Event Overview
| Date | Dec 5, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Location | Pavelló Polivalent, Llagostera, Girona, Spain |
| Format | Backyard Ultra |
| Terrain | Trail |
| Region | Europe |
| Distance / duration | 6.706 km every hour |
| Course model | Mixed |
| Edition note | The third edition. All 225 places are taken; a free waiting list runs on The Red Cap Sports, and freed places are offered in order of sign-up. The organizer has not yet published a 2026 live results link. Its results link for 2025 points to a Wiclax page whose address says 2026 but which holds the 2025 results. Big’s race page lists daytime yards until 8:00 PM, 425 ft of climb per day loop and a start outside the pavilion; this record follows the organizer’s 2026 schedule and figures. Big’s labels the race Bronze. Yards completed here count toward Big’s At-Large list, which takes the best results between August 16, 2025 and August 15, 2027. |
| Elevation gain | About 118 m per day yard and 69 m per night yard (organizer) |
| Cutoff | Each yard must be finished in under an hour, with whistles 3, 2 and 1 minutes before each start and no late starts. The day loop runs from 9:00 AM to the 5:00 PM yard on Saturday, the night loop from 6:00 PM to the 7:00 AM yard, and the day loop again from 8:00 AM to the 5:00 PM yard on Sunday, then another night if runners remain. No fixed finish: the winner completes a final yard alone, and if nobody can, there is no winner. |
| Start | 9:00 AM Saturday, December 5 |
| Field size | 225 places, all taken. DUV lists 127 runners in 2024 and 133 in 2025. |
| Highlights | Day and Night Loops, Proceeds to Oncolliga Girona |
Course & Terrain
Two 6.706 km loops that start and finish at the Pavelló Polivalent. The day loop (+118 m) follows greenways, a tunnel and singletrack up to the Ridaura, with a technical climb and a return on track. The night loop (+69 m) is mostly wide track, marked with reflective tape.
Key course features to know before comparing this race:
- Day loop on greenways, through a tunnel and up singletrack to the Ridaura
- Night loop on wide tracks with reflective marking
- Start, finish and camp inside the Pavelló Polivalent
The day loop is 65% singletrack and 35% track; the night loop is 20% singletrack and 80% track. The course is not closed to the public, so expect hikers and cyclists. Random checks catch anyone cutting the course.
The race runs in early December. The organizer warns that the pavilion is cold at night and moves the night yards onto wide tracks for safety, with less cold and damp and better phone coverage.
Entry & Logistics
| Registration and fees | Check the official event website for current availability, deadlines, prices, taxes, and refund terms. |
|---|---|
| Qualification | No qualifying race. Minimum age 18; minors may run up to five yards with a bib and parental consent. Entry cost €38 and opened on May 4, 2026 for 2025 entrants and May 7 for everyone. Refunds are 50% to August 31 and 25% to October 30, with none from November 1. If weather or force majeure cancels the race, entrants move automatically to the new date. |
| Support model | A self-sufficient race with a small aid station inside the pavilion: water, cola, crisps, fruit and sweets, plus hot broth and coffee at night. Bring your own cup. Entry includes insurance, a chip bib worn on the ankle, live results, a technical sweatshirt, a medal showing your yard count, showers and toilets, and supervised parking. Cameras on the course feed a big screen in the pavilion. Prizes go to the overall man and woman, the best runners from Llagostera and age-group winners, but none for fast yards. |
| Crew / pacers | Runners may not receive food or drink from anyone during a yard and must carry what they need in a belt or pack. Running with anyone who has no bib is a disqualification. Leaving the course is allowed only for a toilet stop. |
| Logistics note | Bib pickup is Friday, December 4, 6:00 to 8:00 PM, and Saturday 7:00 to 8:30 AM. The pavilion opens at 9:00 PM Friday for runners to set up camp, about 5 m² each and shareable, and vans and camper vans can park beside it. Bring a sleeping bag or blankets, a mattress, a cooler and spare batteries; there are some chairs and extension leads. The hall is not meant for gazebos; ask the organizer first if you want to bring one. On Sunday there is an 11:00 AM talk by backyard runner Oriol Antolí and dietitian Xavi Sebastià, a concert at noon and a rice lunch at 2:00 PM (€12). |
Why This Race Matters
Backyard Ultra Llagostera is a non-profit race run by the Grup Excursionista Bell Matí, a Llagostera hiking club founded in 1965, with the support of the town council. All registration profits go to the Fundació Oncolliga Girona, which supports cancer patients and their families in the Girona area. Race director Toni G.F. says he discovered backyard ultras in 2015. The first edition, on December 7, 2024, set the course record of 43 yards.
Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):
- Course record: 43 yards (288 km), Raúl Romero Gómez, at the first edition in 2024. Jesus Morales Ruiz was the assist with 42 (DUV).
- 2025: José Manuel González González won with 36 yards (241 km); Ruben Cruz Huertas was the assist with 35.
- Women’s best: 25 yards (167.65 km), Irati Ortiz de Anda Martín, 2025.
Preparing for a Race Like Backyard Ultra Llagostera
The backyard ultra race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:
- Backyard ultras explained: Rules, distance math, current records and how a race ends.
- Backyard ultra training plan: A 16-week framework with hourly-loop rehearsals and a printable worksheet.
- Backyard ultra race strategy: Loop pacing, the routine between loops, sleep and knowing when to stop.
- Backyard ultra nutrition: A tested fueling routine for eating and drinking between loops.
Best Fit
- First-time backyard runners looking for a low-cost, sociable race
- Runners who want a trail day loop and an easier night loop
Planning Notes
- Practice the exact hourly routine: loop, eat, foot check, bottle refill, and back to the start. The format rewards repeatability.
- Train for terrain-specific fatigue. Technical trails and mountain courses demand downhill durability, hiking efficiency, and reliable night lighting.
- The directory marks this as having comparatively simpler logistics. That editorial label is not a safety rating; verify cutoffs, terrain, support, crew access, and withdrawal procedures.
- Trekking poles are not allowed
- Headphones only between 5:00 PM and 7:00 AM
- Dropping any litter is an immediate disqualification
- No refund from November 1
Event FAQs
When is Backyard Ultra Llagostera 2026?
The third edition starts at 9:00 AM on Saturday, December 5, 2026, at the Pavelló Polivalent in Llagostera, Girona. Bibs are handed out on Friday, December 4, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and on race morning from 7:00 to 8:30 AM. The race continues every hour until one runner is left.
Can you still get a place at Backyard Ultra Llagostera?
Only through the waiting list. All 225 places at €38 are taken, and the organizer offers freed places in order of sign-up from a free waiting list on The Red Cap Sports. Runners must be 18 or over, and all registration profits go to the Fundació Oncolliga Girona.
What are the day and night loops at Backyard Ultra Llagostera?
Both are 6.706 km. The day loop climbs about 118 m on greenways, a tunnel and singletrack to the Ridaura and is 65% singletrack. The night loop, used from 6:00 PM to the 7:00 AM yard, climbs about 69 m and is 80% wide track, marked with reflective tape.
What is the Backyard Ultra Llagostera record?
43 yards, about 288 km, by Raúl Romero Gómez at the first edition in 2024. José Manuel González González won the 2025 race with 36 yards, and the women’s best is Irati Ortiz de Anda Martín’s 25 yards from 2025.
Related Preparation
- Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
- Browse the 2026 backyard ultra calendar
- Open the Backyard Ultra format guide
- Compare all race formats
- Use the timed-race pace calculator
- Build a backyard yard and rest-time schedule
- Build a crew and drop-bag plan
- Build a race-specific gear checklist
Verification & Sources
Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated October 20, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.
- Organizer’s site: schedule, rules, loops and entry (Catalan) — https://backyardultrallagostera.com/
- Waiting list (The Red Cap Sports) — https://theredcapsports.com/#/checkout/backyard-llagostera
- Big’s Backyard Ultra race page — https://bigsbackyardultra.com/races/backyard-ultra-llagostera/
- Organizer’s day loop track (Wikiloc) — https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-carrera-por-montana/backyard-ultra-llagostera-2026-diurna-250028418
- 2025 official results (Tempo Finito, Wiclax) — https://tempofinito.wiclax-results.com/BACK_YARD_ULTRA_LLAGOSTERA_2026/
- DUV: 2025 results — https://statistik.d-u-v.org/getresultevent.php?event=131945
- DUV: 2024 results — https://statistik.d-u-v.org/getresultevent.php?event=131944
- Multiday Running event directory review scope: October 20, 2026.