The 2026 Barkley Marathons, renowned as one of the world’s most challenging footraces, began on Valentine’s Day – the earliest start date in its 39-year history. The notoriously secretive race, held in Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee, officially commenced at 6 a.m. Eastern Time and is scheduled to conclude at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Approximately 40 runners embarked on the roughly 100-mile course, a grueling test of endurance that requires participants to complete five loops under a 60-hour cutoff. The course, which changes annually, presents a formidable challenge with over 60,000 feet of elevation gain and a strict prohibition against GPS navigation.
As of February 15, 2026, the race had already proven exceptionally difficult, with conditions described as particularly heinous. A low-pressure storm system transformed the park into a landscape reminiscent of a Stephen King novel, adding to the already significant hurdles faced by the runners. The early start, combined with the harsh weather, presented a unique set of obstacles.
After two loops, only four runners remained in contention: Sébastien Raichon, Mathieu Blanchard, Damian Hall, and Max King. However, the unforgiving conditions began to take their toll. Blanchard was the first to succumb to the cold, followed shortly by King.
Hope remained that Hall, a veteran of the Barkley Marathons with previous near-misses, or Raichon, recently victorious in the 269-mile Winter Spine Race, might overcome the odds. Raichon completed loop three in 38 hours and 5 minutes, earning a “fun run” – a term used in Barkley circles to acknowledge significant progress without a full completion.
the 2026 Barkley Marathons concluded without any finishers, marking the 26th time in the race’s history that no one has successfully completed the course. Race director Lazarus Lake appeared to be working in concert with the challenging weather conditions, further amplifying the difficulty.
Following the race, the running community turned to Keith Dunn, who provides regular updates and insights via X and BlueSky, for the latest information. The Barkley Marathons’ unique format eschews traditional tracking methods like live streams or official split times, making Dunn’s social media feeds a vital source of information for those following the event.
The Barkley Marathons has captivated runners and spectators alike since its inception in 1986. Only 20 individuals have ever completed the race, including Brett Maune, Jared Campbell, and John Kelly, who have all finished multiple times. Jasmin Paris made history in 2024 as the first woman to complete the race, but the 2025 edition saw no finishers.
For those interested in learning more about the Barkley Marathons, resources are available, including an explainer on Runner’s World and a feature story from 2024. The race also gained significant attention through the 2014 documentary, The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young.
