UK Backyard Ultras

Your next backyard starts here.

Find upcoming backyard ultras across the UK, then follow every yard live on its own results page. Organising one? We time it, and we promote it right here.

Find an Event Time Your Event With Us
Full-screen map ↗
Organising a backyard ultra? Every event we time gets a pin on this map and live results at its own backyardultra.co.uk address.
Time Your Event With Us
For Race Directors

We time it. We promote it.

Book your timing with us and your event gets more than results. It gets a place on backyardultra.co.uk, in front of runners looking for their next backyard, from the day you book until the final bell.

Listed Here From Day One

As soon as you book, your event joins the upcoming list with your logo, date, location, a description and a link straight to your entries.

Live at Its Own Address

yourrace.backyardultra.co.uk — easy to share, easy to remember at 3am, and the page every crew and family refreshes all night.

Timing Built for the Yard

Lap-by-lap tracking, a live countdown to the bell, DNF management and an on-site screen. Everything a backyard needs and nothing it doesn't.

A Permanent Record

After the final bell your results stay online in our archive, so this year's winner is still there when you open entries for next year.

  1. 1BookConfirm your timing with us.
  2. 2Get listedYour event appears in Upcoming Backyard Ultras.
  3. 3Go liveOn race day the listing switches to LIVE and links to your results.
  4. 4Stay on recordResults are archived for good, ready to promote next year's edition.
Get a Quote See How the Timing Works
The Format

What Is a Backyard Ultra?

Inspired by Lazarus Lake's Big's Backyard Ultra in Tennessee, the format is beautifully simple and brutally hard. Runners complete a loop of 4.167 miles (6.706 km) every hour, on the hour, for as long as they can.

No age categories, no gender prizes, no finisher medals. One winner — the last runner to complete a full yard when everyone else has stopped. Everyone else is a DNF.

  1. 1
    The Bell
    Every runner starts together, on the hour. The loop is exactly 4.167 miles.
  2. 2
    Back to the Yard
    Finish the loop before the hour is up. Whatever time is left is rest time.
  3. 3
    Go Again
    The bell rings again. Fail to start, or fail to finish in time, and you're out.
  4. 4
    Last One Standing
    The last runner to complete a full yard when all others have stopped wins.
If this were race day…
--:--
to the next bell
Bell rings at --:--:--
How far is that?
YardsMilesKm
14.176.71
625.040.2
1250.080.5
24100.0160.9
36150.0241.4
48200.0321.9

24 yards is the magic 100 miles.

Live Leaderboard

Who's Out, Who's In the Yard, Who's Done

The leaderboard updates the moment a runner tags in — showing who's still out on the loop, who's resting in the yard, and when each DNF dropped.

△ Live Standings — Yard 14
LIVE
1
Sarah Mitchell
Last split 54:22 · On course
14 yards · 58.3 mi
OUT
2
James Patel
Back in the yard · 8:12 rest
14 yards · 58.3 mi
IN YARD
3
Claire Thompson
Back in the yard · 6:40 rest
14 yards · 58.3 mi
IN YARD
4
David Lee
Last split 56:41 · On course
14 yards · 58.3 mi
OUT
—
Priya Sharma
DNF after yard 12
12 yards · 50.0 mi
DNF
—
Ravi Okonkwo
DNF after yard 10
10 yards · 41.7 mi
DNF

Illustrative example — names are made up.

The Timing

Everything Your Backyard Ultra Needs

Generic chip timing assumes a start and a finish. A backyard has neither — so we built for every quirk of the yard.

Yard Countdown

A big live countdown to the next bell on the results page and the on-site screen, so runners, crews and volunteers always know how long is left.

Lap-by-Lap Tracking

Runners tag in at the end of each yard. Every split is recorded, and the leaderboard updates instantly with yard count and cumulative distance.

DNF Management

Mark DNFs in real time. The system keeps each runner's final yard and distance and shows them below the runners still standing.

Live Online Results

A branded results page that friends, family and crews can follow from anywhere — through the night and into day two (and three).

On-Site HDMI Display

Plug our display box into any TV at the yard for the live leaderboard, countdown and lap status — the beating heart of the camp.

Manual Corrections

Runner forgot to tap? Enter or adjust a time from the admin page so the record stays accurate.

Your Results Page

Your race, at its own address

Every event we time gets its own results site on a backyardultra.co.uk subdomain — easy to share on social media, easy to remember at 3am, and kept online after the race as a permanent record.

  • ✓ Live during the race, archived afterwards
  • ✓ Every runner's split for every yard
  • ✓ Branded with your event logo
  • ✓ Km / miles toggle and athlete search
  • ✓ CSV export of the full timing data for organisers
How It Works

Simple in the yard, solid all night

We design our own hardware and write our own software, so the system is built for long nights outdoors — and we can adapt it to your event.

  1. 1
    Upload your entrantsNames and race numbers go into our admin page before the day.
  2. 2
    Hand out wristbandsEach runner gets a reusable RFID wristband.
  3. 3
    Tag in every yardRunners tap the timing box as they come back into the yard. Long-range UHF chip timing is available too.
  4. 4
    Results go liveThe online leaderboard and on-site screen update in real time.
Red numbered Realtime Racing RFID timing wristbands

Reusable RFID wristbands

Recent Results

Backyard Ultras We've Timed

Live results pages from recent backyard ultra and last-one-standing events. Relive the yards, or see exactly what your own runners, crews and families would be following.

FAQs

Common Questions

Will you promote my event on backyardultra.co.uk?
Yes. Every event we time is listed in Upcoming Backyard Ultras from the day you book until race day, with your logo, date, location, a short description and a link to your entries. On race day it shows as LIVE and links straight to your results page, and afterwards your results stay in our archive.
I'm a runner. How do I enter one of these events?
Entries are handled by each event's organiser. Use the event's link in Upcoming Backyard Ultras to go to its website or entry page.
Can I run the timing myself, or do you come along?
Either. We can post you the kit with clear written instructions and a video-call walkthrough, or we can be on site to run the timing, the display and the results for the whole event.
What happens if a runner forgets to tap in?
The admin page lets you enter or correct a time for any runner, so a missed tap never costs anyone a yard on the results.
How do I record a DNF?
Mark the runner as out from the admin page. Their final yard count and distance are kept and they move below the runners still in the race.
Can you time other lap formats?
Yes — we also time "as many laps as possible" (AMLAP) and fixed-time events such as 12 and 24 hour races, using the same lap-tracking system.
Where will my results page live?
On its own subdomain of backyardultra.co.uk, such as yourrace.backyardultra.co.uk. It stays online after the event as a permanent record, and you can download the full timing data as a CSV.
Do you cover the whole UK?
Yes. Self-hire kit can be posted anywhere in the UK. For staffed events we cover most of the UK; travel costs may apply depending on location.
How far ahead should I book?
Ideally 4–6 weeks before your event, especially for busy weekends — but get in touch even if it's sooner and we'll see what we can do.
Do you offer charity rates?
Yes, we offer concession rates for charity and fundraising events. Mention it in your enquiry.
Get a Quote

Tell us about your backyard

A few details about your event and we'll come back with a no-obligation quote, usually within one business day. Once you're booked, we'll get your event listed on backyardultra.co.uk.

Service