Backyard ultra
Form of ultramarathon
Two finalists starting a new loop

The backyard ultra or last one standing is a form of ultramarathon race where competitors must consecutively run the distance of 6.706 kilometres (4.167 mi) in less than one hour.[1] The distance of each loop (aka Yard) is equal to 100 miles divided by 24 hours, or 1/24th of 100 miles, so that a competitor would run 100 miles for a full day (24 hours) of competition. They must repeat this every hour until only one person completes a full lap - the last one standing.[2]

The backyard ultra format has gained a reputation for its grueling and unpredictable nature, as well as the camaraderie among participants. Challenges include sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and varying weather conditions.

History

Backyard ultras are the invention of Gary "Lazarus Lake" Cantrell,[3] who is also one of the founders and race directors of the Barkley Marathons.

The original backyard ultra is Big's Backyard Ultra, which is held on Cantrell's property in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, and is named after his dog.[4][5][6] First held in 2011, today Big's is an invitational race where the top competitors participate based on wins in a bracket of the various American and international backyard ultras.[3]

Description

A backyard ultra consists of repeated one-hour laps. Each lap begins on the hour and must be completed within that hour. The distance of each lap is set at 4.167 miles (6.706 km), a figure derived to ensure that completing one lap every hour for 24 hours results in exactly 100 miles (160 km) covered in a single day.[7][8]

The event continues until a single runner completes a lap alone; that runner is declared the winner and the sole official finisher, while all other competitors are recorded as "DNF" (Did Not Finish). If no competitor manages to complete one more lap than the others (for example, if the remaining runners all fail to finish the next lap), the race ends with no winner and all competitors listed as DNF. The competitor who completes the second-most laps is commonly referred to as the "assist".[9][10]

Rules are strictly enforced across local and championship events; runners must be in the starting corral at the bell, may not receive aid on the course, and cannot leave the course except for restrooms.[8]

Global growth and impact

Since its inception, the backyard ultra format has grown into a global phenomenon. By 2023, events were being held in over 70 countries under an international framework that feeds into a World Championship.[11] Media outlets have noted the format's rapid rise in popularity, attributing it to its accessibility and the "existential" nature of a race with no defined finish line.[12]

The format has also been adapted for virtual events, notably gaining traction during the COVID-19 pandemic when travel was restricted.[13] Beyond the sport itself, the format has drawn attention for its psychological depth; coverage in The New York Times highlighted how the grueling, repetitive nature of the event provided a coping mechanism for Ukrainian runners during wartime.[14]

Records

Phil Gore (Australia) holds the world record of 119 loops (495.8 miles (797.9 km)), assisted by Sam Harvey (New Zealand) at the Dead Cow Gully event in Queensland, Australia on 26 June 2025.[15][16]

The female world record for a backyard ultra performance is 95 laps (395.8 miles (637.0 km)) set by Sarah Perry (United Kingdom) at the 2025 Backyard Ultra World Individual Championship in Tennessee.[17]

Milestone performances - Men

Milestone backyard ultra performances, including world records (WR).

Yards Name Nationality Runner up "Assist" Date Event/Place Notes
119 (WR) Phil Gore Australia Sam Harvey (NZ) 26-Jun-2025 Dead Cow Gully, Qld, Australia [15]
116 (WR) Łukasz Wróbel Poland Jan Vandekerckhove (Belgium) 1-May-2025 Legends Backyard Ultra, Retie, Belgium [18]
110 (WR) Merijn Geerts, Ivo Steyaert, and Frank Gielen Belgium n/a 24-Oct-2024 Retie, Belgium Backyard Ultra World Team Championship [19]
108 (WR) Harvey Lewis USA Ihor Verys (Canada) 25-Oct-2023 Bigs Backyard Ultra, Tennessee, USA [20]
102 (WR) Phil Gore Australia Sam Harvey (NZ) 21-Jun-2023 Dead Cow Gully, Qld, Australia [21]
101 (WR) Merijn Geerts, Ivo Steyaert Belgium n/a 19-Oct-2022 Kasterlee, Belgium Backyard Ultra World Team Championship [22]
90 (WR) Merijn Geerts Belgium Keith Russell 14-May-2022 Rettert, Germany [23]

Milestone performances - Women

Milestone backyard ultra performances, including women's world records (WWR).

Yards Name Nationality Runner up "Assist" Date Event/Place Notes
95 (WWR) Sarah Perry GBR Meg Eckert (USA)
(92 yards)		 21-Oct-2025 Tennessee Backyard Ultra World Championship 2025 [17][24]
87 (WWR) Meg Eckert USA n/a 24-Oct-2024 Tennessee Backyard Ultra World Team Championship[25]
74 (WWR) Jennifer Russo USA n/a 30-May-2023 Capital Backyard Ultra in Lorton, VA [26]
68 (WWR) Courtney Dauwalter USA n/a 20-Oct-2020 Bigs Backyard Ultra, Tennessee, USA [27]
60 Maggie Guterl USA n/a 22-Oct-2019 Bigs Backyard Ultra, Tennessee, USA

Female overall winner[28]

67 (WWR) Courtney Dauwalter USA n/a 23-Oct-2018 Bigs Backyard Ultra, Tennessee, USA [29]
30 Katie Wright NZ n/a 03-May-2019 Riverhead Backyard Relaps Ultramarathon, New Zealand Female overall winner[30]

Notable events

Significant and recurring Backyard Ultra races held around the world.

Event Name Location First held Course record Sources
Big Dog's Backyard Ultra Bell Buckle, Tennessee, USA 2011 108[31] [32]
Backyard Ultra World Team Championships Global (simultaneous national events) 2020 110[33] [34]
Dead Cow Gully Backyard Ultra Nanango, Queensland, Australia 2020 119[35] [36]
Legends Backyard Ultra Belgium 2022 116 [37]
Suffolk Backyard Ultra Festival Suffolk, United Kingdom 2018 88[38] [39]
Herdy's Frontyard Ultra Herdsman Lake, Western Australia 2021 57[40] [41]

Scientific research

The unique demands of the backyard ultra - specifically the combination of intermittent high-intensity exercise and chronic sleep deprivation - have made the format a subject of scientific study. Research published in PLOS One in 2024 utilized participants in the Suffolk Backyard Ultra to analyze cognitive deterioration. The study found significant impairments in reaction time and executive function (specifically in Stroop tasks) as the race progressed into multi-day durations, providing data on how extreme fatigue affects decision-making.[42]

References

  1. ^ De Pauw, Kevin; Ampe, T.; Arauz, Y. L. Arenales; Galloo, X.; Buyse, L.; Olieslagers, M.; Demuyser, T.; Corlùy, H.; Lamarti, S.; Provyn, S.; Jones, A. M.; Meeusen, R.; Roelands, B. (October 2024). "Backyard running: Pushing the boundaries of human performance". European Journal of Sport Science. 24 (10): 1432–1441. doi:10.1002/ejsc.12190. PMC 11451558. PMID 39276329.
  2. ^ Milne, Keely (October 20, 2024). "8 fun facts about backyard ultras you probably didn't know". Canadian Trail Running. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  3. ^ a b "For Ukrainian Runners, a Brutal Race Made Sense When Little Else Did". The New York Times. 23 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Last person standing: The race with no finish line". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  5. ^ "Big Dog's Backyard Ultra: The toughest, weirdest race you've never heard of". BBC Sport. 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  6. ^ Huber, Martin Fritz (2018-10-26). "The Existential Torture of a Race with No End". Outside Online. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  7. ^ Milne, Keely (20 October 2024). "8 fun facts about backyard ultras you probably didn't know". Canadian Trail Running. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  8. ^ a b "The Breakheart Backyard Ultra". Gert Lush Events. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  9. ^ "Big Backyard Ultra - October 15, 2016". ultrasignup.com. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  10. ^ Dawson, Andrew (30 October 2020). "'Don't Ruin the Game': Why the Assist Runner in a Backyard Ultra Is So Important". Runners World. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  11. ^ Palmer, Joseph (27 October 2023). "Ultrarunner Harvey Lewis reaches the end of Lazarus Lake's endless backyard". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  12. ^ England, Dan (12 October 2024). "Backyard Ultras Are Nutty—Enormously Popular. This is Why". Outside. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  13. ^ "Last person standing: The race with no finish line". BBC Sport. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  14. ^ "For Ukrainian Runners, a Brutal Race Made Sense When Little Else Did". The New York Times. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  15. ^ a b Gunders, Peter (26 June 2025). "Endurance athlete Phil Gore sets Backyard Ultra world record at Dead Cow Gully". ABC News. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  16. ^ White, Mike (June 26, 2025). "Kiwi Sam Harvey breaks world ultra-running record before pulling out of race". New Zealand: Stuff Limited. The Post. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  17. ^ a b Horanyi, Eszter (October 23, 2025). "Sarah Perry Sets Women's Backyard Ultra World Record". I Run Far. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  18. ^ Milne, Keeley (2025-05-01). "Backyard ultra world record goes down in Belgium". Canadian Running Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
  19. ^ "'I'm not going to move for two weeks': Belgian trio set ultramarathon world record". The Guardian. 2024-10-24. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  20. ^ "Harvey Lewis Breaks Backyard Ultra World Record After Running Over 700k In Five Days". 2023-10-26. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  21. ^ Gunders, Peter (21 June 2023). "Phil Gore sets Backyard Ultra world record in Dead Cow Gully endurance race". ABC News.
  22. ^ "Ultra Marathon Statistics". Deutsche Ultramarathon Vereinigung. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Ultra Marathon Statistics". Deutsche Ultramarathon Vereinigung. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  24. ^ "Big's Backyard Ultra (2025)". My Race Result. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  25. ^ Waechter, John (2024-11-08). "Superstar Meg Eckert Crushes Ultra Running Race with World-Record". Sports Illustrated.
  26. ^ "Jennifer Russo Shatters Courtney Dauwalter's Backyard Ultra World Record". Runner's World. 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  27. ^ Dawson, Andrew (2020-10-20). "Courtney Dauwalter Wins U.S. Big's Backyard Ultra 2020 With a Record-Tying 68 Loops". Running World. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  28. ^ "Maggie Guterl Is First Woman to Win Big's Backyard Ultra". Runner's World. 2019-10-23. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  29. ^ "Ultra Marathon Statistics". Deutsche Ultramarathon Vereinigung. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  30. ^ "Running Doctor Scores World First For Women". newsroom.co.nz. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  31. ^ Brady, Sarah (2023-10-25). "2023 Big Dog's Backyard Ultra Results: Harvey Lewis Wins After 108 Hours, 450 Miles of Running". iRunFar. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  32. ^ "Big Dog's Backyard Ultra Individual World Championships". Big Dog's Backyard Ultra. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  33. ^ Turner, Jonathan (2024-10-23). "Belgium win Laz Lake's Backyard Ultra World Team title - and set AMAZING new world record". RUN247. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  34. ^ "Belgium win Laz Lake's Backyard Ultra World Team title – and set AMAZING new world record". Run247. 2024-10-22. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  35. ^ "Phil Gore Sets Backyard Ultra World Record With 119 Loops At Dead Cow Gully". 2025-07-01. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  36. ^ "Endurance athlete Phil Gore sets Backyard Ultra world record at Dead Cow Gully". ABC News. 2025-06-26. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  37. ^ https://www.backyardbelgium.com/
  38. ^ "Big's Backyard Ultra". bigsbackyardultra.com. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  39. ^ "Suffolk Backyard Ultra Festival". Big Dog's Backyard Ultra. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  40. ^ "Herdy's Frontyard Ultra Results | Lap Counts & Finish Stats". Herdy's Frontyard. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  41. ^ "Herdy's Frontyard Ultra". Ultra Series Australia. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  42. ^ Benchetrit, Sandy; Badariotti, Juan I.; Corbett, Jo (14 March 2024). "The effects of sleep deprivation and extreme exertion on cognitive performance at the world-record breaking Suffolk Back Yard Ultra-marathon". PLOS ONE. 19 (3) e0299475. Bibcode:2024PLoSO..1999475B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0299475. PMID 38483945.
  • Official website - Big's Backyard Ultra
  • All-Time Ranking Backyard Ultra - Deutsche Ultramarathon Vereinigung
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