In the Spell of the Barkley cover art

In the Spell of the Barkley

Unravelling the Mystery of the World's Toughest Ultramarathon

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In the Spell of the Barkley

By: Michiel Panhuysen
Narrated by: Rupert Holliday-Evans
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About this listen

Bloomsbury presents In the Spell of the Barkley by Michiel Panhuysen, read by Rupert Holliday-Evans.

'A wonderful, compelling read'
Vassos Alexander, radio presenter and ultrarunner

Welcome to the Barkley Marathons, a fever dream of an ultra event, inspired by a prison break, heralded by a conch blast, paid for in cigarettes and socks, and completed only by a select few. A race in which competitors haul themselves up mountains, through extreme weather conditions, beyond pain and exhaustion, mile after mile. Completed 60 miles? That’s just the fun run.

Journalist and ultrarunner Michiel Panhuysen is a multiple-time Barkley entrant, having fallen under the spell of this most enigmatic of races – and its presiding philosopher-genius organizer Lazarus Lake – in the early 2010s. On each occasion, the Barkley won. The Barkley nearly always wins.

In the Spell of the Barkley is a story of sporting obsession, exploring what drives individuals to challenge themselves at the limits of what is possible – and what it takes to succeed.

©2023 Michiel Panhuysen (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Extreme Sports Running & Jogging Sports Sports Running Biography
All stars
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well written and inspiring to read. A credit to the author, translator and narrator. Thank you

Inspiring read

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Fantastic book to listen to when running in much less arduous circumstances. Honest simple writing, lots of passion and reverence for ultra Lrunning

Brilliantly written and narrated

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