In the Spell of the Barkley - Unravelling the Mystery of the World's Toughest Ultramarathon

''A wonderful, compelling read''Vassos Alexander, radio presenter and ultrarunnerWelcome to the Barkley Marathons, a fever dream of an ultra event, inspired by a prison break, heralded by a conch blast, paid for in cigarettes and socks, and completed only by a select few. A race in which competitors haul themselves up mountains, through extreme weather conditions, beyond pain and exhaustion, mile after mile. Completed 60 miles? That-s just the fun run.Journalist and ultrarunner Michiel Panhuysen is a multiple-time Barkley entrant, having fallen under the spell of this most enigmatic of races - and its presiding philosopher-genius organizer Lazarus Lake - in the early 2010s. On each occasion, the Barkley won. The Barkley nearly always wins.In the Spell of the Barkley is a story of sporting obsession, exploring what drives individuals to challenge themselves at the limits of what is possible - and what it takes to succeed.