Austin's Backyard Ultra • Marathon • Full • Half & Memorial Day Remembrance Run 4 Miler • 8 Miler
From Fit Foundation
Event summary
Whether you're a seasoned marathoner chasing the coveted Bronze Ticket or participating to honor a loved one, the scenic course winds through stunning wildflower meadows and shaded woodland along the Colorado River, promising expansive views and a challenging terrain. The highlight of the weekend is the Backyard Ultra, where participants take on a rugged challenge to see who can complete the most 4.2-mile loops within an hour, testing their mental and physical limits. Celebrate community, remembrance, and personal achievement as you tackle the trails and create lasting memories in this vibrant atmosphere. Don’t miss out on this exceptional experience—register now and join the fun!
Races
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The 4 Mile March (Ruck)
Incl. $4.60 Fee & T-Shirt
RegisterSunday, May 30, 2027 (7:00 AM CDT)
$64.59
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Remembrance Run Half-Marathon
Incl. $6.40 Fee & T-Shirt
RegisterSunday, May 30, 2027 (7:00 AM CDT)
$96.39
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The 8 Mile March
Incl. $5.20 Fee & T-Shirt
Entries closedSunday, May 30, 2027 (8:00 AM CDT)
$75.19
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The 8 Mile March (Ruck)
Incl. $5.20 Fee & T-Shirt
Entries closedSunday, May 30, 2027 (8:00 AM CDT)
$75.19
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Austin's Backyard Ultra
Incl. $11.20 Fee & T-Shirt
Backyard Ultra: Official Race Rules Backyard Ultra is a unique format of endurance running. It is not a race for a set distance, nor a race for a set time. The objective is for each runner to cover the maximum distance possible for their level of ability. There is only one winner, the runner who covers the greatest total distance, but every participant plays a role in the outcome, and many runners will achieve distances they never thought possible along the way. 1. Starting Corral All runners must be inside the corral before the starting bell. 2. Starting Each Yard Each "Yard" (one loop of the course) begins exactly one hour after the previous Yard started. Runners will receive warnings at 3 minutes, 2 minutes, and 1 minute before the starting bell. All runners must start at the bell. Late starts are not permitted. If you are not in the corral at the bell, your race is over. 3. During a Yard Once a Yard begins, runners may not leave the course except for restroom breaks. No non-competitors, including runners who have already been eliminated, may accompany an active runner on the course. No personal aid (food, water, pacing, coaching, etc.) is allowed while a Yard is in progress. Each Yard must be completed in under one hour to count. Any runner who does not finish the loop within the hour is eliminated. No artificial aids of any kind are permitted, including trekking poles. Faster runners have the right of way. Slower runners must yield and allow themselves to be passed. 4. Timing Keeping individual lap times is optional and left to each runner's discretion. 5. Winner and Results The winner is the last runner remaining who successfully completes one more Yard than every other competitor. All other runners, including the second-place finisher, are officially recorded as DNF (Did Not Finish). Final results will list every runner's total number of Yards completed. If the field cannot produce a runner who completes one more Yard than all others (for example, if the last two runners both stop at the same point), no winner will be declared for that edition of the race. By registering for this event, all runners agree to abide by these rules. Any runner who does not start at the bell, leaves the course during an active Yard (except for a restroom break), receives outside aid, or fails to complete a Yard within one hour will be marked as eliminated.
RegisterSaturday, May 29, 2027 (7:00 AM CDT)
$181.19
Organiser's description
HOW FAR WILL YOU GO?
"So, the last shall be first, and the first last"
BRONZE TICKET QUALIFIER
[Turkey Bend wildflower meadow with Hill Country horizon]
TEXAS HILL COUNTRY WILD
Our event takes place at Turkey Bend LCRA Recreation Area near Lago Vista and Marble Falls, Texas. The course traces a peninsula along the Colorado River, winding through open meadows, wildflower fields, and shaded Hill Country woodland. Expansive views. Rolling terrain. Wildflower invasions in spring. A landscape that earns every mile you put into it.
Join us for Austin's Backyard Marathon & Memorial Day Remembrance Run, a race weekend built around endurance, community, and remembrance. Whether you're chasing the Bronze Ticket, your first marathon, or running to honor someone, you'll find your distance and your reason at Turkey Bend.
COURSE RECORDS
MARATHON
Sayo Ajima (F) 401; Roberto Pichardo (M) 542
HALF-MARATHON
Nicky Coburn (F) 152; Jose Perez (M) 208
BACKYARD UTRA
Sarah Sharpe (F) 27 Yards + 1 Victory Lap = 28 Yards
THE BACKYARD ULTRA FORMAT
SATURDAY LAST PERSON STANDING CHALLENGE
Austin's Backyard Ultra is a premier, rugged challenge. Its not just a race against the clock; its a race against the Texas Hill Country terrain. Not your average flat backyard. This is an officially sanctioned Backyard Ultra and part of the _TEXAS BACKYARD ULTRA SERIES_ https://runsignup.com/Series/texasbackyardultra. One 4.2-mile loop. One hour to complete it. A new loop starts at the top of every hour. Miss the cutoff, you're out. Last runner remaining wins.
ONE UNIFIED COURSE that all runners follow, through full sun, through dusk, through the long midnight hours, into Sunday's dawn if you make it that far.
The course is anchored by a central start/finish corral located near the park's main camping clusters. This is home base, where crews refuel runners and runners reset between yards. Where the race is won and lost not in the running, but in those few minutes between hours.
Earn every yard. Climb every hour. Austin's Backyard Ultra is a bucket-list event for runners who want to test their true power, not just their flat pacing.
[Rodeo Trail Run]
The trail itself is a 4.2-mile out-and-back along the Turkey Bend peninsula with a tight finishing lollipop. Wildflower meadows, lakeside views, and Hill Country woodland in alternating sections. Reflective markers guide runners through the nighttime hours. The course rewards a steady, efficient pace and a calm mind. One more hour at a time.
_PAID BY THE MILE:_
The last runner standing receives an event champion's trophy and a check for _$2 PER MILE_ covered, rounded to the nearest dollar. The winner also earns a complimentary entry to the next race on The Last Frontier Circuit. Prize money is awarded to an official winner only (final loop completed solo). Entry is non-transferable; if the winner is already registered for that race, they receive a credit they can apply to a future race or merch.
_THE TEXAS BACKYARD SERIES PASS OPTIONS_
Want the ultimate circuit experience? Choose a Bundle during checkout to unlock exclusive contender privileges:
* Mailed Legacy Bib: Your permanent number for the entire season, shipped straight to your door. Zero race-day lines (Must be registered at least 3 weeks before the first race day for guaranteed delivery).
* Priority Crew Pit Setup: Premium space allocation closest to the starting corral at all venues.
* Injury Deferral Insurance: Clean, hassle-free single-race transfers if your training block gets sidelined.
A BACKYARD ULTRA IS WON AT THE REST CHAIR, NOT THE STARTING LINE. CLICK _HERE _ https://open.substack.com/pub/fitfoundation/p/week-1-welcome-to-the-loop?r=2rcg7v&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=webTO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, TRAINING PLANS, PACING STRATEGY, AND THE MENTAL PLAYBOOK FOR THE BELL. EVERY WEDNESDAY, STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.
SUNDAY MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBRANCE RUN
The Memorial Day Remembrance Run is a chance to cover ground with purpose. Run in honor of someone. Run, ruck, or walk in their memory. Run because you can, and they cannot. Run the same unified course as the Backyard Ultra athletes. Same trail. Same wildflower-lined Hill Country views. Half the chaos, all of the experience.
Four distances. One course. No clock pressure.
MARATHON (26.2 MILES): Seven loops total six 4.2-mile main loops plus one 1-mile finishing loop.
HALF MARATHON (13.1 MILES): Four loops total three 4.2-mile main loops plus one 1-mile finishing loop.
THE 4 MILE MARCH
THE 8 MILE MARCH
You'll share the trail with Bronze Ticket hopefuls. Some of them will still be on course when you finish. That's part of the magic of race weekend at Turkey Bend. While the trail may still hold a backyard ultra runner or two, somewhere past hour twenty, still answering the bell, a new group lines up at dawn.
A brief moment of silence and reflection will occur at the start line to honor the purpose of the day.
If you share the trail with a backyard ultra runner, give them room. Cheer for them. They've been out here a long time.
THE RULES FOR THE LAST RUNNER STANDING
* The course is a 4.2-mile unified loop
* A new loop starts at the top of each hour
* Participants must complete each loop within the hour to continue
* Runners are eliminated if they fail to complete a loop in time or choose not to start the next loop
* The last person to complete a loop is declared the overall winner
RACE DISTANCE EQUIVALENTS
[Rodeo Trail Run]
HALF MARATHON
3 + 1 Loops
13.1 miles
MARATHON
6 + 1 Loops
26.2 miles
50K
7 + 1 Loops
31.4 miles
50 MILES
12 Loops
50.4 miles
100K
15 Loops
62.8 miles
100 MILES
24 Loops
100.8 miles
[Race photo 1] [Race photo 2] [Race photo 3] [Race photo 4] [Race photo 5] [Race photo 6] [Race photo 7] [Race photo 8] [Race photo 9] [Race photo 10] [Race photo 11] [Race photo 12]
[Race photo 1] [Race photo 2] [Race photo 3] [Race photo 4]
AWARDS
FINISHER WOODALLION
Complete at least one loop
HALF MARATHON MEDAL
Complete 13.1 miles
MARATHON MEDAL
Complete 26.2 miles
ULTRA MEDAL
Complete 8+ loops (31+ miles)
LAST PERSON STANDING
Overall winner award
WHAT'S INCLUDED
EVENT ENTRY
Access to this unique endurance challenge in the Texas Hill Country
CUSTOM EVENT SHIRT
Commemorative shirt to remember your achievement
FINISHER'S MEDAL
Earn a medal by completing at least one loop
AID STATION SUPPORT
Fully stocked aid stations to keep you going hour after hour
WHO WILL BE THE LAST PERSON STANDING?
How many loops can you complete? Ready to Test Your Limits?
One loop. One hour. One more hour. Join us at Turkey Bend for a race weekend you won't forget.
REGISTER NOW
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Location
4000 Shaw Dr., Marble Falls, 78654, TX, United States
Austin's Backyard Ultra • Marathon • Full • Half & Memorial Day Remembrance Run 4 Miler • 8 Miler
Fit Foundation
Running events in the Austin area
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