Indeed, it is shot in such a compelling way that you don’t need to have the faintest idea about trail or ultra-running to be thoroughly engrossed. As a result, this film is just as relevant an insight into the race as it was back then. Since then, the Barkley has grown in stature as ‘bigger names’ such as Courtney Dauwalter, Jasmin Paris and John Kelly have taken part, but the race remains as raw and quirky as ever. It is no surprise that it won a series of awards after its release in 2014.
It feels like a handheld camera documentary as we get up close and personal with ‘Laz’ and those taking on his fiendish race without the film ever looking and sounding like one.
The movie is warm and endearing while offering a genuine fly-on-the-wall perspective of what many regard as the world’s toughest race. The Barkley Marathons documentary – The Race That Eats Its Young – does a brilliant job of capturing the uniquely crazy Barkley experience. After all, even entering the race is hard enough. Race Director Gary ‘Lazarus Lake’ Cantrell revels in its obscurity and the near impossible challenge the course presents to even the best runners. In an age when publicity and slick marketing have increasingly come to the fore in trail and ultra-running, the Barkley is unashamedly the opposite. The Barkley Marathons is an iconic yet elusive race like no other.
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