SPARKS BACKYARD ULTRA
When:
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Saturday, May 22, 2027 at 9:00 am. The event goes until only one person is standing. Register here.
The Sparks Backyard Ultra will be held at beautiful Sparks Marina located at 300 Howard Drive, Sparks, Nevada 89434. We are proud to partner with the City of Sparks Parks & Recreation Department, whose mission of strengthening Sparks by protecting parks and natural resources while fostering recreation opportunities and special events enhances the city's image, economic vitality and quality of life (City of Sparks). These are values that align perfectly with the Biggest Little Ultra's commitment to community and endurance athletics.
The City of Sparks has proven time and again that #ItsHappeningHere with world-class special events throughout the year, and we are honored to add the Biggest Little Ultra (October 2026) and this Backyard Ultra (May 2027) to the city's impressive calendar. The Sparks Marina is minutes from the Reno Tahoe Airport and adjacent to several hotels and casinos, showcasing the city's thoughtful infrastructure that makes major events accessible to participants from across the country.
We are deeply grateful to Mayor Ed Lawson, the Sparks City Council, and Nancy O'Connor and Raquel Monserrat from the Sparks Park and Recreation Department for their partnership in making this event possible. The marina is the centerpiece of our races and provides a beautiful backdrop, while exemplifying everything that makes Sparks special: a community that celebrates outdoor recreation, supports athletic excellence, and warmly welcomes visitors from around the world.
Sparks Backyard Ultra is a qualifying event! Since the race is an official member of the Backyard Ultra Association, all Sparks Backyard Ultra entrants are eligible to earn a spot on the National Team for the Satellite Team Championships and the World Individual Championships at Big Dog's Backyard in Bell Buckle, TN. Everyone who reaches 100 miles goes on the "At Large" list for possible selection to compete in the World Championship.
We are also offering mini-Backyard races of 3, 6, and 12 hours. The same rules apply except these races end at your chosen time. There is no winner. You either finish your time or DNF if you don't run until the end of your chosen race time. These mini races are designed to introduce newcomers to the sport of ultra running in general and backyard ultras specifically. If you are up for more than 12 hours, you should enter the open ended Backyard Ultra race.
The Sparks Backyard Ultra will be a great opportunity to reach new distances and achieve a personal record. Your fellow runners will energize and incentivize you to go further and do better than you ever thought possible.
"It's not about how fast you can go, it's about how long you can last."
About The Sparks Backyard Ultra
Participants run a 4.167 mile course every hour until only one person is standing.
If you finish the 4.167 mile distance (called a "yard") within the hour, you can run the next yard. If you do not finish the yard within the hour, you are out of the race.
The 4.167 mile length is by design. Each lap of a Backyard Ultra evenly divides a 100 mile distance into 24 one-hour segments.
Since each loop around the Sparks Marina is 1.95 miles, the course will have an additional short loop at the beginning of each yard to ensure the 4.167 mile distance is accurate. This will be a short spur loop around the Peninsula. See course maps. We will have signs to guide runners, however after the first yard you will know the course and be able to follow without hesitation.
Backyard Ultra Course
1. Except for bathroom breaks, a competitor cannot leave the course until the yard is completed.
2. No personal aid during a yard. After completing a yard, the runner may go to their personal aid station for food, drinks, rest, and comfort.
3. Each yard must be completed in less than one hour to be counted.
4. No artificial aids allowed, including trekking poles.
5. Slower runners must yield to faster runners.
6. The winner ins the last person to complete a yard. All others are technically DNF.
7. If no participant can complete one more yard than anyone else, there is no winner.
Backyard Ultra Rules
Sparks Backyard Ultra is proud to be a Bronze Ticket race for 2027.
A Bronze event is a qualifying race, sanctioned by Lazarus Lake, within the "Road to Bigs" championship series. The winner (the last person standing) of the Sparks Backyard Ultra race earns a spot in a Silver Ticket event which is the next level up where participants compete for a place on their National Team for the World Team Championship.
The winner of the Sparks Backyard Ultra will receive a bronze coin which serves as a ticket to the Silver event.
So, start training and sign up now for a shot at a bronze ticket and a path to the individual world championships by way of the world team championships.
Backyard Ultra is a Bronze Ticket Event
The Sparks Backyard Ultra is now accepting registrations through Ultra Signup.
For those who don't want to sign up for the full Backyard experience, we are also offering mini-Backyard races of 3, 6, and 12 hours. The same rules apply except these races end at your chosen time. There is no winner. You either finish your time or DNF if you don't run until the end of your chosen race time. These mini races are designed to introduce newcomers to the sport of ultra running in general and backyard ultras specifically. If you are up for 12 hours or more, you should enter the open ended Backyard Ultra race.
Backyard Ultra Registration
We will give awards and provide cool race swag. Everyone who reaches 100 miles receives a belt buckle.
The overall winner, the Last Person Standing, receives a first place award. The second place receives the Assist Award. In addition, the top three males and top three females receive awards.
Every entrant who finishes at least five yards will receive a Finishers Award.
For the Mini Backyard: Every runner who finishes their chosen time receives an award.
Backyard Ultra Awards
We will provide water and ice, as well as normal aid station fare (individually wrapped pretzels, chips, gu, etc.). We will have tents, chairs, and cots.
You can bring your own aid station if you choose (pop-up, chairs, etc.) and whatever other drinks and food you want for the race. The wind can blow hard in Sparks: if you bring your own aid station, be sure to also bring weights to hold it down in case of strong wind gusts.
Backyard Ultra Aid Stations
Historically, May is a warm weather month for the Sparks, Nevada area. However, come prepared for heat, cold, rain and wind. We never know what mother nature will offer up on race day to make it interesting!
Backyard Ultra Weather
