What Makes the Backyard Ultra So Popular?

A backyard ultra is a running race with a very unusual rule. Runners must complete a loop of 4.16 miles at the start of every hour. They keep running, hour after hour, until only one person is left. That last person standing is the winner. Events like this are growing fast across the United Kingdom.

The idea was created by an American named Lazarus Lake. He is also known for designing the Barkley Marathons, one of the world's hardest races. His main event, called Big's Backyard Ultra, attracts the world's top endurance runners. You even have to qualify just to enter that race. Now, smaller backyard ultras are popping up all over the UK.

James Morgan, 45, was the first to buy a ticket for a new backyard ultra in Shropshire. He has run 55 marathons but has never finished a backyard ultra. Morgan started running in 2013 to support his mental health. He says long-distance running has changed his life for the better. The Shropshire race will be held in Shrewsbury in April 2027.

Morgan says the race format is simple but extremely tough. He likes that it comes down to one question: how long can you keep going? He says at very long distances, the race becomes a fight with your own mind. 'When you get into the long distances, it becomes a battle against you, against your brain,' he said. For him, the race is a powerful test of willpower.

Sarah Perry, 35, is a teacher from Cumbria and the current women's world record holder in the backyard ultra. She represented Team UK at the Backyard World Championships, where her team placed fifth out of 69 countries. At lap 76, she was one of just two women still racing out of 990 starters. She says she was drawn to the format because it suited her strengths. 'Maybe I'm not the fastest runner, but I have endurance and I think I'm quite strong-minded and quite stubborn,' she said.

Perry says the backyard ultra stands out because it is inclusive and welcoming to all runners. Checkpoints every 4.16 miles mean runners are never far from support. There is no chance of getting lost on the course. She has seen the races grow enormously in the UK over the past year. 'I'm always intrigued to see what the limits actually are,' she said.

Peter Metcalfe helps run the company organizing the Shropshire event, called Run the Distance. He says ordinary people — not just extreme athletes — are signing up in large numbers. 'I thought it'd be quite niche — the ex-Marine type, the SAS guys... but it's just the average person who wants to just see how far they can get,' he said. The race also has a strong community feel, with base camps, first-aiders, and support teams at the ready. Ticket sales have been so strong that Metcalfe is already planning future events in other parts of the UK.