It's been 10 days since the gruelling Barkley Marathons crushed every one of its victims, and the runners are finally recovered enough to share their thoughts on this year's race. Some, like Australia's Isobel Tait, explain that sickness that kept them down, while Colorado-based Chris Fisher noted the heat and pace, but UK-based American runner John Kelly has a rather more philosophical take on things.
The ultra runner was the only one of 40 starters to complete three laps of the course at Frozen Head State Park, which founder Gary "Lazarus Lake" Cantrell made more difficult after last year saw a record number of finishers (five) including the first-ever woman (Jasmin Paris). So there wasn't a winner exactly, but Kelly – who has completed three Barkleys – definitely came the closest and those punishing 60 miles in 39 hours, 50 minutes earned him the most dubious "Fun Run" in trail running
