The Backland
Gordonville, United States • 5 Dec 2026
The Backland - Last-man-standing trail race
The Backland is a last person standing trail race near the Texas and Oklahoma border held at Walnut Creek Resort & Marina in Gordonville, TX. The course is run mostly on trail with a portion on road. The event includes an optional pre-race camp out on the evening before the race and limits the last-man-standing competition to 60 participants.
The race format uses a repeated 4.5 mile loop called a "land." Runners have one hour to complete each land. Every hour a new land begins; runners who finish a land wait for the next start before continuing. If a runner does not finish a land within the hour or quits, they are eliminated and ring the bell. A new rule starting in 2025 prohibits ties.
Prizes and awards are defined by distance and placement. The last person standing receives a cash prize of $1000, a trophy, and a six-pack of beer or root beer. All finishers receive a Backland long sleeve shirt and a beer or root beer. Additional awards include belt buckles for long distances and a trophy for best start/finish setup.
Distances and notable achievements: Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
- 4.5 mile loop per land
- 103.5 miles (23 lands) earns the 100-mile belt buckle
- 153 miles (34 lands) earns the golden 150-mile belt buckle