2001 Barkley

- A Successful Barkley Race - At Last!!!

By: David Horton

             I have been fortunate enough to run many miles and many races and suffer much. Having run across America and run the Appalachian Trail, I had completed two of my major goals. Only one was left the Barkley 100 miler. The other two were very, very difficult but before this year's Barkley I felt it would be harder to finish Barkley than complete the other two challenges. My mind has not changed … Barkley is (was) the hardest.

             I have completed the Barkley Fun Run (three, twenty-mile laps) four times before. Before 1995, I felt the Barkley 100 was "NOT" possible. Prior to 1995, the Fun Run was three loops of 19, 19, and 17. For the 100 miler you had to do 19, 19, 17 and 19, 19, 17 for a total distance of 110 miles and the time limit was only 50 hours!!!

             In 1995, Gary added new segments (climbs and descents), changed the loop to 20 miles, and increased the time limit to 60 hours. At this point, I thought it was possible to finish five loops. Mark Williams showed that was possible by completing five loops in 1995, all in the clockwise direction. He also had excellent weather. The next year Gary changed the 100 to two clockwise loops, two counterclockwise loops, and the fifth loop the runner's choice.

             In 1998, I had great weather and made it 3.5 loops before getting lost. I also did not think I needed a compass. Going in the counterclockwise direction is very difficult and you need to use a compass.

             I trained very hard for the 2001 Barkley. I had training runs of 42, 40, 42, 71, 42, and 107 miles (2 days) on successive weekends. However, I had a flare-up of my ulcerative colitis the week of the race. By Friday of race week, I felt mentally and physically ready, although a bit intimidated by what lay ahead.

             In 1999 and 2000, I failed miserably and dropped out. Blake Wood performed remarkably in 2000, going 4.5 loops before being turned back by swollen streams.

             On this basis, I felt like Blake and I had the best shot of finishing the 100 miles. He had four fun run finishes and I had four. I called Blake in December or January and told him I thought it was time an American finished Barkley. I told him that we should go at it together and finish this crazy thing. 

            Gary Cantrell, race director, had a few new surprises for us in 2001. He added a new hill, Hump hill, and changed the routes slightly after Leonard's Butt Slide. Blake and I felt like Hump Hill added 20 minutes to each loop and the other change added - about 5 minutes per loop; total change … 125 minutes in five laps. Notice any trend in course changes??

             We had thought that we might have a chance to sleep at the end of lap four or during lap five. It was not an option with the new course changes. My plan was to go out slower as I knew Blake was more conservative and going out too fast had hurt me in previous years. Rebekah Trittipoe had challenged me to "Dare to follow" and not go out so fast. Our goal was to complete three loops around thirty to thirty-one hours. Because of the course changes, we finished in thirty-one hours and eighteen minutes.

             Critical to success in the Barkley is the third and fourth loop, the reverse direction. Blake took compass readings and we hit the two critical books, Big Hell and Little Hell with little trouble on loop three.

                        Loop 1 was very unique this year in that one-half way through the loop the lead pack was made up of fifteen runners. There were more good runners in this year's field than in any other year.

             The weather this year was very good although there was rain, sleet, and snow and it was very cold at night. I wore a waterproof jacket much of the time as well as gloves and mittens at times. The trail was slick for a while. However, overall I liked the cold weather. The Barkley is almost impossible when it is hot; the climbs are so tough you can sweat a ton even on cool days.

             The fourth lap was very difficult for us. We did this loop during Sunday night. We had trouble finding the books on the bottom of Little Hell and Leonard's Butt Slide. We were extremely slow from the Garden Spot back to camp. We ran out of food and both of us were bonking and shot when we got back to camp on Monday morning at daybreak.

                        I told Blake that we had to get in and out of camp quickly because we had to do loop five faster than loop four. I thought this was possible because loop five would be all in the day light hours. I really did not want to go out on loop five but Blake was getting ready and I had to go out. I drank three cans of Equate Plus and stuffed myself with food. I felt like I was going to throw up. When we left camp we talked very little for a long time. Mentally it was very difficult during the first three books. After climbing the Zip Line, the Equate kicked in and I started feeling much better. We made great progress and got to the New River, about half way through the loop, in five and half-hours. At this point, we realized we were going to finish and break Mark Williams's time as well. 

            However, Barkley is never completely finished with you. We talked a lot and didn't think about our time until Jury Ridge. At this point, we realized that we better pick it up to make sure we made it in time. What a relief and joy it was to see the folks waiting at the gate and finish line. After seeing the pictures on Steve Pero's website, I realized how bad I looked. I did not feel that bad but I sure did look bad! Blake and I then showered after three very long days. Blake only had one blister and I did not have any. I could only sleep about three hours afterward. I woke very early and packed and drove back to Lynchburg by myself. I did have to stop twice to take two thirty-minute naps.

 Calling my wife shortly after I finished was very rewarding. She said she was "proud of me" and that meant a lot to me.

 Post-Script:

             Blake and I worked great together. We never had any conflict or ill feelings. I knew Blake a little before and now I know him very well. He is extremely smart, calculating, and now a very close friend. Blake is extremely tough, physically and mentally as evident by his victory at the 2001 Rocky Raccoon 100, 1999 victory at Hardrock, and this performance at the 2000 and 2001 Barkleys. Blake and I followed the designated course as best we could and did not use any short cuts. We made very few mistakes, the ones we made were primarily on lap four.

             I had never run more than thirty-three hours in a race. I did not know if I could go the entire distance without sleeping. I only got sleepy coming off Bird Mountain to the finish. I took some caffeine but not very much. I took one of Kevin Setnes Succeed Caps every hour. I wore two different pairs of Hurricane Ridge Shoe made by Montrail … they felt great. I drank two or three cans of Equate Plus between each loop and took two and a half cans of Equate Plus with me. I also took enough Conquest powder to make five or six bottles during each loop.

             Could I have made it alone? Could Blake have made it alone? Yes, I think both of us could have made it alone. My three and a half loops in 1998 and Blake's four and a half loops in 2000 both indicate that we could have finished alone. Was it easier doing it with someone? Yes, it was great finishing with a friend. How many of you have finished an Ultra with a friend? It is a special pleasure to share accomplishing a goal with a friend.

             Will I do it again? NO!!! Blake and I made a bet, during the race, that if either of us every runs Barkley again, that person has to donate $100 to the charity of the other person's choice.

             Will anyone beat our time anytime soon? I don't think so. With the course changes, someone will have to do it without sleep, have good weather, and really know the course. This was the ninth time at Barkley for me and the fifth time for Blake. Besides, who says Gary will not add another climb, I don't think he will however.

             The Barkley is like nothing else in the Ultra world. It is the hardest thing I have ever done. I feel extremely happy and satisfied to have completed the Barkley 100.

             What's left?? In June, Doug Spencer, Scott McKenzie and I are attempting to set the speed record on the John Muir Trail. I will leave my Barkley space for someone else to suffer in America's toughest Ultra.