The Barkley Strikes Again

Cameron Balser had just returned home from his 12,000 mile run around the perimeter of the United States. His home town running group, Meshingomesia Track Club, was hosting their annual last man standing/back yard ultra, "Prairie On Fire." Prairie on Fire was going into their 3rd year as a race and they had yet to have anyone reach 100 miles. Cameron, who had won the race in 2023, was still recovering from his epic run, but, had made a promise to come back in 2024 to help achieve that milestone.

Few hikers start the PCT and finish. Even fewer clock a time faster than five months. Professional dentist, dedicated dad, and casual ultrarunner Karel Sabbe is not like most hikers. Backcountry’s new full-length documentary follows Karel as he vies to set the speed record... again.

February 2025, Yukon, Canada. Mathieu Blanchard sets off on the Yukon Arctic Ultra, a solo trek of over 600 kilometers across the vast icy expanse of the Far North, where temperatures plummet below -40°C. But this expedition is not a race. It's a quest. Overwhelmed by the noise of the media and the hustle and bustle of the modern world, Mathieu seeks to reconnect with what is essential.

The unassuming and unlikely Steve Birkinshaw is one of the great fell runners. In this Lakeland tale of epic proportions, family man Steve turns to the people's champion as an inspirational figure through this extraordinary challenge. Have your mind and arteries blown as Steve attempts to break the legendary Joss Naylor's 27 year old record by linking up all 214 Lakeland Wainwright summits in under seven days. A level of suffering breaching into the super human. Featuring stunning cinematography by multi-award winner Alastair Lee, this wholesome, touching and personal account will not fail to leave you uplifted and believing anything is possible. We share every high and low as Steve questions his motives and battles on through 20 hour days with little or no sleep, blister hell, dehydration, searing heat and tendonitis are just some of the obstacles between Steve and a place in fell running history. Essentialy this is not a story about fell running but of the relentless human spirit.

Click for full movie details & trailers.

An unprecedented look into the psyche of Karel Sabbe in his attempt to finish the legendary Barkley Marathons. As the first documentary focusing on a finisher, it unveils Sabbe's mental fortitude and physical resilience in tackling the brutal course. Through intimate interviews and captivating footage, viewers gain invaluable insights into the mindset required to endure the grueling challenges of the Barkley.

The Edge of Possible: A Barkley Marathon Tale takes you deep inside the legendary Barkley Marathons, the world’s most elusive and punishing ultramarathon. Set in the unforgiving terrain of Frozen Head State Park, this film follows elite ultrarunner Harvey Lewis as he battles the course, his limits, and time itself. Halfway through, we meet Jasmin Paris, whose grit and endurance add another layer to this epic test of human resilience. With insights from race founder Lazarus Lake, past Barkley finisher John Kelly, Gary Robbins and others, this documentary is an unprecedented look at the fine line between ambition and impossibility.

THE RUNNER follows Extreme UltraRunner David Horton as he runs more than 40 miles per day for 66 consecutive days in an attempt to set the speed record on the 2,700 mile Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. An epic adventure of human endurance.

In 2024, Jasmin Paris made history by becoming the first woman to finish the Barkley Marathons, widely known as one of the hardest races in the world and a defining test in ultrarunning and trail running. With over 100 miles of brutal terrain, cryptic course markings, and a near-impossible success rate, the Barkley has long been considered the ultimate challenge in endurance sports. This film chronicles Jasmin’s extraordinary three-year journey (2022–2024) to achieve this groundbreaking feat and features exclusive interviews with legendary race director Lazarus Lake, ultrarunning icons Courtney Dauwalter, Amelia Boone, and Jared Campbell, as well as rare insights from Jasmin herself. Through never-before-seen footage from her home mountains in Scotland, in-depth analysis of her Barkley race strategy, and a deep dive into her endurance athlete mindset, this documentary reveals the resilience and determination behind one of the greatest achievements in ultrarunning history.

Alex Staten, a Diné woman disconnected from her roots, trains for the Western States 100 while guided by her grandmother—reclaiming identity, ceremony, and belonging as she learns to run in beauty.

In its first 25 years only 10 people have finished The Barkley Marathons. Based on a historic prison escape, this cult like race tempts people from around the world to test their limits of physical and mental endurance in this documentary that contemplates the value of pain.

What compels a person to run 150 miles through the desert at the height of summer? Is it the need for achievement, the competitive instinct, or something deeper? A Long Way From Nowhere is a different sort of extreme sports film—one centered not around winning or extraordinary spectacle—but instead one focused upon the human spirit—on why individuals, knowingly or not, seek out some of the harshest climates on earth—in this case, southern Utah in June—and push themselves to, and sometimes beyond, the breaking point. Amongst the disparate cast of characters in this film is a veteran suffering from PTSD, a widowed single father, and a female police officer working in the field of human trafficking. Each undertakes the 150-mile Desert Rats stage race, each their darkest hour, and each, through the curious alchemy of extreme hardship and desert solitude, emerges with a new understanding of what it is to be human.

Follow Jim Walmsley's journey from military service to becoming the first American man to win the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc.

In 2019, inov-8 ambassador and breast cancer survivor Nicky Spinks attempted to become the first-ever woman to complete The Barkley Marathons – the world’s toughest ultra-running race. This film tells the story of Nicky, and her fellow female runners, as they battle treacherous terrain, wild weather and the twisted mind of Barkley Marathons organiser, Lazarus Lake.

Out There is the story of Belgian ultrarunner Karel Sabbe, who holds the world records on two of the most epic trails in the world: the 4279km long Pacific Crest Trail and the 3500km long Appalachian Trail. How did setting these world records prepare Karel for a race as brutal as The Barkley Marathons? How did these adventures help Karel to find the necessary mindset to do well at this Spartan challenge?

On | Solace – Running the Alps in 30 days – Karel Sabbe's Via Alpina FKT In the summer of 2021, ultrarunner Karel Sabbe ran the Via Alpina trail in just 30 days. Averaging two marathons on a daily basis, he navigated the route 14 days faster than anybody else. As well as the Alps, Karel overcame sleep deprivation, illness and extreme weather. And he did it all with a camera crew in tow, documenting every step.

A Bryan Hynes documentary following the story of Ultra Runner Lucy Bartholomew as she runs the the 231km Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory Australia. From Lucys early beginnings into the sport of Ultra running, the film looks behind the curtain into the raw and upfront realities of ultra running and the undertaking of a project on this scale. The film shines a light on going beyond limits, the value of community, and showcasing some of the most beautiful landscapes of central Australia.

129 ordinary people dare to achieve the extraordinary on a 314-mile journey across the state of Tennessee, relying solely on local Volunteer State communities for aid.

Brian Reynolds, a double amputee below the knee athlete, has triumphed over numerous challenges throughout his life. Growing up without a role model to guide him, he has embarked on a mission to empower para athletes by demonstrating that nothing is beyond reach. Join us in this documentary as we follow Brian's journey to make history by becoming the first double amputee to conquer the legendary Leadville 100 Ultra Trail Marathon in Colorado.

An intimate portrait of a unique sportswoman in extreme life roles. Mother of three adopted children, world and European champion in fitness and record holder on long distances throughout Slovakia. Soňa Kopčoková is a former professional fitness athlete with the titles of World and European Champion. After the end of her elite sporting career, she devoted herself fully to her family until she discovered that she loves long-distance running in the mountains. And so today she fulfils her dreams in the hills, running often only by herself... On June 16, 2021, she reached Devín after 11 days, 15 hours and 30 minutes in a new Slovak women's record on the SNP Heroes' Route route. From Dukla to Bratislava, she ran alone, without support and with only a single backpack where she carried everything, she needed to survive...