Barkley is hands down the hardest endurance event I have ever participated in. I did not even make it around 1 loop. My mission was doomed from the start.
After I had trouble keeping up on the uphill climbs with you some of the runners (yes – I need
to be a better packer - I was carrying 2 packs). I realized I had the map but did not have the written directions as to the book's locations. I was able
to kinda tag with others and find the first 8 books. I was alone on the climb up
to Indian Knob. Ended up at the highest knob and thought maybe the 9th book will
just be there. Little did I know that the book was inside a “cave”. I may have
been on the wrong knob – who knows. I thought I’ll just wait for someone else to
come – waited for about 45 min...no one. Thought – I don’t have this book – I
won't be allowed to continue.
In hindsight I should have just followed the route
anyways. But I decided to run about 1/10th of a mile to where the “marked”
trails get close to where I was and run them back to camp. I ended up getting
disoriented and somewhat lost. After about an hour of running around in what
seemed to be circles to started to get a little dark. I seriously started
freaking out and thought I was lost and had know idea where I was now on the
map. I have never experienced anything like that.
Once I got my wits I made a
plan, the highways are around the park and I knew if I just set my compass to SE
I would run into them. I crossed some Jeep roads and was very tempted to take
them but stayed on task. I just figured I if I can only make it to the Highway at
least I would know I can get back. What a feeling when I escaped the woods and
found the road.
I ended up about 1 mile from where the Highways intersect. Ran the final 10 or
so miles on the road in the rain back to the park. I thought someplace might be
open to call and let the crew/family know I was OK. But everything was closed as
it was after 9 PM at this time. I also considered knocking on someone’s door but
feared being shot. Nothing could have prepared me for this...I had to see it with my own eyes.
My local paper The Verona Press just ran a story in the April 11, 2013 edition on my attempt at the Barkley Marathons:
