops – while the clock carries on running. Paris told us she managed to get in a three minute ‘power nap’ at one point.

And while participants are running, they must collect pages from 13 books hidden along the course, in correspondence to their bib number (they get a new bib each loop). If they’re missing a page, they’ll face disqualification.

There isn’t any live tracking for the Barkley Marathons, but there are often some updates on social media of the illusive race (courtesy of Keith Dunn).