An endurance runner from North Vancouver, B.C. reached the end of the grueling Barkley Marathons just seconds after the 60-hour cutoff time Monday, but his performance is still earning big praise back home.
The 160-kilometre race is considered one of the toughest in the world, consisting of an unmarked loop located on steep terrain near Wartburg, Tennessee.
It's only been properly finished 18 times by 15 different runners, none of whom are Canadian.
Gary Robbins has twice tried to change that, and came unbelievably close to realizing his goal Monday morning. Video of his finish captured by Canadian Running Magazine shows the Metro Vancouverite reaching the end just six seconds too late before collapsing to the ground.
“He was an emotional wreck,” said magazine editor Michael Doyle, who was standing at the finish line. “Then there was this incredible quiet that just overcame the entire area. It was a really, really tough moment to watch.”
But despite the heartbreaking end to the event, Doyle said what Robbins was able to accomplish is nothing short of remarkable.
Only 40 people are allowed to enter the punishing Barkley Marathons each year, each reportedly receiving a "letter of condolence" to mark their successful registration, and few ever finish.
Doyle said the fact that Robbins made it to the end, let alone so tantalizingly close to the 60-hour mark, is cause for celebration.
"What Gary Robbins was able to do this weekend is, to my mind, one of the great endurance performances by a Canadian, ever," Doyle said.
Robbins also fared significantly better than he did in 2016, when he was unable to complete the race.
Unfortunately, even if the runner had arrived on time this year, he would have been disqualified. He appears to have finished the race coming from the wrong direction after somehow getting turned around.
Like most aspects of the Barkley Marathons, navigating the race is considered notoriously difficult.
Though Robbins hasn't spoken with the media since finishing, likely so he can enjoy some well-deserved rest, he shared his hopes with CTV News before flying down to Tennessee.
"It's rare to find an even that you know you're probably, most likely going to fail at," Robbins said. "The hope is that I can complete it and I never have to go back again."
It's unclear whether he will make another attempt.
Another video from Canadian Running Magazine shows Robbins, having accepted his fate, embracing race organizer Lazarus Lake. He then pushes a big red button, triggering a recording that says "That was easy!" before walking off into a crowd of applauding spectators.
With a report from CTV Vancouver's Scott Hurst
