Just A Training Run’s Backyard Ultra
The Backyard Ultra is not a race against others – there is no person “in the lead” at any time. Rather, you are competing against yourself – to see how far you can go, one ‘yard’ (4.16667 loop) an hour. It is a simple concept that requires endurance, mental fortitude, planning, the ability to adapt when the plans don’t work, and the ability to enjoy your run ‘in the moment’. The format also enables us to continue our low-key, small event approach that has a community and family feel. Thank you for being a part of the JATR family with this event. We welcome any runner that would like to try the event and encourage serious competition to go as far as you can, and welcome volunteers to help our competitors during the days and nights of the run. The JATR Backyard Ultra is affiliated with the Backyard Ultra organization (https://backyardultra.com).
We are starting a wait list once the event is full. If the event is full and you are a competitor targeting high mileage and seeking the opportunity to compete for an at-large bid the with the
Backyard Ultra series of events, please message the r.d.
The event will be held on the grounds of the Airfield Conference Center in Wakefield, VA. https://www.airfieldconference.com/
What is a backyard ultra?
The last person standing format requires competitors to travel a pre-set 4.16667 course (this event has a daytime and nighttime course) within 60 minutes. A competitor “times out” if they are not able to finish a yard (loop) within 60 minutes or are not in the starting corral and does not start the next yard.
Schedule
Friday, May 17 (Friday times may change)
10 am: Runners may set up in the competitor's section starting at 10 am and begin to set up their tent area (the race and race personnel, nor the conference center, are responsible for tents and other items left on site)
Check in and bib pick up will be available from 4-6:30 pm. Bring your dinner and hang out with the JATR crew in the shelter area for a relaxing pre-race time (there are also a couple local restaurants where you can eat.
Saturday, May 18
6:00 am – racers that did not set up the day prior may arrive to set up. You are strongly encouraged to arrive early in order to ensure you are checked in and set up. Contestants must be in the starting corral at the start of the event whistle.
7:00 am – 7:20 am – bib pick up for racers that did not pick up bibs May 13
7:35 am - pre-race Brief - all runners must attend.
8:00 am – Daytime loop begins precisely at 8 am.
Any contestant not in the Starting Corral at the 8;00 am whistle is finished before they begin.
3 whistles will be blown 3 minutes before 8 am.
2 whistles will be blown 2 minutes before 8 am.
1 whistle will be blown 1 minute before 8 am.
An announcement will be made 30 seconds before 8 am. A 10 second countdown will take place at 10 seconds until 8, and a bell will ring at 8 am to begin the JATR Bayard Ultra.
6:00 pm – transition to nightime loop
Sunday, May 19
8:00 am – Daytime loop begins precisely at 8
6:00 pm – transition to nightime loop
Monday, May 20
8:00 am – Daytime loop begins
6:00 pm – transition to nightime loop
Tuesday, May 21
8:00 am – Daytime loop begins
Set up logistics - tents and shelter
We have a shelter area. Runners may set up at a picnic table - 6 to a table if everyone is using a table, plus space for chairs. But you also can bring a tent. Tents are set up in a field adjacent to the shelter. Be prepared for rain or sun.
• Each runner must provide the shelter if desired, nothing bigger than a 10x10 tent.
•Portable toilets will be provided for runners and their crew. We need an accurate count of crew for this purpose. You will be emailed two weeks prior to indicate crew numbers.
. You will not be able to crew from your car.
• Field spaces are available on a first arrive basis. Please be mindful to set up in a logical manner in order to provide access space for runners walking to the corral.
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Competitor’s space
We have a sheltered area next to the start line for runners. Runners may set up in a small area at one of the picnic tables or set up their own chair. You cannot "spread out" in this space due to the limits on size, but as other runners stop you can add more to your area here. Crew are able to help runners out, but please be mindful of space and try to limit crew to just one early in the event. As runners stop more crew cam assist. And runners are always welcome to go to their tents in between yards.
Portable restrooms
Portable restrooms will be lined up to be accessed during the loop. Runners may only leave the course directly to use the restroom – as the restrooms are directly off the course runners will not technically be off the course. They are also accessible during the transition period, however do not get stuck in a toilet as you must be in the starting corral and beginning with the ringing of the bell. Crew and volunteers are asked to not use the portable restrooms between fifteen minutes to the hour and directly after start in order to allow competitors to have access.
Aid Station
The race will provide aid station fare, but it's always a good idea to bring your own. We will have coffee going 24/7. Hot broth for the evening and night. Pizza will be provided for the evening - starting around 6 pm. Typical aid station items will be provided - chips, cookies, gummies, gels. A list will be sent out to runners a week or two prior to the race with specific items.
Competitor Tracking
Competitors will be manually tracked via bib logging. We will do our best to update Facebook and/or twitter, pending signals, so friends and family can follow along. We will log everyone’s distance on ultrasignup, although only the last person standing will be considered a finisher as everyone else is technically a DNF.
Yards
The day course will be run from 8 am to 6 pm. While not extraordinarily rooty, there are some technical sections. The day yard will consists of an initial road portion of about .5 miles (asphalt and road) to spread out runners, then trail (about 1 mile) and then road. We will do this twice - Daytime yard is a double loop. (This may change to a single loop pending logistics, however currently this is a double loop). Each yard is 4.16667. There is limited vert in this area, but it's not totally flat.
The night course will be a 4.16667 road course consisting of asphalt, gravel, and dirt. Headlamps or another illumination device is required by competitors for safety purposes. Failure to have a lighting device can result in being disqualified (exception if the lighting device fails mid-loop, but come prepared with backups as they will be required for future loops). Please note the airfield conference center does have the Airfield Shooting Club on the premises. We will not be running near the shooting range during our day yards, however you will hear the gun fire from the shooting range.
The night course will consist of two loops. The road portions of the loops is on the conference center property and we will not be running on public roads. Runners should still be cautious of road traffic due to conference center visitors and employees, volunteers, and race personnel.
The course will be wheel measured and accurately measured. GPS may be unreliable in this area. The course will be well marked.
Crew
Runners may only have one crew member in the shelter while more than half of the runners are in the event. This is due to space considerations in the competitor’s area. As space increases between runners and opens up runners may have more crew members assisting in the shelter. Runners and their crew are asked to try to have no more than two cars per team. Crew may not assist their runners while on their loop.
Lodging
Limited lodging is available via the conference facility. Registered runners will be emailed details to reserve a room. Reserve early as there is another event on site that has about half the rooms. If you’re unable to reserve a room on site you can also secure a room in localities near Wakefield, such as in Smithfield, Va.
You are permitted to tent camp Friday night. $10 per person and tent camping is on the same field as our tent set up for the event. There are RV sites that have electrical and water hookups, they are $30 per night. Campers with no hookup are $20 per night. You will need to contact the airfield directly to ensure your camper will fit. Please do not assume it will, unless it is a small conversion van size camper. If you are “car camping” you will still need to register your vehicle/reserve with the conference center and pay according to the center requirements. Details to make arrangements are in the confirmation email.
Event Rules
*we reserve the right to add additional rules prior to the event*
All rules will be enforced. Runners will be disqualified if they are caught not following the rules or acting in bad faith during the event. Further, a runner may be disqualified if their crew members do not follow applicable rules.
Backyard Ultra Rules: These rules are required by Laz for all Backyard Ultra (https://backyardultra.com/sign-up/) affiliated.
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.
JATR event additional rules.
• No dogs or other pets.
• No generators.
• Personal camp stoves are allowed but cannot be on brush or on decks and the area cleared for potential fire hazards. Stoves must be continuously monitored and may not at any time be left unattended.
• Headphones are allowed only during if you leave one earbud out to hear runners and cars.
• Trekking poles are not allowed. Items such as running vests, packs, bottles are allowed.
• Runners may not receive aid or stop at their tent along the course at any point until they complete their 4.1667 mile loop.
• Crew members may correspond with runners while they pass through the start line after their first loop, and offer verbal encouragement, but they cannot hand things off to the runners.
• Verbal encouragement and verbal correspondence is allowed during the loop, but absolutely no handing off aid of any kind whatsoever.
• Stopping at the portable toilets during the loop is permitted during the loop.
Weather: If a backyard event has to be stopped for some emergency, it can continue after the hiatus, starting back on the next full hour. The winner would still be the winner, but the totals would not count towards the at-large list, since they were not done continuously.
Cost and finisher items
The event cost for registration is $85. If you need to drop before March 15 we are able to provide a full refund (minus whatever ultrasignup fees you paid). Between March 15 and April 1 we can provide a 50% refund if you drop. After April 1 we are unable to offer refunds. We can refund the shirt purchase fee at any time up until shirts are ordered (generally 4 weeks prior to the event).
There is only one runner who will "finish". There are no ties. The event winner will receive a yet to be determined winner item and the other runners will receive an item to recognize their run.
Event's current local time: 10:59 AM ET
