First Canadian Barkley finisher
Completed all five loops in 58:44:59 on his first attempt and was the first finisher of the year’s field.
Source-checked athlete record · Updated Aug 17, 2026
Ihor Verys
First Canadian Barkley finisher and 107-yard Big’s assist
Ukrainian-born Canadian ultrarunner Ihor Verys became the first Canadian Barkley Marathons finisher after completing 107 yards at Big’s Backyard Ultra in 2023.
🇨🇦 CanadaChilliwack, British ColumbiaM30–34
The record so far
Ihor Verys is a Ukrainian-born Canadian ultrarunner based in Chilliwack, British Columbia. He entered his first ultra in 2021 and quickly built a record across technical 100-mile races, mountain ultras, and the backyard format.
At the 2023 Big’s Backyard Ultra, Verys completed 107 yards and recorded the assist to Harvey Lewis, who continued for the winning 108th yard. The performance covered nearly 446 miles and established Verys among the format’s deepest performers.
In March 2024, Verys completed five loops at the Barkley Marathons in 58:44:59 on his first attempt. He was the first finisher of that year’s field and the first Canadian to finish the event. Earlier that season, he won the HURT 100 in 20:50:09.
Defining performances
Performance history
| Date | Event | Performance | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffer on Centennial100 km trail | 9:07:57 | Winner | View ↗ | |
| Barkley MarathonsFive-loop mountain ultra | 58:44:59 | Finisher · First finisher of the 2024 field | View ↗ | |
| HURT 100100-mile trail | 20:50:09 | Winner | View ↗ | |
| Big’s Backyard UltraBackyard ultra | 107 yards | Assist | View ↗ | |
| Canadian Death Race118 km trail | 12:36:11 | Winner | View ↗ | |
| Badger Mountain Challenge100-mile trail | 15:44:10 | Winner · Course record | View ↗ | |
| Fat Dog 120120-mile trail | 29:16:44 | Winner | View ↗ |
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Mark DowdleBackyard specialist and 2026 Arrowhead 135 championHendrik BouryGerman backyard record holder and elite 48-hour runnerNorman Mascher-AspensjöBack-to-back German 24-hour championMartin StillerGreenLoop winner and Last Soul final-five runnerAyyoub El OsroutiLast Soul assist with front-of-pack road speedHarvey LewisTwo-time Big’s champion and Badwater 135 winner