Elsa Chicken Plucker Backyard Ultra
Charleston, United States • 30 May 2026
Elsa Chicken Plucker Backyard Ultra
The Elsa Chicken Plucker Backyard Ultra is a backyard ultra event at Willenborg Woods near Charleston, Illinois on May 30, 2026. The property includes about 149 acres of maintained trails and a loop course of 4.167 mile that participants must complete each hour. The last runner remaining earns a Bronze Ticket toward Big Dog's Backyard Ultra World Championship.
Day and night routes differ. The daytime loop uses single-track and groomed grass trails while the night loop follows grass trails and county roads. A wooded section called the Tunnel of Trees is noted as a distinctive segment. Trails on the property include riverside and ridge-top sections.
Event rules require completing the loop each hour and allow one support crew per runner. Reflective gear is required for night running. Registration closes on May 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT. The venue address is 17737 E County Road 380N, Charleston, IL.
Organizers describe ongoing trail building and maintenance on the property and emphasize community presence and family spectatorship alongside the competitive format. The event combines repeated hourly loop running with mixed surface trail and road sections. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.