Backyard Ultra
Backyard Ultra Training Guide: Last Runner Standing
How to train for a backyard ultra — the unique format of running a loop every hour until one runner remains, pacing strategy, mental preparation, and gear for the long wait.
Understanding the backyard format
A backyard ultra is a last-runner-standing format invented by Gary Cantrell (Lazarus Lake) and popularized by the Big's Backyard Ultra. The rules are simple: a loop of exactly 4.1667 miles (6.706 km) is marked, and every hour on the hour, all runners start a new loop. Anyone who does not complete the loop within the hour is eliminated. The race continues until only one runner remains — there is no time limit and no set finish. The winner is the only runner who completes a loop that no one else starts.
The format is psychologically and physiologically unique. You are not racing a distance; you are racing the other runners' willingness to continue. The pace is controlled — 4.17 miles in an hour is a comfortable jog for most ultrarunners — but the duration is open-ended. World-class backyards have lasted over 100 hours and 400 miles. The challenge is not speed but the ability to keep starting loops when your body and mind want to stop. Browse backyard ultra races to find events near you.
Training for the format
Backyard training is less about peak speed and more about sustainable, repeatable effort. The ideal training is long, slow runs on terrain similar to the race loop, building the ability to run for many hours at an easy pace. A typical backyard loop takes 40 to 50 minutes, leaving 10 to 20 minutes of rest each hour. Your training should simulate this: run 4 to 5 miles at an easy pace, rest for 10 to 15 minutes, and repeat. Do this for four to six loops on a weekend long run to practice the stop-start rhythm.
The other critical training element is night running. A backyard that lasts 24 hours includes two full nights of running. Practice running with a headlamp on terrain similar to the race loop, and practice the transition from day to night to day — the circadian disruption is a major factor in long backyards. Build your weekly volume to 60 to 80 miles for a competitive backyard, with the long run being the multi-loop simulation. Use the race calendar to find a backyard twelve to sixteen weeks out.
Pacing and the rest interval
The pacing strategy in a backyard is to run each loop as easily as possible while still finishing with time to spare. The faster you run the loop, the more rest you get — but the more energy you expend. The slower you run, the less rest you get — but you preserve energy. The optimal pace for most runners is about 45 to 50 minutes per loop, leaving 10 to 15 minutes of rest. This is slow enough to be sustainable for many hours and fast enough to leave meaningful recovery time.
The rest interval is where the race is won or lost. Use the 10 to 15 minutes to eat, drink, change gear, and sit or lie down. Have a crew person who can hand you food and drink as you finish each loop, so you do not waste rest time searching for supplies. The runners who succeed in backyards are not the fastest but the most efficient at the rest interval — they eat and recover systematically, loop after loop, hour after hour. Save your target backyard to My Season so the countdown keeps your training honest.
Mental preparation for the long haul
The backyard is ultimately a mental contest. Every hour, you must choose to start another loop. As the hours accumulate, the loops get harder — your legs stiffen, your stomach may rebel, and the night feels endless. The skill is to make the decision to start each loop without deliberation. If you start debating whether to continue, you have already lost. Set a rule before the race: you will start every loop until you physically cannot, and you will not make the decision in the moment.
Break the race into segments: get to 24 hours (one full day), then 48 hours, then each additional hour is a bonus. Have a support person who knows your plan and will not let you quit unless you are genuinely broken. The runners who win backyards are often not the most talented but the most stubborn. Browse backyard ultra races to find your event, and consider volunteering at a backyard before running one — the format is easier to understand once you have seen it in person.
Gear and crewing
Backyard gear is unique because you return to the same start point every hour, so you can have a full base camp. Set up a tent or chair at the start area with food, drink, extra clothing, a headlamp, and a sleeping bag for the brief rests. Your crew person is essential: they track your nutrition, hand you supplies as you finish each loop, and manage your gear. Brief them thoroughly on your plan, your food preferences, and what to say when you are struggling.
Shoe choice depends on the loop terrain. Many backyards are on trails; some are on mixed surfaces. Have two or three pairs of shoes ready, as your feet will swell and preferences may change over many hours. A headlamp with fresh batteries is essential for the night loops, and a spare headlamp is wise. Browse backyard ultra races and check the course description and rules before registering — each backyard has its own loop and its own culture.