One man's account of the near-mythical ultra event that is the Barkley Marathons

'A wonderful, compelling read' Vassos Alexander, radio presenter and ultrarunner Welcome 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.

"A compelling account of one of the world's most enigmatic races, captured by an author fully in thrall" - Michael Crawley, author of Out of Thin Air

"The engrossing story of his fascination with, and multiple attempts to complete, the world’s most difficult ultramarathon race ... highly recommend" - Frozen Ed Furtaw, the first person to finish the Barkley marathon

"A wonderful, compelling read" - Vassos Alexander