Morgan Mckay tells us she’s been anxious to run the Barkley Marathons since she heard of its existence. Ottawa-based Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) athlete. 2017 Spartan Ultra World Champion. She’ll get her chance at Frozen Head.
Morgan Mckay sprinted into the endurance scene although she is quick to say she isn’t a fast runner. After barely making it through a Spartan Sprint in 2012, she took a job at a gym and training became her only goal. At the end of 2012 she ran for 60 hours straight at the Spartan Death Race.
For those not familiar with the Spartan Death Race: Chopping wood. Hiking in raw terrain with 80 pounds on your back. Pushing a 500-pound sled up a mountain. Hauling buckets of gravel. Clearing trees and brush. Moving a 3000-pound rock.
Oh and this summer she beat the men’s record for running a 10k carrying 100lbs weight.
Fast forward and in 2017 she became the Spartan Ultra World Champion in Iceland (see banner photo). Enduring gale force winds and overall terrible weather to make 60ish miles in 24 hours over steep technical terrain. This was just after contending for a podium spot at the World’s Toughest Mudder. There she fell short; literally falling from a hanging bar obstacle and knocking herself unconscious. In 2018, possibly due to fairer weather, she came in 2nd at the Spartan Ultra World Championships.
Soon we will tell her story at Barkley.
Listen to the interview:
