Andy's Backyard Ultra

Andy's Backyard Ultra is run in Earlysville, Virginia, starting October 24, 2026 at 7:00 a.m. It follows the backyard ultra format: runners repeat the same loop, setting off again at the top of every hour, and anyone who fails to start the next lap on time is out. There is no fixed finish line — the event continues until a single runner is left.

This format is less about speed than about arithmetic and self-control. Each lap has to be run slowly enough to leave you time to eat, change and sit down before the next hour begins, and the runners who last longest are usually the ones who were most disciplined in the early laps. Prepare with long back-to-back weekends, practice eating while your stomach is unsettled, and have a crew, a chair and dry clothes ready before you need them.