BUILT FOR DEEP BACKYARD PERFORMANCES
The Capital Backyard Ultra is designed specifically for runners chasing high-mileage backyard performances. With a runnable rolling daytime loop, fast paved night loop, and a highly experienced field, Capital has become a proving ground for serious backyard athletes.
The event combines elite competition with one of the most comfortable setups in the sport. Runners stage beneath a massive on-site pavilion that provides protection from heat and rain, with all crew setups located just seconds from the starting corral.
Our aid station is staffed by two professional chefs who are also experienced ultrarunners and understand the demands of multi-day racing. Starting at noon on Saturday, runners will be welcomed back each yard with premium food, refreshments, and race support designed to keep them moving deep into the race.
Capital has already produced standout performances on the international backyard stage. In 2026:
- Haroldas Subertas set a new Lithuanian national backyard record with 64 yards
- Harol Samir Baca Ponce established a new Honduran national backyard record
- Marty Fox set a new world record for the 75–79 age group
Event Details
The Capital Backyard Ultra will be held at Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area at 10702 Harley Rd. in Lorton, Virginia, a suburb of Washington DC. The event will begin at 8am on Saturday, March 20, 2027, and proceed until only one runner is remaining. The nearest airport is Ronald Reagan National Airport, DCA (30 minutes.) The second closest airport is IAD (40 minutes.)
Backyard Ultra Rules
The Backyard Ultra format is intentionally simple. The rules exist primarily to ensure fair competition and to allow race officials to clearly track who is still participating at all times.
At its core, the format requires only three things:
* Be in the starting corral when the bell rings
* Start with the bell
* Complete the loop within the hour
Everything else flows from those principles.
THE COURSE
A Backyard Ultra consists of a 4.167-mile (6.7056 km) loop. Each completed loop, or “yard,” begins precisely one hour after the previous one.
STARTING CORRAL & STARTS
All runners must be inside the starting corral at the bell in order to continue. The corral remains the same size throughout the event and is designed to accommodate the entire field.
Warning whistles will sound:
* Three minutes before the start
* Two minutes before the start
* One minute before the start
The bell signifies the official start of the yard. There are no late starts.
DURING THE YARD
Once a yard begins:
* Runners may not leave the course except for restroom use
* No non-participants, including eliminated runners, are permitted on the course
* No personal aid may be received during the yard
* No pacing is allowed
* No artificial aids, including trekking poles, are permitted
Each yard must be completed in less than one hour to count.
To simplify the rules, runners should think of the format this way:
* Whatever you have when the yard starts, keep it until the finish
* Whatever you do not have when the yard starts, wait until the yard is complete to get it
* Aid, crew support, clothing changes, food, and equipment adjustments all occur between yards, not during them
Runners may share supplies or assistance only with other competitors who are actively participating in the same yard.
CREWS AND SPECTATORS
Crew members and spectators must remain out of the active course area.
As Laz has emphasized repeatedly, crews going out onto the course to meet runners creates unnecessary opportunities for rule violations, including unintended pacing or aid exchanges. In the Backyard format, even innocent mistakes can result in disqualification.
Nothing good happens by entering the course during an active yard!
Once runners complete a yard and before the next bell sounds, runners and crews may use that recovery time however they choose.
RESULTS & WINNER
- The winner is the final runner to successfully complete one more yard than every other participant.
- All other runners are technically recorded as DNF.
- Official results will list the total number of yards completed by each participant.
- If no runner can complete an additional yard beyond the rest of the field, there is no winner.
Entry
To be considered for entry, runners should register on Ultrasignup and join the waitlist. Invitations will be issued on a rolling basis until the field reaches capacity.
Automatic entry will be given to:
- Runners who have completed a 100-mile race
- Previous Capital Backyard Ultra participants
Beginning December 1, 2026, runners who have completed a 50-mile race may also receive entry invitations if spots remain available.
The field is intentionally limited to 65 runners in order to preserve the competitive atmosphere and high level of runner support that define the Capital experience.
The all-inclusive entry fee for 2027 is $225 and includes:
- Dedicated 12x12 crew/tent space
- Overnight Camping Friday night
- Chef-supported aid station and race food
- Premium food and refreshments throughout the event
- Official Boco Gear race hat
- Official race shirt
Elite Runners (48+ yards)
Elite Backyard runners, please contact me so I can set up a discount code prior to entry.
Event's current local time: 2:51 PM ET
