Thetford Back Yard Ultra
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Thetford Back Yard Ultra Festival
This is a late summer Backyard Ultra held at High Lodge in Thetford Forest, Suffolk. The event uses the Backyard Ultra format: participants run a loop of 4.167 miles each hour and must complete each loop within the one-hour time limit; the overall winner is the last person able to complete one full loop when all others have stopped.
Two shorter, timed options run alongside the full event: a 6 hour and a 12 hour entry. These use the same setup and start procedures as the full event but entrants in the timed options are automatically recorded as DNF when their time limit ends; there is no winner and no prizes for those timed races. The 6 hour option has a reduced minimum age of 12, but a parent or guardian must be onsite and an emergency contact provided. The timed options are offered at a reduced entry cost compared with the full event.
The full event includes chip timing, a monetary prize and free entry to the organiser’s summer Backyard Ultra for the winner and an assistant. Discounts are available for experienced Backyard runners based on recent yard counts, and recent official Backyard winners may receive a free place; the organiser manages these discounts on request.
Course and onsite provisions: the route is wide and mostly flat through forest, firm underfoot with mainly gravel or grass paths and one small hill, and it will be fully signed. One aid station is located at the start/finish area offering water and basic snacks during the event; a supervised cooking area is provided and stoves are not permitted in camping areas. Portable toilets will be available. Camping for runners and crews is free across two adjacent camping areas; space is limited and small tents/gazebos are requested. There is no mains power and signal can be patchy, so participants are advised to bring powerbanks; a limited charging station for runners will be available. Participants must take their personal waste home; the site cannot handle large amounts of rubbish. Crews should be kept to a minimum, no pets are allowed in camping areas, and no smoking is permitted there. A photographer will attend and event media may be used for future promotion. Volunteers are required to staff the event; role information and application details are available from the organiser.
Key race rules follow the official Backyard Ultra format: loops must meet the specified distance, competitors must start each loop at the designated start signal with prior warnings, competitors may not leave the course during a loop except to use available toilets, no handing over of kit during a loop, no personal aid while on a loop (common aid station use is allowed), and each loop must be completed within the hour to count. Headtorches are required after dark. Timed entrants (6 hour and 12 hour) cannot continue past their chosen limit and will be recorded as DNF. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
