The Barkley Marathons, held every year in the rugged hill country of Tennessee, pit runners against their absolute mental and physical limits. The race is five 20-mile loops, almost entirely off-trail, with a total elevation gain that more than doubles the height of Mt. Everest. In three decades, only 14 people have ever finished.
In this short documentary, filmmaker Brendan L. Young profiles a few of the athletes who were daring enough to compete this year. To learn more about the Barkley Marathons, read Leslie Jamison’s superb essay at The Believer.
Via The Atlantic.