He did it. Karel Sabbe, a dentist from Anzegem in Belgium and holder of a number of world records in ultra running, managed to bring the grueling Barkley Marathons to a successful conclusion at the last minute. With less than seven minutes on the clock, he crossed the finish line in ‘the most challenging ultra run in the world’.
In addition to Sabbe, two other participants reached the finish line of the Barkley Marathons. Aurélien Sanchez completed the route in the deep forests of Tennessee in the United States fastest, John Kelly came in second. Until this edition, only 15 runners managed to reach the finish in 35 years. And the last time in 2017.
It says everything about the difficulty of what many believe is the world’s toughest ultra run. Five consecutive laps over an unsignposted off-road route of a total of 160 kilometers with no less than 18,000 vertical meters (twice Mount Everest), to be completed within 60 hours.
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GPS, cell phones and sports watches are all prohibited, participants must make do with a map, compass and watch worth $10. A total of 40 participants started the very exceptional physical ordeal in Tennessee.
Less than seven minutes
Sabbe turned it into a thriller. The Belgian finished in a time of 59 hours, 53 minutes and 33 seconds. Just within the deadline of 60 hours. After his arrival he reported hallucinating a lot, just like last year. Then he ran well for a long time in his second participation, until he, as the last survivor, could no longer handle the fatigue. The local sheriff picked him up in the dark after asking directions from a garbage can. So now Sabbe has his revenge.
Who is Karel Sabbe?
Karel Sabbe is a 34-year-old dentist who has moved to Ghent with roots in Anzegem, West Flanders. He often trains in the Kluisbos in the Flemish Ardennes. The ultra runner has, among other things, the world record on the 4,300-kilometer Pacific Crest Trail in western North America. The Appalachian Trail is also on his list of achievements. Sabbe ran 3,500 kilometers in a record time of 41 days, 7 hours and 39 minutes.
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