Last Soul final two with Ello
Race complete · Germany · 14–18 August 2026
Last SoulUltra
One 6.7 km yard. One new start every hour. No finish line—only the last runner able to answer the bell.
Mark Dowdle won with 94 completed yards. Ayyoub “Ello” El Osrouti took the assist with 93 after he did not finish yard 94, completing a second consecutive Last Soul final-two finish.
Updated 18 August 2026 · Finish update
LSU2.0
2026 final resultMark Dowdle · 94 yards
WinnerMark Dowdle
Winning total94 yards
AssistEllo · 93 yards
Started14 Aug · 14:00
Final race update
Last Soul Ultra 2.0
Mark Dowdle wins with 94 yards
Nearly four full days after the first start, Mark Dowdle became the last soul standing. Ayyoub “Ello” El Osrouti finished as the assist with 93 completed yards after he did not finish yard 94. Dowdle completed the final yard for a winning total of 94, approximately 629.8 kilometres.
Winner94yards · Mark Dowdle
94Mark · winner
93Ello · assist
160classified
Final classification
The final two in the official result
Finish totals are taken from the published official classification.
- #5Mark DowdleWinner · 94 yards
- #98Ayyoub “Ello” El OsroutiAssist · 93 yards
Back-to-back final-two story
Ello meets the Go One More winner—again
Ayyoub “Ello” El Osrouti is the constant in a remarkable repeat matchup. His final opponent at Last Soul in 2025 was Kim Gottwald, a 2025 BPN Go One More co-winner. Now it is Mark Dowdle, who followed his 73-yard Go One More victory by winning Last Soul with 94 yards.
A rare final-two age profile
Both finalists were in their twenties. LADV lists Ello as born in 1999; Yardlore lists Mark in M20s at about 29. Ello’s 93 yards provisionally raise Germany’s published M20s best from 45 to 93. The worldwide M20s best is 107, so this is not presented as a world age-group record.
Last Soul winner · 94 yards
New benchmark · Germany
629.8 kmMark Dowdle raises the German-soil best to 94
Ello crossed the old benchmark with a 43:07finish on yard 91. Mark completed the record-breaking yard as well, then became the outright German-soil record holder by winning with 94 yards. Ello’s 93-yard assist is provisionally the second-best performance by a German athlete, behind Hendrik Boury’s 100-yard national record.
The previous mark was Merijn Geerts’ 90-yard, 603.5 km result at the Race of the Champions in Rettert in 2022.
See the previous DUV benchmarkMark also completed the record-breaking yard.
Best-known backyard performance achieved on German soil.
Two different rankings: Mark’s 94 yards are the location-based benchmark for a backyard performance achieved in Germany. Among German athletes, Hendrik Boury holds the national record with 100; Ello’s 93 is provisionally second. Formal status may change when the record databases update.
Provisional German women’s best+1 yard
52yards
Caroline Maria Bolte
348.7 km · Bib 84
One yard beyond the current 51-yard performance at the top of the published DUV German women’s ranking.
Compare the DUV benchmarkProvisional German M65 best+18 yards
45yards
Hubert Karl
301.7 km · Bib 162
Eighteen yards beyond the 27-yard performance currently leading the published DUV German M65 ranking.
Compare the DUV benchmarkWhy “provisional”? The timing data confirms the completed yards, but the relevant record database has not yet added and classified this race. In a backyard ultra, athletes other than the eventual winner are normally shown as DNF even when their yard totals are historic.
01 · The essentials
What the final result means
Last Soul is a German backyard ultra with the presentation of a live sports production and the operating logic of a very simple endurance test. All runners leave together on the hour. Finish early and the balance becomes rest. Miss the next start and the race is over.
The 2026 edition is not an open spectator event. Its exact location was withheld by the organizer. The continuous livestream, course tracker and detailed timing documented a live list of 169 athletes and a finish lasting almost four days. The published final classification contains 160 records.
02 · The format
The hour resets. The fatigue does not.
00:00
Leave the corral
Every runner starts the next 6.7 km yard on the full hour.
Before 60:00
Finish the loop
Complete it in time. Any unused minutes are your recovery window.
Next hour
Answer again
Fail to start or finish in time and you are out of the race.
The end
One final solo yard
The 2026 FAQ requires the last remaining athlete to complete a final yard.
Pace is only useful if it creates time you can use. The format turns eating, foot care, warmth, alertness, and the walk back to the corral into part of the competition.
03 · The 2025 breakthrough
67 hours, two leaders, one last soul
448.9kilometres credited to each of the final two
The debut began in Bornheim on 3 October 2025 with 93 starters. By the final morning, Kim Gottwald and Ello Elosrouti had both reached 67 completed yards in the published results—448.9 km each.
The accompanying race report says Elosrouti stopped because of Achilles inflammation, leaving organizer-athlete Gottwald as the winner. The result was striking, but so was the field’s depth: an independent German backyard report counted 90 runners beyond 50 km and 76 beyond 50 miles.
The achievement was not one giant run. It was 67 separate decisions to stand up and start again.
Official published classification
Full result table 2025 leading results
| Place | Runner | Yards | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Kim Gottwald | 67 | 448.9 km |
| 02 | Ello Elosrouti | 67 | 448.9 km |
| 03 | Pierre Biege | 40 | 268.0 km |
| 04 | Pawel Dregan | 37 | 247.9 km |
| 05 | Alessandro Cervo | 35 | 234.5 km |
| 06 | Mauritz Ehmann | 31 | 207.7 km |
| 07 | Jozef Kapicak | 30 | 201.0 km |
“Yard” means one hourly loop. Distances above reproduce the organizer-linked result service rather than recalculating the course.
04 · Why it broke through
A niche format, staged for a mass audience
Backyard ultras are not new. Last Soul’s difference was packaging: a recognizable organizer in Kim Gottwald, co-organization with 2014 World Cup winner André Schürrle, a crossover field, and uninterrupted viewing built around a format anyone can understand in one sentence.
The result sat somewhere between serious ultra competition and serialized entertainment. German backyard coverage reported more than 40,000 concurrent livestream viewers at points in 2025, while Joyn later released a six-part documentary following the same race.
93starters in 2025
67hours at the front
6documentary episodes
05 · 2026 field notes
Small rules become big after midnight
The organizer’s FAQ makes the operating conditions unusually clear. These are the details most likely to shape the race after the first easy-looking hours.
Self-sufficient fueling
Water containers and a supplemental aid station are provided, but athletes remain responsible for their own nutrition.
Three crew members
Crew may help inside base camp. No assistance—or crew—is permitted on the course itself.
No electrical hookup
Power planning matters for lights, phones, watches and warm food. Athletes receive a 3 × 3 metre camp area.
Headlamp mandatory
A working headlamp is required in twilight and darkness—without one, the athlete cannot continue.
Remote race hub
Revisit the tracker and final broadcast.
Open the official dashboard for the race feed and final status, or use detailed timing to search all participants and inspect every recorded loop in the published classification.
06 · Quick answers
Last Soul Ultra FAQ
When did Last Soul Ultra 2026 start?
Last Soul Ultra 2.0 started on Friday, August 14, 2026 at 14:00 CEST. There is no fixed finish time because the race continues until one runner remains and completes a final solo yard.
Is Last Soul Ultra 2026 still running?
No. The official final classification records Mark Dowdle first with 94 completed yards. Ayyoub ‘Ello’ El Osrouti is listed DNF in second place with 93 completed yards after he did not finish yard 94.
Where can I find the Last Soul Ultra tracker and participant list?
The official live dashboard provides the current yard, remaining field, course positions and stream. The detailed timing service provides the participant list, loop splits and classifications. Both are linked prominently on this page.
How many people are competing in Last Soul Ultra 2026?
The official live system listed 169 athletes, while the published final classification contains 160 records. That is why participant totals shown during the broadcast and in the final result can differ.
Where in Germany is the 2026 Last Soul Ultra?
The exact 2026 location is intentionally not public. The organizer says this is to protect safety and smooth event operations.
Who won Last Soul Ultra 2026?
Mark Dowdle won Last Soul Ultra 2026 with 94 completed yards, approximately 629.8 km. Ayyoub ‘Ello’ El Osrouti was second and the assist with 93 completed yards, approximately 623.1 km.
Did Last Soul Ultra set a new record on German soil?
Yes. Mark Dowdle’s winning 94 yards are the best-known backyard performance achieved on German soil, moving four yards beyond Merijn Geerts’ 90 yards in Rettert in 2022. This location-based benchmark is separate from the German national-athlete record.
Where does Ello El Osrouti rank among German backyard runners?
El Osrouti’s 93-yard assist is provisionally the second-best performance by a German athlete, behind Hendrik Boury’s 100-yard German national record from Big Dog’s Backyard in 2025. Formal rankings can change when the new race is added to record databases.
How old were the Last Soul Ultra 2026 finalists?
Both finalists were in their twenties. LADV lists El Osrouti as born in 1999, and Yardlore lists Dowdle in the M20s age group at about 29. El Osrouti’s 93 yards would provisionally raise the published German M20s best from 45 to 93; the worldwide M20s best is 107, so this is not a world age-group record.
Did Caroline Bolte and Hubert Karl set German records?
Caroline Maria Bolte completed 52 yards, one more than the current DUV-listed German women's best. Hubert Karl completed 45 yards in M65, 18 more than the current DUV-listed German M65 best. Both marks are described here as provisional until the race is included and classified by the relevant record database.
Can spectators attend Last Soul Ultra?
No. The official FAQ says on-site spectators are not permitted. Follow the continuous livestream, live dashboard and detailed timing instead.
Who won Last Soul Ultra 2025?
Kim Gottwald won the debut edition. The published results credit both Gottwald and Ello Elosrouti with 67 yards and 448.9 km; the race report says Elosrouti withdrew with Achilles inflammation.
Sources & method
What this guide is built on
The finish update uses the official final classification published on 18 August 2026. Provisional record comparisons use the published German national record, the previous German-soil benchmark from Rettert and Yardlore’s age-group tables. The private-jet arrival and visible race-condition observations remain attributed to the official livestream. The 2025 classification is reproduced from its linked timing service.
- Official 2026 live dashboardCurrent yard, remaining field, course positions and livestream
- Official 2026 final classificationFinal places and completed-loop totals: Dowdle 94, El Osrouti 93
- Official Last Soul Ultra event hub2026 date, field size, entry process and race format
- Official athlete and spectator FAQCrew, aid, equipment, location and viewing rules
- Spoferan 2025 result tablePublished placings, yards, times and distances
- Spoferan 2025 race reportWinning sequence and Elosrouti withdrawal context
- BPN athlete profile: Kim GottwaldOfficial 2025 Go One More winner designation
- Go One More Ultra 2026 race recapMark Dowdle’s 73-yard win and the deciding final loops
- DUV: Race of the Champions 2022Merijn Geerts’ previous 90-yard German-soil benchmark in Rettert
- Big’s Backyard national record holdersHendrik Boury’s published 100-yard German national record
- LADV athlete profile: Ayyoub El OsroutiPublished birth year and road-running results
- Yardlore athlete profile: Mark DowdlePublished M20s age-group listing
- Previous German M20s benchmarkJonathan Gakstatter’s published 45-yard age-group best from 2022
- Worldwide M20s backyard recordsPublished 107-yard men’s age-group best used to limit the claim
- Backyard Ultra Germany listingIndependent 2026 calendar context and audience report
- DUV German women's backyard rankingPublished national benchmark used for the provisional record comparison
- DUV German M65 backyard rankingPublished age-group benchmark used for the provisional record comparison
- Last Soul documentary on JoynSix-part official documentary synopsis and 2025 field context