A backyard ultra consists of a 6,7 km or 4,8-mile yard. This yard is run individually (this format is thus NOT a tag-team event – although one can run as “part of a team”). Each yard starts on exactly the hour, and you have one hour to complete the yard. If you complete the yard in less than an hour then you can use the remainder of the time to rest and eat…and go to the loo…and get coffee…or chat to a friend…or pat the local trail dog…or… However, once the hours is up the next yard starts, and those not in the designed area (called the corral) will be disqualified. This goes on and on….and on and on…..and on and…and on and on…and on and on…and on and…and on and on…and on and on…and on and…and on and on…and on and on…and on and…and on and on…and on and on…and on and…and on and on…and on and on…until!…..there is only one person left. This person is declared the winner by Knighthood (or Ladyhood) by the King, and is crowned the Ultimate, Most Bestest, and Greateststest, Champion, Unicorn-slayer, Ruler of all Yards and Demi-God of the Potch Big Backyard Ultra!!
Ok, maybe s/he is just the winner, and the rest gets DNFs
Rules
- Each runner must be within the designed corral before the start of each yard.
- Each runner must complete the designed yard in the direction so decided upon by the Unicorn within one hour (that is 60 minutes).
- Each runner must cross the start/finish line at the start and finish of each yard, thus ensuring that exactly 6,7km has been completed….more or less.
- Each yard starts precisely sixty minutes after the last (that is one hour).
- A warning will be given, by the blow of a whistle, or Koedoe horn, three, two and one minutes prior to the start of the next yard.
- A sacrificial lamb will be slaughtered thirty seconds befo….ok not really!
- All competitors must start at the bell (or something similar making a hellofa noise) from within the designated corral – no late starts are allowed.
- Except for restrooms (read: veldties), competitors may not leave the course until each yard is complete.
- No personal aid during a yard (handing and receiving anything is considered “aiding”).
- No artificial aids on the course (including trekking poles, voodoo dolls, blankies and safe animals).
- Slower runners must allow passes (and dropkicks, scrums and dummies).
- Once a runner quits, s/he is required, by law – traditional and Roman – to take up the Spanner of Shame and announce her/his failure to the world, by slamming the Dis of Disgrace!
- The winner is the last person to complete a yard.
- All other runners will receive a hearty DNF.
- Results of each runner in terms of distance covered are to be given (note, our timing system might be a wee bit different that your Strava, but we don’t care!)
- If no runner can complete one more yard than anyone else, then, well, there is no winner.
- The race is open-ended (this means we do not determine the maximum amount of yards run).
- Nothing else happens at the PBBU until the Unicorn approves.