- Courtney Dauwalter has won the 2020 Big’s Backyard Ultra, running 68 4.16667-mile loops, which ties the race record set in 2018.
- The 35-year-old outlasted a strong field that included Harvey Lewis, Amelia Boone, and Maggie Guterl.
- Belgium’s Karel Sabbe won the international competition, completing 75 loops.
Courtney Dauwalter has captured the crown at the U.S. Big’s Backyard Ultra, two years after coming in second.
In the annual event, hosted by Barkley Marathons creator Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell, runners complete a 4.16667-mile loop every 60 minutes until one runner has done one more loop than anyone else. This year, Dauwalter tied the record for the most loops on the official course in Bell Buckle, Tennessee (set in 2018 by Johan Steene of Sweden), completing 68 loops—283.33 miles.
The race saw many firsts this year. Because of numerous travel restrictions around the globe due to the coronavirus pandemic, the international field (75 percent of the 2020 field, which was picked in 2019) was unable to participate in-person.
Laz took inspiration from the Quarantine Backyard Ultra from April and decided to make the event partially-virtual and entirely live-streamed. So this year, more than 20 countries fielded teams of, at most, 15 runners, and ran their own backyard ultras simultaneously. The countries competed against each other to see who could last the longest and rack up the most yards (total distance). Though the races would run together, each satellite event would be a stand-alone race, meaning once a winner of that event was found, their race was over.
Team USA had one of the strongest fields with names like Dauwalter, 2019 winner Maggie Guterl, Harvey Lewis, and Amelia Boone toeing the line. Along with Sarah Moore, Gabe Rainwater, Jacob Conrad, and Olivier Leblond, they all made it through the first 33 hours before the top half of the field started to slowly fall off over the second day. On the 40th loop, the reigning champ, Guterl, missed the cutoff, ending her race.
STAY UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST RUNNING STORIES WITH ALL ACCESS TO RUNNERSWORLD.COM!
As the sun rose and the third day began on Monday, two more fell when Moore and Rainwater did not start the 49th loop. They were followed by Conrad, who would finished third after exiting the 50th loop early without finishing.
This left Dauwalter and Lewis in a battle of former runners-up. For nearly 24 hours, they both sought the record and even came within striking distance of the fabled 72-hour mark. However, as night hit, the runners continued to grow tired. They pushed each other to keep going until the 68th loop—both runners left the starting corral on the loop that would tie Steene’s existing record, but only one would finish the loop. Lewis turned back to camp not long after starting, giving Dauwalter the chance to win if she completed the loop.
As expected, she came back to camp just before 4 a.m. ET, getting herself the win in the U.S. race and tying the Big’s Backyard Ultra official record. This adds to Dauwalter’s growing list of accolades that includes winning the 2019 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, winning 2018 Western States, and outrightly winning the 2017 Moab 240.
The U.S. team was the second-to-last team standing. The Belgian team was the last international team standing, with Appalachian Trail speed record holder Karel Sabbe winning the overall race in 75 hours (over 300 miles). Runners from Mexico ran for 62 hours for third; the final three, all of whom were Rarámuri, ran for 24 hours together.
As a team, the U.S. athletes took second in the yards race with 517 yards (for the international race, 1 yard = 4.16667 miles, because the ultra courses around the world were slightly different distances).
This article will be updated once the races end and when we can catch up with the runners.
4 Must-Haves for Your Best Trail Run
Repels ticks, mosquitoes, etc.
Amphipod Amphipod Handheld
Self-sealing cap with 16 or 20 oz capacity
Black Diamond Black Diamond Spot Headlamp
Packs 300 lumens of adjustable light
Six assorted flavors with caffeine (24 count)
Andrew Dawson
Gear & News Editor
Drew covers a variety of subjects for Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand. His work has previously been published in Men’s Health.
FAQs
American ultrarunning legends Courtney Dauwalter and Harvey Lewis pushed each other beyond previous limits at Big's Backyard Ultra, with Dauwalter completing a record 68 laps and accumulating 283.33 miles to win the event in the early morning hours of October 20 after nearly three full days of running with very little ...
How fast does Courtney Dauwalter run 100 miles? ›
Selected race results
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|
| 2023 | Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc | 23:29:14 |
| Hardrock 100 | 26:14:12 |
| Western States 100 | 15:29:34 |
| Bandera 100k | 8:59:34 |
20 more rowsDauwalter has figured out a way to test the limits of her mental strength without cracking, to train with an attuned intuition, and to withstand the pressure of other people's assumptions of what she's capable of. And still, for her the best part of training and racing is the tinkering.
What is the record for the backyard ultra world championship? ›
Records. The longest distance recorded by a competitor in a backyard ultra event is 108 laps (450 miles (720 km)) achieved by American runner Harvey Lewis during the 2023 Big's Backyard Ultra in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, USA.
Who is the woman record for the ultra marathon? ›
American distance runner Camille Heron completed 220 laps over the course of the six-day ultra marathon, totalling 560.33 miles (901.7km) and beating Sandra Barwick's previous record, unbeaten since 1990, by 11 miles.
How fast do you have to run an ultramarathon? ›
Broadly speaking, if you settle into 8-min/miles early on and are doing 10-min-miles on similar terrain many hours later, you'll likely have had a good race.
What pace does Courtney Dauwalter run at? ›
Dauwalter had a decisive lead over Schide by the time she ran through Foresthill (mile 62) in 10th place overall, and then averaged 9:15 mile-pace over the final 30 miles of the course.
Why does Courtney Dauwalter wear long shorts? ›
In an interview with iRunFar, Dauwalter said, “Growing up I've always preferred longer shorts, they're more comfortable to me.
Has an American male ever won UTMB? ›
Jim Walmsley has finally won the UTMB 2023, finishing the world's most iconic ultramarathon in a time of 19:37:43. No American man had ever won the race in its 20 year history, but Walmsley has finally broken the barrier to claim the title at his fifth attempt.
What does Courtney Dauwalter eat during races? ›
During races, Dauwalter mostly subsists on liquids—primarily a lot of water and Tailwind Endurance Fuel, a calorie- and electrolyte-rich product that comes in numerous flavors—including this summer's limited-edition “Dauwatermelon with Lime” flavor that debuted in June before Western States.
While the London Backyard Ultra is an ultimate test of physical endurance, sleep remains a crucial component of success. Embrace power naps, strategically time your sleep cycles, and create a comfortable resting area. Prioritise rest to stay mentally sharp and physically resilient throughout the event.
What is the prize money for the backyard ultra? ›
Sydney's Backyard Ultra Returns!
Immerse yourself in a unique test of stamina, with participants running a 6.706km loop on the hour, every hour until only one remains. The top male and female runners, those last standing, will each receive a grand prize of $1000. For additional information, visit our website.
How to qualify for Bigs backyard ultra? ›
Road to Bigs Backyard Ultra and National glory…
- There are 6 Silver Ticket races, the winner of each of those races will automatically get a place in Team Belgium.
- The other 9 places go to those runners that achieve the most yards in ANY backyard (in Belgium or abroad) between August 16, 2022 and August 15, 2024.
Aryasova, a Russian, won the marathon's grand $100,000 prize because she was the first runner – male or female – to cross the finish line downtown. The elite female runners had a 19-minute, 38-second head start on the men's field, and usually that makes for good TV during the last few miles of the marathon.
Where is Courtney Dauwalter from? ›
Raised in Hopkins, Minnesota, Courtney has loved running since her track and cross-country days in high school. She also excelled in Nordic skiing, winning the Minnesota state championships four times in her teens.
Who is the fastest woman in the world to complete a marathon? ›
Peres Jepchirchir: Fastest marathon (female, women-only race) - 02:16:16. Richard Whitehead: Fastest marathon (LA3) (male) - 02:42:01. Simone Carniglia: Fastest marathon by a type 1 diabetic (male) - 02:44:33.
How fast do people run 100-mile races? ›
Fast is a relative term in ultrarunning. The winner of a race could finish in 18 hours, but the back of the pack might take 34 hours to complete the same race. Generally, most 100-milers take 20-30 hours.
What running poles does Courtney Dauwalter use? ›
Courtney's Favorite Trekking Poles
Your arms and core get to help with the work, and having some extra points of contact on the ground can be really helpful. I use Leki poles and carry them in what is called a “quiver” - which is an attachment you can add to your pack to stow the poles when you aren't using them.
What is the Western States 100 course record? ›
Courtney Dauwalter holds the open female course record with a time of 15:29:33, set in 2023 and breaking Ellie Greenwood's record set in 2012. Jim Walmsley, from Arizona, holds the open male course record with a time of 14:09:28, set in 2019.
What is a 100-mile ultra marathon? ›
Around 100 miles (160 km) is typically the longest course distance raced in under 24 hours, but there are also longer multiday races commonly held as 48 hours, 200 miles (320 km), or more, sometimes raced in stages with breaks for sleep.
