The marathon of endurance, which were able to overcome a total of 14 people over 30 years

Racing vyzhivanieEtot 160-kilometer marathon, which is held annually in the Frozen State Park, near Uortberga, Tennessee, is considered one of the toughest ultra-marathons in the world. It is so complex that in 1986 only 14 of about 1,100 participants were able to reach the finish line! It is only two times more than the number of people who walked on the moon.





Marathon, the length of which is more than 200 km, has a total height gain of more than 18 kilometers, which is equivalent to twice the ascent of Mount Everest.





The distance you must go to the tight deadlines. Along the route there is no first-aid posts and runners can replenish water in only two fixed points. Participants are not entitled to use GPS-navigators, or cell phones to get directions. Instead, they indicate the approximate direction and are allowed to use only a compass and a map of the area.





Not only that runners should be able to navigate the terrain, and not to go the route, they will also have to find a book located on the course, and to wrest the page corresponding to their number in the marathon, as a proof of passing the distance. If the page is lost, the runner will be disqualified.



This marathon - the brainchild of Gary Cantrell, who was inspired by the history of the jailbreak James Earl Ray, the alleged assassin of Martin Luther King. For 55 hours he was able to pass through the forest only 13 kilometers! Cantrell and his friend thought, apparently, that they could be much improved this result, and so were born the race to the bottom. The old prison is now part of the route of the marathon.





In the race involved only 35 people a year, and vacancies are filled in the first day of registration. Interestingly, the potential runners must not only meet strict eligibility criteria, but also to write an essay on "Why I should be able to pass this distance».





Even figuring out how to enter the number of runners, the problem itself is not trivial. "We do not have a website, I do not publish the date of the race, or explain how to become a participant - says Cantrell - all this increases psychological stress for runners, and it is good».



"If you send your essay at least five minutes before, he will remove it - says Beverly Ebbs, a participant of the race - we had to send a request at midnight on Christmas Day by the time zone in which at this point is Gary independently ascertained, What is the belt. " Apparently, Cantrell likes to use "psychological torture" to the applicants.

30-year-old electrical engineer, John Kelly, another participant of the marathon, held three rounds before fizzled. "It was a very rewarding experience - he said - the first round brought a lot of fun. On the second lap it was fun. And during the third things began to crumble. " Kelly says he wants to try again, if he can find the time to exercise.



51-year-old Brian Robinson from California, who was the first man to walk past the Appalachian Mountains, has suffered two setbacks in the race for survival - in 2006 and 2007. Finally, in 2008 he was able to walk a marathon. 34-year-old physicist Brett Maun - the only person who managed to go the distance twice, in 2011 and 2013.

"It was the rivalry between the people and the mountains. Mountain won - Cantrell said proudly after the event this year - I'm satisfied with the result ».

via www.odditycentral.com/events/the-endurance-race-so-hard-that-only-14-people-have-completed-it-in-30-years.html

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