bigs backyard ultra

Races

Backyard Ultras Are Nutty—Enormously Popular. Here's Why.

Put on the map by the likes of Courtney Dauwalter and mastermind Gary "Lazarus Lake" Cantrell, backyard ultras have no time cutoff and seemingly no end to their rise in popularity.

People

“I Broke Down Crying.” Team USA Won the Backyard Ultra World Championship By Being Vulnerable.

Down early and struggling, the Americans put aside their pride to pull off a stunning victory over Australia.

Races

“You Could See Something Happen to Them, Like a Spring Flower Waiting Through Winter.” How Two Bored Belgians Broke the Backyard Ultra World Record.

“I felt like the race would go on forever. But it also feels very fragile—when there are only two runners left, there is no room for error,” on-the-ground photographer Jacob Zocherman reports.

People

“A Level of Enthusiasm That’s Immeasurable.” Mark Dowdle Is Built for the Backyard Ultra

The former collegiate football and lacrosse player led Team USA to the win at the 2026 Backyard Ultra World Team Championship.

Profiles

Who is Lazarus Lake Really?

Don’t let his sometimes abrasive public persona fool you. The man behind the Barkley Marathons and Big’s Backyard Ultra, otherwise known as Gary Cantrell, is as odd and sincere as anyone in ultrarunning.

News

Backyard Ultras Are Nutty—Enormously Popular. This is Why.

Put on the map by the likes of Courtney Dauwalter and mastermind Lazarus Lake, backyard ultras have no time cutoff and seemingly no end to their rise in popularity.

News

World Records Drop at Big's Backyard

Harvey Lewis runs 450 miles in five days while six runners ran at least 100 ‘yards,’ more than 416 miles, at this year’s Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra

News

Are You Ready For Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra This Weekend?

This weekend, on October 15th, watch 37 national teams compete to win the race with no finish line.

Races

Big's Backyard Ultra Gets Bigger and Bigger

Races

A Duel to the Near Death