Jasmin Paris, a 40-year-old veterinarian scientist from Scotland, has made history by becoming the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, one of the world’s most challenging ultramarathons, with just 99 seconds left before the cut-off.
Jasmin Paris, a 40-year-old from Midlothian, Scotland, has made history as the first woman to complete the notorious Barkley Marathons, a feat she accomplished just shy of the 60-hour cut-off with 99 seconds to spare. This ultramarathon, viewed as one of the most challenging in the world, is hosted annually in Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee, and involves a treacherous 100-mile course with a total elevation gain and loss of 60,000 feet, equivalent to twice the height of Mount Everest.
Paris, a veterinarian scientist and a mother of two, crossed the finish line with a time of 59 hours, 58 minutes, and 21 seconds, marking a significant milestone not only in her career but in the history of the race since its inception in 1986. Since the course was lengthened in 1989, Paris joins an elite group of now 21 individuals who have managed to complete the race within the demanding 60-hour timeframe.
The race is famous for its brutal challenge, consisting of five loops that test the participants’ endurance, navigation skills, and mental fortitude. Runners must navigate the course aided only by a map and compass, and prove their completion of each loop by tearing pages from books placed at various points along the route.
Expressing her joy at completing the race, Paris cited her motivation as a desire to test her personal limits and inspire women and young girls globally to believe in themselves and embrace challenges. Despite the physical and mental demands of the race, which includes navigating through dense brambles and experiencing severe sleep deprivation, she has already set her sights on future challenges, including the Scottish Islands Peaks Race and the Tor des Géants in Italy.
Paris’s success at the Barkley Marathons has been hailed as “the greatest ultra marathon achievement” by observers, and her accomplishment comes after years of preparation and previous attempts. Alongside Paris, Ukrainian runner Ihor Varys also finished this year, winning the event with a time of 58 hours, 44 minutes, and 59 seconds, in a race where success is far from guaranteed, underscored by the fact that more than half of its editions have ended with no finishers at all.
