Sanders’ documentary is a fascinating one. First, “sadistic” is the right word to describe race founder and designer Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell. He pushes its competitors to the breaking point, where only one percent are able to complete the race, and in some years, there are no winners. Athletes from all backgrounds compete, and those who complete it are generally highly intelligent problem solvers. Sidenote: no woman has ever completed the race, yet.
The difficulty of the race comes primarily from its steep climbs and equally steep descents as alternating loops are run backward. Segments of the competition are run both during daylight and at night. One year was particularly brutal when daylight temperatures rose to 85 degrees only to drop to 20 degrees at night—a 65-degree variance.
“…everyone wants to know what that limit is and find a way the following year to overcome that limit.”
As a sports documentary, Barkley: Sadistic Race has everything you’d expect to see, including plenty of footage of the actual race, copious amounts of the race’s history and overly complicated rules, and interviews with creator Cantrell and the participants. The common theme that runs through the interviews and race footage is about pushing oneself to the physical limits. In some way, everyone wants to know what that limit is and find a way the following year to overcome that limit. Cantrell says, “It’s really hard to find that point where impossibility is just so close.”
Overall, Barkley: Sadistic Race is a fascinating watch. I would never personally use the word “inspiring,” because quite frankly, I’m not inspired at all to ever compete in this race. But that isn’t to say you won’t. Sanders and Gazecki present a few moments of triumph, but dozens of moments of failure and difficulty from basic injuries, physical exhaustion, to mental, emotional, spirit-crushing breakdowns. At times, it can feel like a horror film, but the horror is self-inflicted. Racemaster Cantrell is only there to facilitate it. While Barkley: Sadistic Race is about a physically-taxing race, one must be philosophic to complete it. Sit back in your warm, comfy chair, and enjoy.
"…the race comes primarily from its steep climbs and equally steep descents..."
