The Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon is happening downtown today.

But there's another marathon underway nearby. The Barkley Marathons started yesterday morning with the lighting of the race director's cigarette. The entry fee is $1.60. There are no prizes other than "you get to stop running."

40 long distance runners from around the world started the race. As of this morning, 20 remain. They have 60 hours to complete the five 20 mile loops of the 100 mile course through treacherous terrain, with only a compass and a crude map and whatever food and water they can carry.

From an update around midnight: "We’ve had reports of snow, sleet, hail, rain, gale force winds, lightning, and fog, all in the first fourteen hours of the race."

The race motto is "No help is coming." A starting ceremony cake says "Good luck morons." (We actually met the woman who made the cake at yesterday's March For Our Lives. She works for the Renee Hoyos campaign.) A bugler plays Taps when a runner drops out or is disqualified. Since the first race in 1986, only 15 runners have finished (for a total of 18 finishes.)

The race takes place in and around Frozen Head State Park. The organizer got the idea years ago when James Earl Ray escaped from the nearby Brushy Mountain State Prison and only made it eight miles after 55 hours on the run. Gary Cantrell (aka "Lazarus Lake") thought that was lame and figured he could go 100 miles.

Spectators aren't welcome. There's no media coverage. There are sporadic updates on Twitter...