Jasmin Paris had already achieved a lot in life. She is a mother, a veterinarian, and a senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. But on March 22, Jasmin gained another accomplishment when she became the first woman to finish the infamous Barkley Marathon.
Each year, 40 elite contestants travel to the depths of the same Cumberland Mountains and race over 100 miles, venturing a course that has twice the elevation of Mt. Everest. Moreover, they must complete it in less than 60 hours.
With no time to properly eat, sleep, or stop, it is almost certain that competitors will fail. It has become endearingly known as “the place where dreams go to die.” But not for Jasmin, who finished with 90 seconds to spare, making her one of only 20 athletes to ever finish the course.
The interview began by talking about her history with running. Surprisingly, she didn’t start the sport until after she finished university.
“When I was a teenager, I did a lot of hillwalking with my brother, who was close in age. We would walk for 7 to 10 days without seeing anyone.”
Jasmin attributes these adventures with her brother as the key to the transition into ultra-racing.
“These hiking trips got me used to being self-sufficient in the mountains; even if it’s just hiking with a rucksack, it is the same sort of formula. They were brilliant training.”
This was clear to see in Jasmin’s previous performance at Montane Spine, a run where participants raced 268 miles along the Pennine Way. She shattered the earlier record by 12 hours, throwing her into the headlines. But how did family adventures transition into gruelling hundred-mile competitions?
“When I left university, a colleague suggested I go along to a local hill race, which I did, and I loved it. Everyone was very welcoming and having a great time running around in the hills.”
“The natural progression was starting to do longer, tougher races, and this led me to Barkley.”
Jasmin felt she had a level of mental strength that made her suited for the sport.
“You have to be someone who enjoys pushing themselves and gets a buzz out of seeing what they’re capable of. Also, you have to enjoy being on a wild, rough trail and navigating. There’s no comfort. You have to drink from the streams; there are no toilets on the course.”
Barkley is completely off-grid, making it not only physically exhausting but also emotionally challenging. But when the going gets tough, Jasmin simply keeps on.
“People often ask me for tips, but I don’t think there’s a certain one. I really wanted Barkley so I was really motivated. I really, really wanted it.”
The race is especially difficult because the competitors cannot use a GPS. Back in 2017, one runner, Gary Robbins, failed by just 6 seconds due to one navigational error.
“For this race in particular, you cannot stop concentrating.” She explained, “You have to be navigating all the time. One mistake costs you the whole race, and then it’s over.”
The majority of us may not be running ultramarathons anytime soon, but tenacity is a universal skill. When asked about how we can all be a bit more perseverant, she replied,
“I’d say ultimately, you get more resilient when you don’t have a choice. People are in terrible situations around the world, and they are incredibly resilient because they have to be. I guess the thing with sports is that we do have a choice, but I’m so determined that I don’t feel like I give myself that choice any more.”
Jasmin explained how running in such a manner has affected her mental health too.
“When you struggle but don’t give up, that gives you confidence. You become less worried about what other people think about you. You discover there’s a lot more to you, a lot of grit, and that’s comforting to know.”
“It’s the only time when I’m not being a mum, or a vet, or tidying the house. I love to be in the hills; it gives me a sense of perspective and makes me feel calm and happy. It’s like therapy.”
Jasmin’s story proves that determination can deliver unimaginable results. Many people face insurmountable and unwanted challenges every day. It takes all their strength to get through it. For those of us lucky enough to wake up with the freedom to do as we like, don’t we owe it to the world to push ourselves as hard as we can? When we achieve miracles that may require mental and physical struggle, we may take pride in our tenacity.
There are no shortcuts when it comes to such challenges, but when it is meant to be, resilience always pays off. For Jasmin, her reward came in the form of an enormous, record-breaking triumph that serves as an inspiration for all women.
Jasmin works with The Green Runners and encourages people to sign their pledge.
“2018 Borrowdale Fell Race Jasmin Paris 1” by Paul dobson from ENGLAND is licensed under CC BY 2.0.