Babbitts Backyard Ultra

Babbitts Backyard Ultra is held in Flagstaff, Arizona, on September 26, 2026. It uses the Last Person Standing format: runners complete a loop each hour, on the hour, and the event continues until only one person is still finishing laps within the time limit. There is no fixed distance, so how far you go depends entirely on how many hours you keep answering the bell. The event takes place on trails near Flagstaff at high elevation in northern Arizona.

Backyard ultras suit runners who prefer a mental game to a fixed finish line, and they work for a wide range of abilities because you can stop whenever you choose. Beginners can treat it as a self-paced long day, while experienced ultrarunners push into the night. Train with time on your feet at an easy pace rather than speed, practice eating and resting within short breaks, and rehearse running the same loop repeatedly without losing focus. Altitude will make each lap feel harder than the distance suggests, so pace conservatively.