Can you imagine a race with no finish line, no set distance, and only one winner, the last person standing? Welcome to the world of the Backyard Ultra.
The Backyard Ultra is a unique ultra marathon format where runners must complete a 6.706 km (4.167-mile) loop every hour on the hour. Fail to finish a loop within the hour, and you're out. The race continues until only one runner remains, who must complete one final loop alone to be declared the winner. All others receive a "Did Not Finish" (DNF), regardless of how many loops they've completed
Sounds completely deranged? That’s because it is. And that’s also why people are obsessed.
Origin Story
The format was dreamt up by none other than Lazarus Lake, the same twisted mind that brings you the Barkley Marathons every year. The first ever Backyard Ultra took place on his property in Tennessee in 2011, and he called it Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra. Why? Because it was held in his actual backyard. Naturally like. Since then, the concept has exploded in popularity, with over 740 events held worldwide across nearly 80 countries. Ireland had the first one outside the USA. So what started with a handful of runners lapping Laz’s field has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, with national championships, international qualifiers, and a World Championship. It’s cheap to organise, low on frills, and brutally simple. And that’s exactly why it works.
You don’t need fancy tech. All you need is one loop, a bell, and a healthy appetite for suffering.
The Backyard Invasion of Ireland
Ulster
Ireland’s Backyard Ultra journey began in Ulster. In 2016, Atlas Running launched the first Irish backyard-er, Last One Standing, at Castle Ward, Co. Down. It quickly became legendary. In 2018, Guillaume Calmettes ran 204 miles to win and Peter Cromie was second with 200 miles. This was the first time anyone had reached 48 hours outside the USA and put Ireland on the global Backyard map. Now Ulster’s official qualifier for the All-Ireland Championship, Castle Ward remains the brutal heartbeat of the province’s ultra scene. In 2024, Ulster even hosted the All-Ireland final at Florence Court, showing just how far they’ve come from Laz-style laps in a field.
Leinster
Leinster’s Backyard roots lie in the Dublin Mountains. Barry & John’s Dublin Mountain Backyard Ultra debuted in 2020 with rugged loops and even rougher weather. Anne Kavanagh was the winner of the very first edition, which started from the boot of a car. The event has since exploded in popularity, attracting elite Irish ultrarunners and producing ever-longer battles. Kevin Leahy’s 29-hour win in 2023 a prime example. Now the official Leinster qualifier, it hands out national final spots and a “silver ticket” to the Backyard World Champs. The 2025 edition rolls out again this May, promising more loops, more hills, and more stubborn runners refusing to quit.
Munster
Munster entered the game with Hellevation Last One Standing in April 2024, and didn’t waste time making an impression. Runners faced wild weather and wilder hills in Tipperary, where Wayne McGuigan outlasted the field over 25 hours to claim victory. From day one, Hellevation doubled as Munster’s All-Ireland qualifier and quickly built a reputation for a warm community vibe wrapped in a cold, unforgiving format. It’s back again in spring 2025, inviting the South’s toughest to grin, bear it, and loop it out.
Connacht
Connacht was fashionably late to the Backyard party but made a splash. The first event, a low-key July 2024 affair in Kilcornan Woods, saw Galway’s Páh Clarke take the win after 16 loops. By November, the region went big: 93 runners showed up for the Western Yards Connacht Championship, where Vincent McMath battled 32 hours to victory. Now moved back to June bank holiday weekend, it promise to be a staple on the calendar. It serves as Connacht’s official qualifier – tough, scenic, and sneakily becoming one of the country’s standout Backyard events.
You can sign up here if you think you’ve got what it takes (or just want to see how long you last).
The All-Ireland Championship
Each provincial backyard now feeds into the All-Ireland Backyard Ultra Championship, a showdown of Ireland’s most sleep-deprived. Qualifier races in Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, and Munster send their top finishers to the national final, where they battle for provincial pride and a spot on Ireland’s international team. Only one runner can win, of course, but the event has become a festival of camaraderie, suffering and deep heat. Think Eurovision with blisters, each province cheering on their best while secretly hoping the others drop out first.
Why do People Keeping Doing It?
Psychologically devastating, the Backyard Ultra lures you in with its friendly “just one more lap” vibe. The first few are grand. Then it’s midnight, your feet are in bits, you’re chewing on Pot Noodles in a folding chair, and the bell’s about to go again.
There’s no pacing, no sprint finish, no safety net. You either win or you DNF. That’s it.
But it’s oddly communal, this self-inflicted abuse. Runners camp out, share snacks, and bond over mutual pain. One minute you’re cheering each other on. The next, you’re secretly hoping they trip and fall over so you can win and finally lie down.
It’s ultra-running with a side of psychological warfare. It can even hypnotic about watching someone go full Sisyphus, dragging themselves around the same loop for 30 hours straight.
Final Word
Backyard Ultras are a test of patience, stubbornness, and how far you’ll go just to avoid quitting.
Ireland’s Ultra community has fully embraced the Backyard format because of course they have. It’s got pain, suffering, good craic, and the chance to collapse in a ditch somewhere picturesque. What more could an ultra-runner want?
