Merritt Backyard Ultra 2026

"My name is David Coulombe and I’m a new constable with the Merritt RCMP. Merritt Backyard Ultra is my CAPRA Project, a community-driven initiative that each new RCMP member completes as part of their training process. As a seasoned long-distance runner, I chose this project because running has given me resilience, balance and so much more in my own life.My hope is to share those positive benefits by bringing our community together for a meaningful challenge in support of an important cause."Start Time: 7:00 AMCategories: Individual or Team (2–4 participants)Entry Fee: $100 per person(All proceeds go directly to Cops for Kids. More info about the foundation: https://copsforkids.org/)Individual Race:The race begins at 7:00 AM for all participants. Each runner must complete the 6.7 km loop and return to the start/finish area before 7:59:59 to be eligible for the next loop, which starts exactly at the top of the next hour. This continues until only one runner remains.The final remaining runner must complete one solo loop to be declared the winner. Finish early? Use the remaining time to rest, eat, and prepare for the next hour!Team Race (2–4 members):Only one team member runs each loop at a time. The runner must finish the loop within the hour for the team to continue. Teams may complete a maximum of 24 loops.