BACKYARD ULTRA RULES
Miami Backyard Ultra follows the traditional, open-ended Backyard Ultra format. Every runner competes under the same rules.
1. The Course
- Each yard is 4 miles and 880 feet, or 6.7056 km, approximately 4.167 miles.
- A Backyard course may be a loop or an out-and-back. MBU's final measured course map will be published before race day.
2. The Starting Corral
- The starting corral is measured to accommodate the full starting field.
- The corral stays the same size throughout the event.
- Every active runner must be inside the corral when the bell rings.
3. Hourly Starts
- Each yard begins exactly one hour after the previous yard started.
- Warnings are given three minutes, two minutes and one minute before the bell.
- All active runners must start with the field at the bell.
- There are no late starts. You cannot skip a yard and rejoin later.
4. During a Yard
- Complete the entire yard in less than one hour for it to count. This applies to every yard, including the deciding yard.
- No personal aid is permitted during a yard. Crew assistance is only permitted between yards in the designated support area.
- Common race aid may be available under the event's published procedures. Final locations and procedures will be included in the Athlete Guide; no particular on-course aid station is confirmed.
- No non-competitor may accompany an active runner on the course. This includes pacers, crew, spectators and eliminated runners.
- You may not leave the course before completing the yard, except for restroom use.
- Artificial aids, including trekking poles, are prohibited.
- Slower runners must allow other runners to pass.
5. Winner and Results
- There is one official winner: the final runner who successfully completes one additional yard after all other runners are unable to continue.
- If no runner completes one more yard than everyone else, there is no winner.
- All other runners technically record a DNF. Each runner's completed yards remain their official result.
- Individual yard times may be recorded, but running earlier yards faster does not determine the winner.
6. Open-Ended Competition
There is no predetermined yard cap, maximum finishing distance or preset finishing time. Miami Backyard Ultra continues until the Backyard format determines the outcome.
Read the complete rules before registering and review the Athlete Guide for final course, crew and site procedures.
