Jasmin Paris, hailing from Midlothian, has etched her name in history as the first woman to conquer one of the world’s toughest ultramarathons. Completing the grueling Barkley Marathons in Tennessee, Paris crossed the finish line with a mere one minute and 39 seconds left before the 60-hour cutoff.
Amidst a global audience on social media, thousands of supporters witnessed Paris’s nail-biting finish on Friday, a testament to her extraordinary feat.
Exhausted from the monumental effort, Paris collapsed to the ground upon completing the race, which draws inspiration from a renowned prison escape.
Located at Frozen Head State Park, the Barkley Marathons course undergoes yearly changes, spanning 100 miles with a staggering 60,000 feet of elevation gain and descent—roughly twice the height of Mount Everest.
Since its extension to 100 miles in 1989, only a select 20 individuals have successfully completed the race within the stringent 60-hour timeframe.
Jasmin Paris, a 40-year-old veterinarian residing near Gladhouse Reservoir in Midlothian, braved the treacherous course, navigating through rugged and often unmarked terrain, persisting through the darkness of night.
Photographs captured Paris’s legs, marked by scratches from battling through thorny bushes and dense forest vegetation on steep inclines.
She has said previously:
“Barkley Marathons is a truly unique challenge, and the idea of running it has been growing on me for the last few years.
“(I feel) a mixture of excitement and nerves. I know it’s going to be very hard, possibly impossible, but at the same time that’s what makes me want to run it.”
David Miller, a professional photographer at the race, told BBC Scotland he had witnessed the “greatest ultramarathon achievement of all time”.
“There was a lot of anticipation at the finish line and three minutes before the 60 hour cut off we heard shouting and a roar and it was people cheering Jasmin on.
“She was sprinting and giving it her all as there was no room for error because otherwise she would not have made the cut off.
“She touched the gate and collapsed in exhaustion. It was the best thing I have ever seen, it was unbelievable.
“Obviously I was very focussed on trying to capture Jasmin and a moment in history but at the same time I could feel a tear behind the lens because it was such an emotional moment.”
Renowned not only for its physical demands but also for its eccentric traditions, the Barkley Marathons boasts a unique identity shaped by its ever-changing course and peculiar customs.
Each year, the course undergoes a transformation, typically comprising five loops of approximately 20 miles, with a strict cap of 35 participants permitted to take on the challenge.
Conceived by Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell and Karl Henn, the Barkley course was inspired by a remarkable event—the 1977 escape of James Earl Ray, Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassin, from the nearby Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary.
Ray’s daring escape, spanning over 50 hours and approximately 12 miles through the wilderness while evading air searches during the day, planted the seed for the grueling race that would come to embody the spirit of endurance and resilience.
Mr Cantrell is reported to have mocked the distance covered by Ray, saying:
“I could do at least 100 miles.”
Prospective runners must write a “Why I should be allowed to run in the Barkley” essay along with a $1.60 (£1.27) entrance fee and if successful get a letter of condolence.
In addition to the physical challenges, participants in the Barkley Marathons must adhere to peculiar traditions, including bringing an extra “fee” as a donation for being a non-finisher.
Past fees have included items like a white shirt, socks, or even a car registration plate.
Competitors face the task of locating between nine and 14 books scattered along the course, with the exact number varying each year.
Extracting a page corresponding to their race number from each book serves as evidence of completion, which they present to race creator and director, Gary “Laz” Cantrell, at the end of each lap.
Cantrell, stationed at the iconic yellow gate immortalized by the 2014 documentary “Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young,” awaits the racers’ arrival.
Commencing at any time between midnight and noon, the race start is heralded by the sound of a conch blown one hour prior. The official start occurs when the race director ignites a cigarette.
Making the unmarked course demands prior memorization, adding an extra layer of challenge to the already formidable race.
The first and third loops follow a clockwise direction, while the second and fourth loops reverse course. The first finisher of the fourth loop earns the privilege of choosing the direction for the final loop.
Hailing from Hadfield in Derbyshire, Jasmin Paris’s journey to conquering the Barkley Marathons is a testament to her extraordinary resilience and determination.
In her debut in 2022, she tackled three loops of the grueling course, known somewhat ironically as a “Fun Run,” despite its formidable 60-mile length.
Notably, in 2006, no participant managed to complete the race in under 40 hours.
Breaking barriers and rewriting records, Jasmin’s accomplishments in ultrarunning are awe-inspiring.
In 2023, she became the first woman since 2001 to venture into a fourth loop, surpassing the previous best women’s achievement held by Sue Johnston in 2001, who covered 66 miles when many competitors struggled to even reach the first book, just two miles into the race.
Jasmin’s remarkable journey extends beyond the Barkley Marathons. In January 2019, as a mother of two, she made headlines by expressing milk for her baby during the grueling 268-mile Pennine Way race, smashing the course record by over 12 hours.
Her tenacity was further showcased in the Montane Spine Race, where she completed the challenging route from Derbyshire to the Scottish borders in 83 hours, 12 minutes, and 23 seconds.
Recognized by her former sponsor, Inov8, as one of the most remarkable stories in the sport, Jasmin Paris’s enduring legacy continues to inspire.
Since then, she has co-founded The Green Runners, further cementing her commitment to both running and environmental sustainability.
