Leslie Jamson's The Immortal Horizon

In the article, “The Immortal Horizon,” published in the May, 2011 issue of Believer Magazine, the author, Leslie Jamison, shares her experiences and adventures with some abstract, although very persistent; characters as she spectates a marathon in Tennessee known as “The Barkley Marathons.” On June 10, 1977, James Earl Ray attempted to escape from the Bushy Mountain State Penitentiary, but was apprehended fifty-four hours later after only traversing eight miles. After hearing this, a man known as Gary Cantrell turned the terrain into The Barkley Marathons, a marathon so extreme, only fourteen participants have completed it to this present day. Throughout the article, Leslie shows the audience the amount of endurance and perseverance one person may have, and the accomplishments an individual can conquer when they have a dream to achieve. The Barkley Marathons, is a marathon race ranging from sixty-one hundred miles among the rasping and raucous wilderness of Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee. Cantrell himself references, “No one has to ask them why they’re out here; they all know.” Cantrell implies that each contender knows what they are getting themselves into, and the hazards inside. These are the conditions that the Barkley Marathon
hosts, and how one must have complete mental awareness no matter where they are on the course.
Leslie interacts with several different characters scattered throughout the event, and is given some backstory on some of the more prominent runners, including Blake Wood and Andrew Thompson.
As Leslie is interacting with Carl, one of the marathons contenders, he implies to her “Well,” he says, “there’s always Blake and A.T.” Carl and Leslie herself believe that Blake and Andrew are the two contenders who have the best chance of finishing the marathon. To everyone’s astonishment, the only contender that conquered the marathon was a man named Jonathan Basham, one of Andrew Thompson’s supporting crew mates. With an event like the Barkley Marathons, only the most experienced contenders have a shot of conquering the entire
marathon. Among many of the contenders and fellow spectators that Leslie gets to meet, she is introduced to Gary Cantrell, and is able to ask him specific questions regarding the race and to his personal life, to some degree. As they communicate further, Gary Cantrell implies to her about her brother, “Just think,” Laz tells me. “Julian’s out there somewhere.” Cantrell implies to Leslie the scale of Frozen Head State Park and how much endurance and mental vitality you need just in order to survive one loop. Cantrell and Leslie show the audience just how gigantic the wilderness is and the amount of perseverance one individual needs in order to traverse through.
Leslie Jamison makes it abundantly clear what it’s like to be present at the Barkley Marathons, and the amount of work it takes not only for the marathon runners, but the dedication and motivation of Gary Cantrell and each individual person that makes the Barkley marathons possible. Leslie Jamison teaches the audience about not only the structure of the marathon, but the history, heart of the community, and the culture behind it. Leslie Jamison discovers not only the perseverance and dedication of the participants and spectators of the Marathon, but a person with dreams can accomplish any non-impossible task as long as that individual has the sheer-will, motivation, and training in order to complete their destinies.