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The night was warm, too warm. I slept great but was sweating by morning. When it was finally time to start hiking in the morning I was ready. The cool morning was more welcoming than my hot sleeping bag. I quickly packed up, but Buddha was still slow to pack. So, I made some coffee. When I make it, I pour it into a wide mouth bottle to sip on the go throughout the morning. The day threatened rain and it would no doubt come at some time. I stowed my rain gear on the outside of my pack, ready for the time it came to use it. But, it held out for 8 of the 10 miles. It was a fast morning, and I was quickly at his car…waiting. The scenery and wildlife even in the threatening clouds of a storm were great. I saw birds, a raccoon, more waterfalls and gently flowing Brooks. Then we arrived at the Ozone Trailhead. The weather was going to be all over the place the next few days, so I decided to accept the ride all the way into Walmart to supplement my food and try to put together something to have further down the trail as well. I bought the bare essentials and a bucket with a lid to have Buddha cache a few items 120 miles down the trail and take out any need for having another resupply. But, with how the weather was starting to look in the forecasts, it could go any direction. I got dropped back at the trail and continued quickly. I wanted to log some miles before the real rain started. It was due to begin sometime during the night, but it held out until I was ready to camp. I made it to Highway 123 and continued down the road to Haw Creek Falls Campground. But, the road closes for high water, and continually has water flowing over the top of it. I wanted to preserve my dry shoes, so I took my shoes and socks off to slowly walk across the flooded asphalt. I slipped them back on and walked into the campground, ready to camp with a picnic table nearby. I considered trying to use the shelter of the outhouse, but it wasn’t raining much, that would quickly change throughout the night. Ozark Highlands Trail #bestgearforbackpackinginarkansas #OzarkHighlandsTrail #trailresportfortheozarkhighlandstrail #howlongistheozarkhighlandstrail #Arkansas #backpackinggearlist #arkansasthruhikinggearlist #ozarkhighlandstrailgearlist #ozarkhighlandstrailjournal #gearlist #backpackingarkansas #thruhikingtheOzarkHighlandsTrail #backpackingtheozarkhighlandstrail #thruhikingtheOHT #geartohiketheouachitatrail

Waterfalls are everywhere on the Ozark Highland Trail. Water sources dot the route and there is never a concern about staying hydrated. But, with each creak and river comes a crossing. The real key to comfort is maintaining dry feet, and this especially applies to each crossing. Despite the higher water levels after recent rains and snow I was able to keep our feet dry for the second day in a row. Buddha was not so lucky and in fact he was astonished I was able to cross the first creek of the day without dipping a foot in. Despite his 46,000 miles of backpacking, he had to concede to my superiority. It was a hot day. Early on we shed every layer but a t shirt and climbed up and down through the Ozark. It was beautiful with a different kind of mountains than the East and also the west. These were smoother than the Appalachians but also much shorter and less pronounced than the mountains of the west. These mountains and hills simple splayed out, neglecting to have a true pronounced spine along their span. It makes the immersion into the terrain much more noticeable. There are no towns nearby and it is a region completely dedicated to nature. It is an enjoyable trail, one of subtleness but also it’s own very pronounced character. We got in about 28 miles, leaving us 10 to get to Buddha’s car at the Ozone trailhead. From there I will continue on my own to the end of the trail at which point the plan is to turn around and start hiking back, in the hopes of setting a new FKT on this route. #bestgearforbackpackinginarkansas #OzarkHighlandsTrail #trailresportfortheozarkhighlandstrail #howlongistheozarkhighlandstrail #Arkansas #backpackinggearlist #arkansasthruhikinggearlist #ozarkhighlandstrailgearlist #ozarkhighlandstrailjournal #gearlist #backpackingarkansas #thruhikingtheOzarkHighlandsTrail #backpackingtheozarkhighlandstrail #thruhikingtheOHT #geartohiketheouachitatrail

We have the whole trail to ourselves. The OHT rarely crosses roads and remains in the Arkansas hills. The forward are a mixture of leafless deciduous and the occasional evergreen trees. White trail deer are everywhere with spottings of turkeys, armadillo, and people do say that small bears live out here too. The name “highlands” does not disappoint. The climbs are ever present with spectacular views at the top. The benefit of trees with no leaves is that you can see through them for miles. The morning was cold and our start was not quick. But, it warmed up very quickly. Soon the climbs were hot and the water crossings were welcome. Mid day we came to a small river and decided to call it lunch. On a large slab rock on the banks of the water we took our break. I haven’t seen my friend lol Buddha in 11 years. We talk on the phone often, but hiking together and catching up on the trails was even better! This trail is perfect. It is well maintained with just enough dead trees laying across the trail to help maintain flexibility throughout the day. The ups and downs can be moderate but the trail is defined and marked with white blazes. A bed of leaves provides a fantastic walking surface. Overall I have quite enjoyed my time out here. There is plenty of quality water sources and numerous places to camp. At the end of the day Buddha adamently said he was as going to jump in the river. I followed him down to witness what I was sure wouldn’t happen. We got down there and he immediately complained at how cold the water was. In the end he did little more than wash his face. The water sources on the Ozark Highlands Trail have been much colder than I expected #bestgearforbackpackinginarkansas #OzarkHighlandsTrail #trailresportfortheozarkhighlandstrail #howlongistheozarkhighlandstrail #Arkansas #backpackinggearlist #arkansasthruhikinggearlist #ozarkhighlandstrailgearlist #ozarkhighlandstrailjournal #gearlist #backpackingarkansas #thruhikingtheOzarkHighlandsTrail #backpackingtheozarkhighlandstrail #thruhikingtheOHT #geartohiketheouachitatrail

Day 1 OHT I am back out in Arkansas. I am not quite sure what this adventure will entail, but it is beginning with a thru hike of the Ozark Highland Trail. No one knows how long this trail is. It could be 165 or it could be 254. But either way I am excited to be back out here after hiking the Ouachita Trail about a year ago. This time a good friend Lil Buddha is joining me for at least half of the trail. We stayed overnight in Fort Smith and then another hiker, Lightning, helped shuttle cars and get us to the western terminus. And then we were off. It was monotonous around Lake Shepherd Spring but the sun was out. Then the wet crossings began. Our feet got wet twice in a couple of miles and we began to see icicles hanging on the sides of the hills. It had been cold recently. A week ago it snowed. After seeing an armadillo and some deer, we climbed into the true highlands and had a great view of the sunset. With our goal being a campspot 17 miles into the day, we pushed into the chilly night and arrived before 8. Day 1 was a great one. #bestgearforbackpackinginarkansas #OzarkHighlandsTrail #trailresportfortheozarkhighlandstrail #howlongistheozarkhighlandstrail #Arkansas #backpackinggearlist #arkansasthruhikinggearlist #ozarkhighlandstrailgearlist #ozarkhighlandstrailjournal #gearlist #backpackingarkansas #thruhikingtheOzarkHighlandsTrail #backpackingtheozarkhighlandstrail #thruhikingtheOHT #geartohiketheouachitatrail

I signed up for the 2021 Cocodona 250 only a couple of weeks before the actual race. I had never run a 200-mile race. I had never even run a 100-mile race. My racing background was a series of fun runs, middle school track (fastest time in the district in the hurdles), and one 50k race that I struggled through. I had no idea what I was doing. My world was FKTs, hundreds of miles of self-sufficient adventures, and untimed long days in the mountains. A 250-mile race was something totally new. That is why I signed up. It would be the rare step down in distance and a neat opportunity for some immense learning. I entered the 2021 race with the fitness of training for the Barkley Marathons, and a few hundred miles spent in the desert leading up to the race. My body was ready to cover the distance, and my mind was prepared for days spent in the midst of a race, but logistically I had no idea what I was doing. Here are a few things I learned along the way: Drop Bags are essential I didn’t know a thing about the structure of long races. During my 50k I sent a drop bag to the halfway point with a ham sandwich inside. To say I had no experience with using drop bags would be an understatement. On the morning of the race, I carried two 40-liter backpacks to the start line and was prepared to drop them off and live out of them for the next few days. But my strategy was crushed. The man in the back of the truck asked, “Which aid station are these going to?” I blankly stared back at him. Apparently, these bags would not be following me down the course. In a panic, I named two aid stations that seemed to be about 80 miles apart and assumed that was good enough. I retreated to my car and altered my entire race strategy ten minutes before the start. I put a spare pair of socks in my running pack and another layer. I was prepared to do this race completely without my drop bags now. I had no idea if I would even need what they contained when I got to each aid station. With a background as a thru-hiker, I figured I could just change between the two pairs of socks intermittently over the course of 250 miles and be good to go. After all, there were aid stations… Takeaway Learn how drop bags work, the places they go, and plan accordingly leading up to the race… not at the last minute Races are official events Fresh off the drop bag debacle, I heard the announcement, “First wave in ten minutes.” I thought I was prepared. My bib number was safety-pinned to my pack and I was prepared to set off. I walked over to the start line a couple of minutes before the gun went off and suddenly realized everyone else had spot trackers on their packs. “DAMNIT!” I sprinted over to the registration tent and pleaded with them to hurry and strap a tracker on me. As the ten second countdown was starting I jogged over to the start line and worked my way into the crowd. Now I was ready just with a bit more anxiety than I had anticipated. Takeaway Don’t wait until the last minute to assure you have everything you need. Eliminate as many stressors and sources of anxiety before race morning. Pacers are legal and popular I don’t know how ultrarunners have so many friends that are willing and able to take time off to pace them through their insane races, but I didn’t even ask anyone until a couple of days before the race. I was so completely focused on the solo experience that I was about to have that I didn’t even consider the logistics of having pacers to help me down the route. On the morning of day two, I realized how refreshed the other runners were with their friends. I immediately altered my strategy and texted my only friend in Phoenix, an Arizona Trail thru-hiker, and trail runner himself. His house had just burned down, so it meant either this would be a great getaway for him to get to pace me through a night of hallucinations, or he would be busy with the logistics of finding a new place to live. Luckily, Bryce came out and was able to guide me to the end. Takeaways Pick out your pacers, and pacing strategy early. Don’t try to build it on the fly Read more Cocodona Posts #howtorunamultidayrace #trailrunning #tipsforultrarunning #ultramarathon #howtoruna200milerace #ultrarunning #howtocompleteandfkt #shouldyoutaperforarace #ultrarunningtips #runninga250milerace #howtorunanultramarathon #cocodona250

After weeks of wondering if the Barkley Marathons would happen, 36 of us were able to make the trip to Frozen Head State Park and compete. The event had been canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, and with travel bans still in effect for most of the international runners, the field was largely domestic. My aunt was able to be my crew member, and despite being one of the 36 people who were unable to finish this year, I had a fantastic time having an epic adult scavenger hunt on the most unforgiving terrain. Here is how it went: The cigarette was lit, a stream of smoke drained from Laz’s mouth and we were off. The first two miles of the course are on the Bird Mountain Trail. I had scouted this section leading up to the race but still cautiously fell into the pack, letting an experienced runner lead the way. Our line of headlamps marched into the darkness, up the side of the mountain. The rain fell as it had for hours, turning the trail into a muddy stream. There was never a thought of dry feet, only of if the creeks and rivers would be passable. The rhythm of the group quickened after our first intersection. Then we crossed the Pillars of Death and the magic of the Barkley Marathons was realized. Jared Campbell, the only three-time finisher, abruptly turned to the right and crashed through the bushes. We all followed at a dead sprint. The gentle tromping through the muddy trail was replaced with a stampede through the forest. Runners crashed through the undergrowth, branches, and through briars. It was a mad dash down the hill. Everyone knew the value of saving every second of time. Our group of six came to the flat spot in the mountain and didn’t see the book. We knew we were close but were unsure which direction it was. After a couple of minutes of scouring the mountainside, we heard shouts of joy coming from another group. We followed the sound and fell into line for our pages. One book down, 12 to go. It was a rapid descent, giving up all the ground we had worked to achieve. People were running every which way, screaming with joy and flying down the leaf-covered ground at astonishing speeds. We were on an adult scavenger hunt, wrecking our bodies in search of books to prove we had experienced all of the unforgiving terrain. I followed Jamil Coury and we hit the Flume of Doom dead on. With the mud and water, it was simply a slide. We sat on our butts and pushed off down the 30-foot slick rock chute. All the way to the bottom we went. And when we had fully descended Jaque (Check?) Mate Hill, we crossed a stream and joined a park trail. The climb led us up near Jury Ridge where we darted off the trail and into the unmarked forest once again. The route led us straight up a Mountain where the next book was waiting under a rock. Two books down and the runners had begun to spread out. I was confident as the instructions we were given before the race seemed to perfectly match the route. But then the fog rolled in. The visibility dwindled and soon I found myself with only two other runners in sight. We joined up and continued down a relatively new section of the course called “The Meatgrinder.” I was a Barkley virgin who had lost the veterans. The instructions on Book 3 matched perfectly as we joined a creek and found a confluence with another creek. Just above two unique-looking trees was our book. But at first, we couldn’t find it. Fifteen minutes went by and we followed the creek further downstream. Then I spoke up. We went back to the confluence, tore our pages, and started charging up the hill. I had confidence. Three pages were safely folded in my Ziploc bag. But now it was straight up. The path was straightforward but the hill was steep. At a large cliff the runners I was with tailed around the side but I saw a small chute with tree roots lining the dirt. I decided to climb it. The going was slow and it was a terrible waste of my limited upper body strength. By the time I crested the 50-foot cliff my companions were gone. I was alone but I knew the route from here. It continued straight up and intersected a trail. It was impossible to get lost here. I kept climbing. I had no idea where I was at in the field of runners. Everyone was either just ahead or just behind me, and the higher I climbed the harder it was to distinguish lights. At the top of Hillpocalypse (official Barkley hill name), I found the the nearby trail. At every point during the race when the terrain and features matched the instructions, I was elated. It was instant gratification and a signal that I was doing it right. The trail wound through the foggy forest before I left the trail, ascended over a knob, and immediately dropped back down to it. This was the flat portion of the course and I had to run. The oscillating trail to Son of a Bitch Ditch was simple to follow yet extremely muddy. At every turn in the course, I had to slow down for the risk of sliding right off the edge of the mountains. The mud was thick and already covered everything. As I arrived at Garden Spot and pulled out my instructions the first light was shining through the clouds. It was a welcome sight as the dark morning felt so long. The rain was light and my confidence was high. The instructions rambled through about the litany of roads and how to follow the correct one up to a large cairn. On the first try, I found the cairn and Book 4. Now the most confusing part of the course began. I had wanted to scout the unnamed and unmapped roads on Stallion Mountain before navigating the area as part of the Barkley Marathons, but I was unable to. And, this lack of knowledge and familiarity would come back to hurt me. I followed the first jeep road down and past the first water drop but then the number of roads and the uncertainty of where to turn off the roads left me questioning my directions at every intersection. I went back and tried again. One particular road that formed a “U” shape presented a particular challenge. I wasn’t sure which way I was supposed to follow the road. The instructions stated I should be able to see Stallion Mountain, but in the fog nothing was visible. Too uncertain to continue for fear of becoming more lost, I retreated back towards Book 4, hoping the third time would be the charm for navigating the myriad of jeep roads. As I walked backward on the course I began to panic that I had used too much time wandering in circles. The Barkley Marathons are an emotional rollercoaster. My legs felt great and I wanted to run but I simply didn’t know which way to go. As I came around a hairpin turn I met two other runners. Karen and Peter had a good idea which way to go in this section and I joined them. Karen was from Alabama and was able to drive up to Tennessee to train on the course. Her familiarity was invaluable at this moment Elevation Gain in the Barkley Marathons Karen led us confidently through numerous turns and intersections before she abruptly scampered off the road and through the weeds. Apparently, this was our turn and we automatically followed her. Through the undergrowth, across and road, and then turning onto another road, I quickly realized the value of experience on this section of the course. We arrived at Bobcat Rock and Butt Slide began. It was straight down to the river, a hunt for a book, and then straight back up the Butt Slide. After losing nearly 1,000 feet to drop down, we searched for a clearing with an old stone foundation. The only trouble was everything looked like a clearing, and an “old stone foundation” could be deceived at nearly every turn. We struggled, looking up and down the river until another runner, Glen, shouted at us that he had found the book. We tore our pages and shot straight back up Butt Slide. When we reached where we came down, we kept climbing, through the rock feature. There was a small hole in the capstones that we crawled through. It was a simple ascent to the next book, just past Hiram’s Day Spa and to a giant kitchen table-sized rock with a hole in the corner. It was Book 6. Nearly halfway! But, the mistakes were adding up and we needed to nail a few books to avoid missing the cutoff for loop 1. Down to Book 7, we dropped. At first, the descent was tame, but then a big drop-off materialized and the only way down looked to be sliding 50 feet on our butts. It was not a mild slide, and Peter crashed into a patch of briars, but we all got up and kept on descending back to the river again for the next book. It was easy enough to find the water, but it quickly became a series of riddles to find the book. The first thing we were trying to find was a small waterfall. With hours of heavy rain overnight, small waterfalls were everywhere. We couldn’t even distinguish which creeks were named on our maps and which were simply the result of the heavy rains. Barkley Marathons – Gear List We thought we saw a waterfall and began looking for “Pillars.” In this section of the course, moss was everywhere and covering everything. Every rock looked like a pillar and every pile of stones looked man made. Up and down the river we walked, never finding our book. Frustration mounted as the time ticked by. We searched for an hour, then two. The race was lost looking for this simple book. After nearly three hours Glen and Karen had wandered up a different direction, leaving Peter and I searching high and low on the terrain we had already thoroughly scoured. We decided we would go back to the spot we had first dropped to the river and go through our instructions line by line. We did exactly that, and where we had originally followed a faint road, we stayed to the right this time. Past some ruins and then pillars. The book was just behind them under a rusted skillet. Relief washed over us and we tore off up Little Hell. 1300’ of climbing and this book was easy. It was under a rock right at the edge of the point. The simplicity of Book 8 compared to the frustration of Book 7 perfectly summed up the Barkley. Sometimes it feels natural, straightforward, and simple, yet at other times it seems impossible. It has some magical lore that makes the Barkley Marathons so special. Looking back down Rat Jaw A hundred yards behind the book was a gravel road and we joined it. Rat Jaw was coming up and we first had to descend on the jeep road to the powerline cut. Even though we could not make up all the time we had lost, Peter and I were still running down the road. No matter the issues we had up to this point, we were going to give the race our all. Down the Prison Mine Road and we opened up into a powerline cut by an old guardhouse. Up was the direction and the powerlines showed us the way. It was a muddy mess of briars. The rain had wrecked this portion of the course and two steps forward meant one step of sliding backward. The hill felt twice as long, and steeper than it actually was. Some portions had down cables we could use to pull ourselves up, and through other parts of the climb, we walked on top of the briars because they gave us more traction. The whole time we ascended, we kept thinking that at the top we would simply tear out our page and come right back down. The wind picked up as we crested Frozen Head Moutain, walked over near the lookout tower, and pulled our pages out of the book sitting next to the second water drop on a picnic table. It was cold at the highest point on the course and we didn’t stay long. We ascended as quickly as we could, but in the mud it was difficult. On one particularly slick and rocky section, my feet went straight out from under me and I crashed down hard on my back. Luckily, the padding of the running vest provided just the right amount of cushion to prevent anything major from occurring. But thus the descent went. All the way down to a small hill above the Historic Brushy Mountain Prison. This was Butt Slide 3.0 and Karen had joined us again for it. It was a 30-foot mud track that led straight into the briars. On a dry day tiptoeing down the steep embankment may have been possible, but not today. We all slid down and walked over to the stream under the prison. Race issued Pocket Watch to keep time at the 2021 Barkley Marathons If we hadn’t already been wet all day, there was no avoiding it now. We climbed down the bent rails and sank up to our knees into the fast-flowing creek. There was a small pinhole of light on the other side. We had to walk all the way to it. It was a trudge. The flowing creek worked against us and we couldn’t see the bottom. It was simply feeling out every step and splashing forward until we had completed the tunnel. Book 10 was on the wall of the prison, near the exact spot that James Earl Ray had escaped and the beginning of the events that led Laz to think up such a unique race. Bad Thing (Barkley hill) leads straight up to the top of the Ridge. Now, these are obviously not all common park names, but simply the Barkley names of the more memorable parts of the course. Bad Thing is about ¾ of a mile at 37% grade, and it is one of the more tame climbs of the course. We ascended straight up it and found the Needle’s Eye in the capstones at the top of the Knob. Our book was in a hollow in the rock inside this small tunnel through the summit stones. We grabbed our 11th pages and continued through the Needle’s Eye. There were only two books left. All cutoff times had already passed, but simply continuing on to see all of this incredibly difficult course was still a thrill. We descended down Zipline to a series of creeks. Things were especially confusing with the excess of water and seasonal streams everywhere. Our instructions depended on us finding the correct confluences and following certain branches of these confluences to a small elevated plateau. I was lost here. Books 8 through 11 made sense and matched our instructions, but I depended on Karen and Peter here. I simply couldn’t distinguish between the creeks on my map and the creeks in the forest. Surprisingly, Karen didn’t have much issue and led us right to the Beach Tree that the book was inside. Book 12 had been found and now we moved up Big Hell. This was the last big ascent of the course and it was a steep one. We took our last bearing of the course, but we didn’t need to. The route was simple. All we had to do was climb up to the top of Chimney Top Mountain, pull our book from a small hollow in the rock, and then run the few miles back to the yellow gate at camp. While the climb wasn’t quite as simple as the few words make it seem, after fighting through the briars and maintaining the steepest path up the ridge, we landed right at the capstones that housed the final book. We pulled our pages, found the “Candy Ass Park Trail” and descended down to camp. It was a trail you could cruise on, and with the rain beginning to grow heavier and heavier, speed was something to be embraced. We spread out a little as we dropped down for the final time. It was one of those events in life that went by so fast, but also felt like so much had happened. The whole day was about overcoming obstacles, managing emotions, working with limited resources, and not giving up. It was disheartening to be running down the mountain with all my book pages but without the time to continue, but I vowed to focus on the fact that I DID find all the books. I ran up and touched the Yellow Gate, ending my loop and attempt at the Barkley. I had a few special words with Laz and we discussed the incredible carnage that the race saw. I was no longer a virgin, and I hope to someday compete in the Barkley again as a Veteran. Never again will I forget where Book 7 sits. The Books of the Barkley Marathons Each year Laz picks books that match the race, their location, and pain that the runners are going through. Here is a photo of my book pages and the titles of the 13 books that were part of this year’s Barkley Marathons. The Book Titles -The Why of the Barkley -Dying Breath -Look Behind You -It wasn’t always easy, but I sure had fun -Nobody Wants Barkley -Is This the Way You Said? -Only the Losers Win -The Joy of Cooking -Missing Maybe Dead -Premonition and Capture -Meat Grinder Hill: The Rat Bastards -God can move mountains -Going underground #trailrunning #howtorunthebarkleymarathons #barkelymarathons #wherearethebarkleymarathons #running #Blog #barkley #howmanypeoplehavefinishedthebarkleymarathons #howtogetinthebarkleymarathons #arethebarkleymarathonssecret #whatarethebarkleymarathons

The Barkley Marathons are a race designed to leave every participant disappointed. In 2021, 36 of us showed up and every single racer planned to be out there for five loops. But by the time 27 hours came around, there were were only two runners left. It was a year that the course won, and won quickly. The entire event was over in less than 40 hours, leaving all of us participants wondering what had happened and reworking our travel plans. Simply showing up this year proved to be an endeavor. For the months leading up to the Barkley Marathons, there was a lot of discussion on if the even could safely take place and what the right precautions were. In the end, it was determined that every crew member and participant moved in from the “Weight List” must have a Covid Passport (vaccine or proof of antibodies). Then, at the race, every person in the campground was given either a red or green badge that coincided with their risk. Social distancing and mask usage were observed and as compared to most other events during this global pandemic, the Barkley Marathons felt almost normal. Little rules surrounded most aspects of the race, but overall, the character of the challenge was preserved. For two days before the race the weather was perfect. But the the night before the start the rain showered down. The trails became streams and unmarked drainages and creeks littered the course. Slipping, sliding, and falling were unavoidable and exhausting. But, overall it was an incredible experience and so much fun to run through the mountains on a scavenger hunt looking for books with other elite runners. I hope to someday have another shot at the race now that I have the navigation better figured out. Here is a breakdown of the gear I wore and had in my pack at the Barkley Marathons. More detailed trip and race reports will follow: Vest: Ultimate Direction Adventure Vest 5.0 I have used the Ultimate Direction Adventure Vest 5.0 on a number of FKTs and mountain runs which is why it is the vest I chose for the Barkley Marathons. I wish there were two identical Water Bottle pockets on the front as opposed to one “Burrito Pocket.” But overall the number of accessible pocks and ease in carrying made this a good pack for the Barkley. Buy at REI Buy at Amazon Buy at Ultimate Direction Headlamp: Petzl Nao+ The Petzl Nao+ worked great with the Barkley Marathons course and conditions. I kept it in Reactive mode which changes the brightness based on the terrain and conditions. This mode seemed to conserve the battery well and aided in nighttime navigation. I will be using this headlamp on future FKTs and runs! Buy at Amazon Compass: Suunto M-3 The Suunto M-3 worked great as a compass both in preparing for the race and during the race. It has all the features necessary for a Barkley-style event (declination adjustment, scale, and luminescent marking). This is simply a great compass. Buy at REI Buy at Amazon Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat In 2020 I ran more on roads than ever before and found Hoka shoes felt the best on the hard surfaces. As I transitioned back to the trails I stuck with Hokas and now run almost exclusively in the Speedgoats or the Mafate. Buy at Backcountry.com Buy From REI Socks: Swiftwick For the past few years, I have been wearing Swiftwick socks, and they seem to work well for my feet. The socks inevitably got wet in the inches of rain that fell the week of Barkley, but I did not end up having any foot issues. I had planned to change socks on each loop of the Barkley, but I didn’t make it that far. Buy from Swiftwick Buy from Amazon Sweatshirt: Appalachian Gear Co Hoodie Over the last 6 months, the App Gear Co hoodie has joined me on a number of thru-hikes, FKTs, and adventures. It worked well in these conditions at the Barkley Marathons because of how quickly it dried out and the insulating properties it maintains when wet. It did receive multiple snags and holes from the briars. Buy at App Gear Co Rain Jacket: Enlightened Equipment Visp I have used the Visp for runs and anything where inclement Montana weather could suddenly appear. It is an extremely packable jacket and the pit zips really make it functional for running. Buy at Enlightened Equipment Gaiters: Dirty Girl Gaiters For ten years I have used Dirty Girl Gaiters and they were the natural choice for the Barkley Marathons to keep all the debris out of my shoes throughout all the bushwhacking and cross-country travel. Buy at Dirty Girl Gaiters Trekking Poles: Gossamer Gear LT5 I have now used the Gossamer Gear LT5 poles. for three years and I believe they are the lightest thing out there. Despite my initial apprehension about the twisting mechanism locking up, I have never had an issue. These are the perfect trekking pole for ultras because of how lightweight they are. Buy at Gossamer Gear Fanny Pack: Gossamer Gear Bumster At the last minute, I decided to add a fanny pack into my Barkley Marathons gear list. With the instructions and the map being so important to find the books along the route, I decided to stow these materials in a fanny pack for easy access. The system worked perfectly for me. Buy at Gossamer Gear Tights: Oiselle Floral Print Oiselle simply makes the most comfortable tights. I wish I had more pairs. They are designed for women but also seem to work great for me! Buy at Oiselle Nutrition Nutrition was a mixture of standard exercise-style foods, real foods, and items somewhere in the middle. I had plenty of goldfish crashers, peanut butter-filled pretzels, hard-boiled eggs, and even a sandwich, but here are three of the main nutrition items. Caffeine – CS Instant Coffee With the floating twelve-hour window that the Barkley Marathons could start in, I was unsure what I wanted to do before the race. But, when the conch blew at 2 am I knew I wanted a soothing cup of hot coffee. I like CS Coffee because it is much less acidic than brands like Starbucks Via. Buy at CS Coffee Buy at Garage Grown Gear Clif Bloks – Energy Chews There is simply something nice about having a gummy snack with some built-in electrolytes Buy at REI Honey Stinger Waffles The Honey Stinger Waffles are simply easy to eat and work well with my stomach. They have become a part of my all-day adventures. Buy at REI If you found this helpful, please consider donating or supporting the website through either Patreon or Buy me a Coffee #tennessee #trailrunning #howtorunthebarkleymarathons #barkelymarathons #wherearethebarkleymarathons #running #Blog #trailrunninggearlist #gearforthebarkleymarathons #barkley #howmanypeoplehavefinishedthebarkleymarathons #gear #howtogetinthebarkleymarathons #barkleymarathonsgearlist #Barkleymarathons #arethebarkleymarathonssecret #whatarethebarkleymarathons

We knew it would rain on our last day. Which is largely why we hiked deeper into the night than usual. Luckily, this only gave us 11 wet miles to complete in order to finish our thru hike of the Ouachita Trail. The rain was sporadic throughout the night, and with our taunt dyneema tent, each drop made a BOING sound as it trampolined off the top of our shelter. I was willing to stick it out in my sleeping bag as late as possible and maybe start with a casual coffee, but Maggie was itching to get hiking. About 7:45am when we packed up it was only a light drizzle, but within 3 miles the precipitation had really picked up. It was our most miserable day on the trail. Maggie cinched up her good, obscuring any view of her face and blindly walked through the downpour and I followed in my cowboy hat. It simply became a “DONT stop walking,” routine. The one time I stopped for water we realized how wet and cold we were, and didn’t make the mistake again. For once, the trail was flat but we wished for hills. The flat muddy expanse leading up to pinnacle state park offered no opportunities to get our heart rates up or warm ourselves from within, so we clambered on. As with any epic finish, we made a wrong turn .5 miles before the terminus. It was so wet that neither of us wanted to pull out our phones and we simply kept walking. 1/4 mile down the wrong road we were in a large hay field and immediately knew it was not the right way. We smiled in misery and trudged back through the mud toward the terminus of our trail. We finished in a blaze of glory, hundreds of people and animals lined the trail applauding our incredible feat. It is the welcome every Ouachita Trail finisher gets in Arkansas. Ok…that did not happen. Sheets of rain fell and we arrived at a parking lot with the trail sign next to it and a father with two young kids getting in his car. Maggie’s hands were so cold she could use them, and I wanted more than just a selfie for our finish photo, so we asked the father of the kids to get our commemorative terminus photo. After that was over we walked to the visitors center and just hoped it was open…it was! I used the hand drier to warm my fingers, and then walked out to see Maggie trying to use a zipper with two useless white hands full of dead digits. It was comical and really illustrated how rough the last ten miles were. With a few postcards in tow, we walked outside and got in a truck much too nice for us, driven by Rex, who Maggie had coordinated with from Little Rock. He drove us down to Walmart where Maggie expanded her cat themed wardrobe with some dry clothes and fuzzy Christmas socks. I got some very slimming $7 sweatpants. Looking real good, we got back in the car with Rex and he gave us the tour of the capitol of Arkansas. We went by central high school (where the Little Rock 9 took place), through downtown, a couple breweries, and Rex even got us a hotel room. It was a great way to end a tough day on a great trail in a state neither of us had ever been to! #OuachitaTrail #backpacking #Arkansas #Blog #thruhikinginarkansas #backpackinginOklahoma #pinnaclestatepark #whatisathruhike #howlongistheouachitatrail #LittleRock #howtothruhiketheouachitatrail #backpackinginarkansas #howtobackpack #backpackingtheouachitatrail #backpackinglocationsinarkansas #Oklahomathruhike #thruhiking

It was another gorgeous day. The sun gleamed through our campsite and spurred us to get up. With no reason not to, we began hiking. The morning went by quickly, only small hills filled in the contours of the terrain. We were fast. Maggie powered ahead spurred by another 12 hours of sleep and I brought up the rear. Mid morning I came across a man clad in blaze orange and his dog had an orange jacket on. Upon closer inspection they were definitely hiking, just hoping to alert hunters. I chatted with him for a bit before learning he had been following our journey on the Ouachita Trail! We said our goodbyes and hiked our separate ways. A couple of miles later something began to smell. There was a leaf stuck to the bottom of my shoe, so I flicked it off, but found the reason for the stuck lead. Dog poop splattered onto my leg and covered the bottom of my shoe. I had stepped on a land mine. I scraped it on some moss the best I could and then continued with my day. Phantom whiffs of the smell hit my nostrils for the next two hours. At a small creek we stopped to make coffee and I walked into the water up to my knees and did a full sponge bath to clean up from my odorous morning. We crossed Maumelle River on the highway 10 bridge and then began our last section along the shores of Lake Maumelle. But first I wanted to run, and run fast. Maggie took her shoes off and I took off down the shoulder of the road on a 40 minute run. It was nice to not have to watch for footing or leaves like my trail runs. I ran out 2.5 miles and then turned around. As I was running by a small store I decided to get Maggie a surprise and I ran the remaining 2 miles with my purchases. When I met back up with her, I handed over a small bag. Inside was her favorite treat: orange soda. Possibly spurred by tens of hours of excess sleep, Maggie kept leading us on deep into the night. By deep in the night, I mean 7:15pm. Maggie still needs at least 10 hours of beauty sleep. We have 11 miles left tomorrow and it is supposed to rain. So we are set up perfectly to eek out the end of this trail before the next big cold front moves in! #OuachitaTrail #backpacking #Arkansas #Blog #thruhikinginarkansas #backpackinginOklahoma #pinnaclestatepark #whatisathruhike #howlongistheouachitatrail #LittleRock #howtothruhiketheouachitatrail #backpackinginarkansas #howtobackpack #backpackingtheouachitatrail #backpackinglocationsinarkansas #Oklahomathruhike #thruhiking

Waking up in Oak Mountain shelter the sunrise was spectacular. An amazing array of colors cut through the thin clouds and lit up the porch of our temporary home. It was a splendid moment and illustrated the simplistic beauty of nature and this life style. With true efficiency we packed up in a matter of minutes and continued moving East. In the 11 days on trail we have gotten quite good at all things backpacking. On our first morning we didn’t start hiking until after 8am, and now we can be on the trail at 7. This is largely due to Maggie netting 12 hours of sleep per night. I think her body is just ready to spring into action after the ample rest. We logged miles quickly, too quickly. As it currently stands we have less than 60 miles left and 4 days to do it. Yet myself and especially Maggie are so good at hiking it is tough to slow down. The trail has gotten considerably easier, less rocky, and we have way to much food on our backs to fuel us through. We climbed up to the Flatside Pinnacle and I made the compelling argument that we HAD to climb to the top. I’m glad we did, because at one of the best views on the trail I was able to take some tastefully nude photos for the PG-13 calendar I will put out some day. After I had thoroughly embarrassed Maggie, we continued on our way. The miles were gentle all the way to Brown Creek Shelter. At the shelter Maggie whipped off her shoes and socks while I tied mine tighter and went on a jog. Now, I always run in my tiger sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off. The technical wicking fabric constructed in China offers both comfort and the reassurance of the tiger face plastered on the chest. Coincidentally I met possibly the only other human on earth who could appreciate the sweatshirt as much as I do. He was 5. I only know how old he was because he told me, along with how much he liked my shirt, that he was hiking in his pajamas and that he saw an old house (the shelter). He must have known the conversation would be quick as I ran by because he slipped in every worthwhile piece of information in that moment. Kids sure are fun, especially when you wear a sweatshirt with a tiger on it! After the run we hiked on and climbed out second of two pinnacles of the day. Pinnacle is simply the name they have on the map. In reality they were huge viewpoints towering above all the Arkansas wilderness. It was wonderful to get to look around after finally climbing out of the trees for a few minutes. It put every rolling hill in perspective and illustrated the vast Ouachita National Forest. We climbed down from the pinnacle and hiked another hour to camp next to a small creek. In that hour we heard countless fun shots, howling coyotes and the sounds of traffic. Even in a vast forest, civilization is never far away. #OuachitaTrail #backpacking #Arkansas #Blog #thruhikinginarkansas #backpackinginOklahoma #pinnaclestatepark #whatisathruhike #howlongistheouachitatrail #LittleRock #howtothruhiketheouachitatrail #backpackinginarkansas #howtobackpack #backpackingtheouachitatrail #backpackinglocationsinarkansas #Oklahomathruhike #thruhiking

We had five easy miles from our campsite to Highway 7. It would be our last resupply, and we had no idea how easy or hard the bitch into Hot Springs Village would be. The terrain was easy to cruise on and around 9am we arrived at the road. The air was still chilly, so we each put on a couple extra layers to begin trying to entice cars with our dirt covered faces, smelly stench, and thumbs raises to the sky. Forty minutes later the nicest car we had seen on the highway pulled over for us. They were actually headed the other direction, but in the thanksgiving spirit, they gave us a ride. We stopped first at Dollar General. The older couple offered to wait and take us back to the trail, but I wasn’t ready to rush, so we declined the ride. While we shopped I plugged my batter pack in to get a short charge during the chores. When I had repackaged everything I walked around the corner of the store, set out my sleeping bag and tent to dry in the sun. When it was all sprawled out I sat with my back again the thin metal paneling of the store, must watching people go about their thanksgivings. Then I was surprised when a man in torn jeans and a leather motorcycle jacket walked up and sat beside me. He pulled out a jar of moonshine and offered it to me. We talked for 20 minutes and I learned that Drake was a marine combat vet who had been blown up while on a mission in the Middle East. He walked over to sit next to me simply to assure I had somewhere to go on thanksgiving. It was such a kind gesture. I turned down the offer since Maggie and I wanted to spend thanksgiving on the trail. Before hitching back we wanted a bit of town food. Unfortunately on thanksgiving nearly everything was closed, so we had to settle for McDonald’s. We got the normal menu items and then stepped to the side to wait for the food. An older man walked in, asked for a refill on his iced tea then proceeded to ask us if we were hiking. Turns out the man is as Warren Doyle. Warren Doyle has done the Appalachian Trail 18 times and is a Trail legend, in the truest sense of the word. We grabbed our food and walked out to sit on the curb with him to talk about all things hiking and the outdoors. It was a pleasure to talk to Him about his experiences and our own. It was about as random an encounter as could ever be expected to have on a thru hike at a very average McDonald. After a couple of hours of chatting he drove us back to the trail and we did a few miles but stopped early at a shelter. We tried but failed to get enough cell service to FaceTime our families on the american holiday, so I walked over and made a small fire. Maggie went to her pack and dug out two Hormel Microwave Turkey dinners. We obviously didn’t have a microwave and the meal would be average at best and slimy at worst, but she insisted it was cute and we had to eat our highly processed turkey dinner on thanksgiving. So, I followed orders and we had our own thanksgiving at Oak Mountain Shelter on the Ouachita Trail. #OuachitaTrail #backpacking #Arkansas #Blog #thruhikinginarkansas #backpackinginOklahoma #pinnaclestatepark #whatisathruhike #howlongistheouachitatrail #LittleRock #howtothruhiketheouachitatrail #backpackinginarkansas #thanksgiving #howtobackpack #backpackingtheouachitatrail #backpackinglocationsinarkansas #Oklahomathruhike #hiking #thruhiking

The storm was intense and only grew more so through the night. There were points where sleep was impossible. Rain fell with the force of hail. It was an awesome display of nature’s power. Thunder crashed all around, but by morning the show was over. Nature had returned to peace and tranquility just in time for us to walk. We left Big Branch shelter and enjoyed the gentle trail. In the last couple days the rocks on trail have dissipated. This trail is likely best hiked in the opposite direction that we have done it. We dropped to a road, crossed a fork of the Ouachita River, and then gently wound back into the woods. The deciduous forest is different than most forests I hike in. The blue blazes differ from the markings in the west and the leaves covering the ground occasionally obscure an ankle twister of a rock. We made great time and I pulled out my camera and continued developing the new hobby I took up in 2020. This hike has been so nice to get back to the roots of why I enjoy thru hiking. Other than a few tiny work emails, I have been largely stress free out here in nature with no alarm and no schedule. The swelling in my face has gone down and Maggie’s feet are feeling slightly better. I think we have finally become one with the Ouachita Trail. We stopped at Blue Mountain shelter for a snack and coffee. The beginning of the day had just flown by. It is a testament to getting better at any activity with practice. I think Maggie had finally adapted to the thru hiker mindset again. Also, she was no longer hauling a giant Walmart sleeping pad through a thicket of Thorns. After the shelter we climbed up to Ouachita Pinnacle and saw a view ruined by antennae and communication equipment. Two cars were parked up there and as I walked by one looking for a view, the other driver off. What were they up to? That remains the mystery. The trail remained gentle to Big Bear shelter. Maggie took her shoes off and I laced mine up for a 30 Minute run. It was glorious to run on the soft leaves and pine needles over the rolling hills. I got back and was on cloud 9, ready to hike more. We crushed the 4 miles to the next water source, topped off our bottles and then followed my hunch to a small saddle. A perfect campsite was waiting for us and we had a scrumptious dinner of teriyaki chicken. We had finished our 21 mile day in only the daylight allotted to us. It is days like these that grow my love of living in nature. #OuachitaTrail #backpacking #Arkansas #Blog #thruhikinginarkansas #backpackinginOklahoma #pinnaclestatepark #whatisathruhike #howlongistheouachitatrail #LittleRock #howtothruhiketheouachitatrail #backpackinginarkansas #thanksgiving #howtobackpack #backpackingtheouachitatrail #backpackinglocationsinarkansas #Oklahomathruhike #thruhiking