Live update 2:32pm (CET, ed.): As the time limit to start the third round expired, Max King also began that lap. This means there are now four runners left in the race to reach the Fun Run.

-Original editorial-

It remains uncertain whether any runners will even manage to complete this year’s so-called “Fun Run” at the Barkley Marathons – the benchmark of finishing three of the five loops within the 36-hour time limit. The field is thinning at a remarkable pace, and at the time of writing, only three athletes are out on their third loop.

The trio still in contention are Damian Hall, Sébastien Raichon, and Mathieu Blanchard. None of them has previously finished the Barkley Marathons. They are operating with little margin for error, having started their third loop just under the 23-hour mark – leaving them barely more than an hour of buffer.

One notable detail: Hall began his third loop “barefoot,” opting for highly minimalist footwear.

For more on what makes the Barkley Marathons so notoriously difficult – and why it is widely regarded as the world’s most brutal ultrarun – make sure to read this article.