The backyard ultra or last one standing is a form of ultramarathon race where competitors must consecutively run the distance of 6.706km (04.167miles) in less than one hour, which is a pace of 100 miles per 24 hours. The race is over when only one runner remains to complete a lap. This runner is marked as the winner and only finisher, with all other runners receiving a "DNF" (Did Not Finish). The runner who completes the second-most laps in a race is often referred to as the "assist", in the sense that their effort is ultimately what determines how long the race is allowed to continue--there is no predefined end length or time in a backyard ultra, as long as multiple runners can complete each loop within an hour.
The backyard ultra format has gained a reputation for its grueling and unpredictable nature, as well as the camaraderie among participants. Runners must endure sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and varying weather conditions, making it a true test of endurance and mental fortitude.
Backyard ultras are the invention of Gary "Lazarus Lake" Cantrell,[1] 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.[2] 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.
Exactly one hour after a backyard ultra's first starting time, the competitors run with a one-hour window to finish. These laps are repeated hourly. The race is won when a single runner successfully completes a lap alone.[3] If no competitor manages one more lap than the others, then all athletes receive a DNF and there is no winner.The distance the runners race each hour is set at
\tfrac{100}{24}
In contrast to usual ultramarathon races, untrained people can join a Backyard Ultra — and not drop out during the first handful of rounds, as the required pace is quite low: 14.4 minutes per mile, or 8.9 minutes per kilometer. Thus, the challenge is rather a mental one: No participant knows when the race will end, and the participant's ranking does not depend on themselves, but on whether their competitors are giving up.
As every runner has to start the next round at exactly the same time, a fast runner does not have an advantage over slower ones. While running too fast will burn the energy reserves, a slow speed will not allow enough rest before the next round. Thus, the main challenge lies in maintaining the running speed over dozens of hours, getting enough rest, and spending the resting time as efficiently as possible — with either a massage, a power nap, a restroom visit, or getting food and drinks. The most successful Backyard Ultra runners strive for a resting time of 14 to 18 minutes, forcing them to run 4.167 miles in 42 to 46 minutes.
According to Lazarus Lake, most runners do not drop out because of missing the per-round time limit, but because of their diminishing mental strength to carry on. This is well illustrated by Lake's statement that "[…] the hardest part of the course is between your chair and the starting corral".[6] When a runner displays pain or fatigue, it often motivates the other runners to carry on because they expect him or her to give up.
Given the peculiarities of this running format, Backyard Ultra runners usually prepare by running private Backyard Ultras alone, with shorter distances per hour (for example, one, two or three miles every hour), and by optimizing the rest periods.[7]
The longest distance recorded by a competitor in a backyard ultra event is 108 laps (450miles) achieved by American runner Harvey Lewis during the 2023 Big's Backyard Ultra in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, USA.[8]
The second longest distance recorded is 107 laps, achieved by Ukrainian-Canadian runner Ihor Verys, also in the 2023 Big's Backyard Ultra. The third place holder in the same event, Polish runner Bartosz Fudali, achieved 103 laps.
The world record prior to the October 2023 Big's Backyard Ultra in Tennessee was 102 laps (425miles) by Australian runner Phil Gore during the 2023 Australian Backyard Masters held at Dead Cow Gully in QLD Australia. [9]
The Female World Record for a backyard ultra performance is 74 laps (308.3miles) set by Jennifer Russo at the 2023 Capital Backyard Ultra in Lorton, VA.[10] Prior to Russo’s record setting performance, the longest distance recorded by a female competitor in a backyard ultra event was 68 laps set by Courtney Dauwalter at Big's Backyard Ultra in October 2020. In May 2019, Katie Wright became the first woman to win a backyard ultra event running in 30 hours during an event in New Zealand.[11] She beat 5 other women and 40 men to emerge victoriously. Later that year in October 2019, Maggie Guterl would win Big's Backyard Ultra covering more than 402 km in 60 loops.[12]