Photos: Local Photographer Captures Endurance Race

What's it like running for more than 60 miles in an unmarked course through the wilderness of a Tennessee state park in one of the world's most respected endurance events?

Geoffrey Baker may never know firsthand, but he does understand the experience of these athletes after photographing what is known as The Barkley in Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee.

Baker, a freelancer photographer based in Ellicott City and Catonsville, is himself an ultrarunner and decided to photograph the race because it's rarely been done.

He wrote the following in an email to Patch when asked about his experience covering the race:

"Covering The Barkley was like being in the sports version of the movie Apocalypse Now. The race director Laz, was like the central character Marlon Brando played in the movie, Kurtz. He had a small cadre of ultra warriors doing battle with their demons 'out there.' Hallucinations, carnage, blood, guts and always the yellow gate.

I parked my car at the start/finish and had to be awake as each runner finished/quit or was tapped out as over the time limit. That meant I was mostly awake for over 60 hours. I cat napped in the back of my car with the hatch open so as to not miss a runner coming in. Added to the difficulty of staying awake, there were many passing thunderstorms. Rain and wind is not a friend of high voltage flash equipment even though I was using a 10-by-10 pop-up studio."

Baker provided a photo to Patch to share on his site, but to see the whole gallery, visit Geoffry Baker Photography.