Barkley Marathon Race Review 2021 by Laz Lake

This year, the Barkley won again, picking off its competitors one by one. With only two competitors completing a third loop and no survivors left to make loop four, the Barkley marathon in Frozen Head State Park, was over just 48 hours after Lazarus Lake lit his cigarette.

In an interview with Ultrarunner Magazine Laz gives his post-race thoughts, discussing the 2021 edition of the Barkley, and what challenges he went through as a Race Director, hosting the ‘most gruelling Ultra on earth’, inside of a global pandemic.

“Frozen Head State Park has a mind of its own and this year it saw it had a soft field and decided to rear up and smack em’ down!”

Ultrarunner magazine had a great time following the race on twitter, all the sweeter to be treated to updates after last years cancellation. How did it feel to be back and how did it differ from previous editions, with the global pandemic?

“The biggest difference was that we had no international runners this year, because of the covid related travel restrictions. We did have one guy, Pavel Paloncy, who came from the Czech Republic, I think he spent five weeks in quarantine, just to make his way to the race in Tennessee. I assume that his travel home would have seen him spend a few more weeks in quarantine as well, he was determined as hell!”