Backyard Ultra, also known as “last one standing,” is a unique format of ultramarathon race. In this race, competitors must run a distance of 6.706 kilometers (approximately 4.167 miles) every hour on the hour. The challenge continues until there is only one runner left who can complete the loop within the time limit.

Key features of Backyard Ultra include:

• Distance: Each loop is approximately 4.167 miles (6.705 km).
• Time Limit: Runners must complete each lap within one hour.
• No Set End: The race doesn’t have a predefined end length or time, and it continues until all but one runner can no longer finish a loop within the hour.

This format emphasizes endurance and strategy, as participants can choose their pace and rest strategies throughout the race.

1. The Format:

• Loop-based Race: Participants must complete a 4.167-mile (6.7 km) loop every hour.
• Start Time: The race starts at a fixed time (usually on the hour). Runners have 60 minutes to complete the loop.
• Required Time to Complete the Loop: Each loop must be completed within the 60-minute window. If a runner fails to complete the loop in time, they are disqualified.
• Rest/Recovery Time: If a runner finishes early (say in 45 minutes), they can rest, eat, or recover during the remaining time before the next loop begins.

2. The Goal:

• Last Runner Standing: The race continues until only one runner remains who can complete a loop within the 60-minute timeframe. This is a “last man standing” format, and the winner is the last person to finish a loop on time.
• If all participants fail to start a new loop, the last person to finish a loop is declared the winner.

3. Pacing and Strategy:

• Time Management: Runners must balance their effort in each loop. It’s important to push hard enough to complete the loop within the hour but also conserve energy for the long haul.
• Strategy: Since there’s no set distance, the key is persistence and endurance. The race continues until participants can no longer keep up with the loops. It’s about pacing over many hours or even days.

4. Race Rules:

• No Outside Assistance: Runners cannot have outside support during the race (except for medical or official race personnel). They must be self-sufficient during each loop.
• No Time Extension: If a runner is not back in time for the next loop, they are eliminated.
• Refueling & Resting: Runners can use the time before the next loop to eat, hydrate, rest, change clothes, or tend to any other needs.

5. Medical Rules:

• Medical Check: While not usually required during the race, runners must be aware that medical personnel can intervene if there is a safety issue.
• Health Monitoring: Since runners can go for extended periods, they must stay in good health and manage things like hydration, nutrition, and sleep.

6. Scoring:

• Lap Counting: The race continues until only one runner is left standing. The distance covered is calculated by counting how many loops were completed by each runner. The last runner to complete a loop wins, but they may have to cover hundreds of miles, depending on the pace of the race.

7. Elimination:

• Failure to Start a Loop: If a runner doesn’t make it to the start line at the top of the hour, they are eliminated.
• Voluntary Withdrawal: Runners may choose to withdraw from the race at any time.

8. Unique Characteristics:

• The Psychological Challenge: Much of the challenge of Backyard Ultra is psychological. Runners must keep going, even when they’re exhausted, knowing that they must complete another loop each hour without any break in the action.
• No Fixed Distance: There’s no specific goal distance. The race continues until there’s one runner left, which can mean anywhere from 4 miles to several hundred miles, depending on how long the runners last.

Backyard Ultra events have gained popularity because of it’s grueling and unpredictable nature, testing not only physical endurance but mental resilience as well. It’s about the sheer ability to keep going loop after loop until everyone else is out.