Newfoundlander returning to race that left him hallucinating in the Tennessee woods

A man from Mount Pearl says the Barkley Marathons left him completely exhausted in the wilderness and turned all of his toenails blackbut still he's looking forwardto doing it again.

"Absolutely.One hundredper cent. At the latest, I will return in two years," saidGary Robbins, who took part inthe race this April.

The BarkleyMarathons is an ultra-distance eventheld in Tennesseeevery spring. The almost30-year-old event is believed by many runners to be the hardest footrace in the world, andcovers130 miles (more than 210 kilometres) and includesmore than60,000 feet of climbing and descending.

To make it more difficult, participants have less than three days 60 hours to complete the course. There is no trail or trail markers,and participants are given only a map and some co-ordinates before starting.

"It is the antithesisof what most people know of or understand as running," saidRobbins, who now lives in North Vancouver.

No one has died during the race but many people do get hurt on the course.

"I would say from what I experienced, I'm actually surprised there haven't been more severe injuries," saidRobbins.

Despite that, thelimited number ofentry positionsare highly sought after. Only 40 applicants are accepted annually but hundreds apply from around the world. Like everything about the race, even the application process is odd.

"There is no website. You really need to do some homework and you need to find a magic email address and you need to know what time precisely on which day to submit an essay statingwhy you think you should be included in the marathons. Then you wait to receive what is known as a 'letter of condolences' welcoming you into the event," said Robbins.

This year, the entry fee was $1.60 U.S. and a licence plate from your home province.

"I was very proud to give them their first and only Newfoundland and Labrador licence plate," saidRobbins.

The race starts when its organizer lights a cigarette and itjust keeps getting weirder from there. Part of the courseis on established dirt trails but most of it requiresbushwhacking through steep terrain in theTennessee woods.

"The big challenge is that you go day and night and as you get through the night, it gets much harder to navigate. It really takes a toll on you," saidRobbins.

Needless to say,it was brutally difficult.

Just keep moving. Just keep moving. Just keep moving.- Gary Robbins, ultra-marathon runner.

"Three fifths of the way though I was on my feet for over 31 hours. I did the entire East Coast Trail in less time.I was in a world of hurt and was really struggling at that moment to understand exactly how it was possible to continue for another two full marathons," saidRobbins.

"I just kept repeating to myself. Just keep moving. Just keep moving. Just keep moving."

Barkley 1 - Gary 0

And italmost worked. In the history of the event there have only been 14 finishers. Robbins pushed well into the last fifth of the race but was forced to drop out before finishing.

"Because of my sleep-deprived state of mind, I was hallucinating and up against a lot of different things and I unfortunately turned right when I should have turned left and Ilost two and a half hours searching for the route in the forest before realizing I was going to run out of time up against that 60-hour time limit."

He was just the fourthperson in the history of the race to get that far on their first attempt.

It seems like I'm forced to do it again, doesn't it?- Gary Robbins

"Well,unfortunatelyit seems like I'm forced to do it again, doesn't it?" said Robbins laughing.

"It was so close to being a success, it would be foolhardyto not return and try to join thatexclusivegroup of people who have completed it. I can't stop thinking about how close it was and there is and outside chance that we will head back next year."

There is no financial reward orfinishers medal. So, whydo it?

"I've been doing long-distance, ultra-marathon events for more than 10years now and what it really boils down to is attempting the impossible and steppingup tosomething tha truly scares you. A lot of people might see it as pointless but to me I would see it as one of the crowning achievements of my athletic life to eventually complete this race."