This is a great option for those visiting Frozen Head State Park who want a longer FKT option than just the Fire Tower. This is a classic, historic loop that used to resemble the Barkley Marathons course in its early days. Unlike the Barkley, however, this route is entirely on trails within the park. There is a Strava segment for the loop, so to claim the FKT, you must best the previous men's/ women's time. Begin at the park visitor center, then take the Storybook Trail instead of the road, and run the loop in a clockwise direction. The first half contains the majority of the climbing- the switchbacks will feel never ending. Once you get to the Garden Spot area, most of the hard part is over. Then, you can open up the legs on more cruisy terrain over to the Fire Tower. Don't forget to climb the actual tower, or the record doesn't count! Then, run back down via the Chimney Top trail. Water can be in spots on the course depending on the time of year. Barkley legend "Frozen Ed" keeps record of Challenge loop times, but I figured there should be a resource on the FKT website for this route. Have fun! :)
