One loop, every hour
Backyard Ultras
A last-person-standing format built around one 6.7056 km loop every hour, on the hour, until only one finisher remains.
How the Format Works
In a backyard ultra, runners must complete a 6.7056 km (4.1667 mile) loop within each hour and return for the next start. Missing the bell or failing to finish a loop in time ends the attempt.
The fixed hourly rhythm makes routine visible. Pace has to leave usable recovery time, while food, foot checks, clothing, bottles, crew communication, and optional rest must fit between bells.
Curated preparation path
Learn, Train, and Plan
1. Understand the Format
Learn the rules, scoring, failure conditions, and how backyard racing differs from a timed event.
Backyard Ultras Explained
Rules, records, course changes, common misconceptions, and safety.
AnswerBackyard Ultra vs 24-Hour Race
Compare hourly starts with a continuous fixed-time clock.
Answer6-Day Race vs Backyard Ultra
Compare open-ended elimination with a fixed six-day duration.
CalendarWorld Team Championship 2026
Satellite format, national-team scoring, how to follow it live, and every past championship result.
2. Build the Training Plan
Practice comfortable loops and transitions without trying to rehearse extreme sleep loss.
Train for Your First Backyard Ultra
An adaptable framework for loop rhythm, easy durability, transitions, and recovery.
ToolBackyard Pace and Rest Calculator
Test loop pace against the recovery minutes it leaves before the next bell.
ToolMultiday Pace Calculator
Compare loop pace with the recovery minutes left before each bell.
3. Create the Loop Routine
Make every transition simple enough to repeat when appetite, weather, and alertness change.
Backyard Ultra Race Strategy
Plan pace, transition priorities, crew communication, rest, and stop criteria.
GuideBackyard Ultra Nutrition
Build flexible between-loop food and fluid options across changing appetite.
GuideCrew Instructions Template
Give helpers clear priorities, preferences, boundaries, and escalation rules.
4. Prepare for Darkness
Use reliable lighting, simple packing, and clear alertness decisions once the event reaches night.
Headlamp and Battery Strategy
Plan tested primary and backup lighting for repeated night loops.
GuideSleep Strategy for Multiday Races
Understand rest options and why caffeine cannot replace safe alertness.
AnswerCan You Sleep During an Ultramarathon?
Understand what the few minutes between bells can and cannot restore overnight.
Curated race directory
Active and Upcoming Backyard Ultra Events
7 matching events as of Sep 29, 2026; event source reviews dated June 22, 2026 – September 22, 2026. 3 past editions remain in the directory archive.
Garden City Backyard Ultra
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
An hourly backyard race based at Toowoomba Showgrounds, using a loop of trail, grass, dirt, and bitumen until one runner remains.
View verified race details →Dutch Backyard Ultra
Zeewolde, Netherlands
A public backyard ultra at Scoutinglandgoed Zeewolde, held alongside the Netherlands World Team Championship satellite. Runners repeat the same forest loop by day and night.
View verified race details →World Backyard Ultra Team Championship
Bell Buckle, Tennessee, USA (and worldwide satellite sites)
The premier backyard ultra team event. National teams of 15 runners compete simultaneously at satellite sites worldwide. Each runner completes 4.167-mile loops every hour. The country with the most total loops wins.
View verified race details →Smurf's Backyard Ultra
Smithfield, Cairns, Australia
A Cairns backyard ultra on the trails of Smithfield Mountain Bike Park, with hourly starts and a separate six-lap introductory event.
View verified race details →Cobb & Co Backyard Ultra
Tandur, Queensland, Australia
A Queensland backyard ultra at Cobb & Co Nine Mile Camping Grounds, with a campsite base for runners and crews between hourly loops.
View verified race details →Backyard Ultra Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz, Córdoba, Argentina
An inaugural night-start backyard ultra on Villa Carlos Paz's lakeside costanera, repeating a flat 6.706 km loop every hour.
View verified race details →Capital Backyard Ultra
Lorton, Virginia, USA
A high-level backyard ultra at Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area, built for deep performances in a small, highly supported field.
View verified race details →Dates, entry status, routes, and rules can change. Use each event page's official organizer links before registration or travel. Format preparation paths were reviewed July 30, 2026.
Backyard Ultra FAQs
How far is each backyard ultra loop?
The standard loop is 6.7056 km, or 4.1667 miles. Completing one loop per hour produces 100 miles in 24 hours, although the event continues until the last-runner-standing condition is met.
How fast should a backyard loop be run?
There is no universal ideal split. A runner needs enough margin to finish before the bell and enough remaining time for food, fluid, clothing, foot care, and optional rest without making the running pace unnecessarily costly.
Can runners sleep during a backyard ultra?
They may rest between loops if the race rules allow it and they still report for the next start. The usable window depends on loop time, transition tasks, and safe alertness; involuntary sleep or confusion calls for stopping and assessment.
Compare Related Formats
24-Hour Races
A fixed-time race where the clock runs for one full day and every completed lap or measured distance counts.
6-Day Races
A 144-hour fixed-time event where sustainable routines and recovery choices matter across nearly a full week.
48-Hour Races
A two-day fixed-time race where sleep, recovery choices, and the second night become central parts of the plan.