Utopia Backyard Ultra

About the race

Utopia Backyard Ultra is a Backyard Ultra format event held at the Tiffin Centre for Conservation in Utopia (8195 8th Line). The basic format is one lap each hour until only one finisher remains. Entrants may choose a fixed-length Backyard event or the open-ended Backyard Ultra. Distances and formats: - Full Backyard Ultra: open-ended Backyard Ultra until one finisher remains. - Backyard 12: closed 12 hour format, finish or DNF. - Backyard 6: closed 6 hour format, finish or DNF. The required course is a loop or out-and-back of exactly 4 miles 880 feet (metric equivalent 6.7056 kilometers).

The course at Tiffin uses mostly crushed gravel maintained trails with a roughly 2 km section of sandy and woody trail on the back quarter. Elevation change does not exceed 45 m per loop. Arrows, flags, and reflective markers will be placed along the route. Key rules and event details are: all competitors must be in the starting corral at the bell and start each loop precisely one hour after the last; warnings are given 3, 2, and 1 minutes before each start; each loop must be completed within an hour to count; no personal aid is allowed during a loop though common aid stations are permitted; artificial aids including trekking poles are prohibited; slower runners must allow passes.

Timing of loops is optional. The open-ended Backyard Ultra has no set cap; fixed-hour Backyard races up to 24 hours are allowed and are named by their length. Amenities and registration notes: start/finish line camping is included for entries, aid station snacks are provided, potable water and limited electricity are available, and transfers to another racer are permitted up to the day before race day.

Registration opens July 12, 2026 and prices increase January 1, 2027. Entry fees listed for 2027 are: Backyard $195 / $220, Backyard 12 $150 / $175, Backyard 6 $100 / $125. Deferrals and refunds are not offered. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.

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