Cancelled Event

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED due to permitting, please consider the Indian Lake Ultra which consists of a 6-hour and 12-hour total mileage event.

The Course

About Indian Lake County Park
At 791 acres, Indian Lake County Park is one of Dane County’s largest parks. The main entrance is located on STH 19 about two miles west of US 12. Halfway Prairie Wildlife Area, a county public hunting area located immediately north of the property, offers additional recreational opportunities.

Trails provide access around the entire lake and offer hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and foraging. One winding trail leads to a historic chapel built in 1857, located on a hilltop with a breathtaking view of the lake and surrounding valley. A section of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail also winds through the park. The park includes a sledding hill with access to a log cabin warming house. A reservable timber frame shelter was built using trees that were sustainably harvested from county properties. Official youth groups can reserve the group camp for outings.

An unfenced off-leash dog park is located next to the small boat launch on the west side of the lake and can be accessed from the parking lot at the west entrance. The use of gas motors is prohibited on Indian Lake – electric motors are allowed.

County staff worked with the Ice Age Trail Alliance to create a virtual tour to help visitors learn about the park’s natural landscapes and history. Download the free StriveOn! app, create an account and once you are at the park open the Think Outside-Indian Lake Segment under Trails. Click EXPLORE to activate the engagement points along way. Check out these instructions (PDF) for full details.

This park is supported in part by the Friends of Indian Lake County Park.

Course Rules

Rules for the Backyard ultra
1) Course
Loop or out and back
Must be 4 miles 880 feet in length
Metric equivalent 6.7056 kilometers

2) Starting Corral
Measured to fit entire starting field
Corral stays the same size thru out the event
Participants must be in the starting corral at the bell

3) Starts
Each loop starts precisely 1 hour after the last
Warning must be given 3, 2, and 1 minutes prior to start
All competitors must start at the bell (no late starts)

4) Loops
Except for restrooms, competitor may not leave the course until each loop is completed
No non-competitors on the course (including eliminated runners)
No personal aid during a loop (common aid stations are allowed)
Each loop must be completed within an hour to be counted… including the final lap.
No artificial aids (including trekking poles)
Slower runners must allow passes.

5) Timing
Timing of the loops is optional

6) Winner/Results
The winner is the last person to complete a loop
All others are technically DNF
Results of each runner in terms of distance covered are to be given.
If no runner can complete one more loop than anyone else, there is no winner.

7) Cap
Race must be open ended.

Aid Station

Start/finish Aid Station

There will be a single aid station are the “yard” start/finish line. Aid station food and hydration product will be available throughout the entirety of the event for athletes.

Aid Station Food Options

Turkey, ham and/or cheese tortilla rollups
PBJ
Fruit: Bananas
Chips
Candies
Pickles/juice
Noodles
Coffee
More…
Athlete crew will have access to the aid stations for the purposes of fueling and hydrating their athlete(s). Crew should refrain from using the aid station product if they are not running in the event.

Start Time and Cutoffs

Start Time and Cutoffs
The race will begin at 9am Saturday.

Cutoffs
The only cutoff to worry about is being back in the start coral before the bell start

Awards

Only ONE runner can "win" the backyard but everyone will get a DNF award for assisting the winner. DNF awards will be wooden and ultra inspired. Award reveal will be posted on all social media and our website in early 2024.

Event's current local time: 6:56 PM CT