SRC Presents: A Backyard Ultra

This flag packs power while being portable and long lasting. Display it at home, in the office, off your car and at your next ultra. This single reverse knitted polyester flag comes mounted on a 24" black staff for easy display.

Giveaway is for Backyard Ultra participants only.

We are looking to motivate participants to challenge themselves with our Backyard Ultra. When you earn a milestone it will be listed in the race results posted on the website. You will also receive a milestone sticker that can be placed on your DNF souvenir at the conclusion of your race.

Beyond a Half Marathon - Completing 4 laps.
Beyond a Marathon - Completing 7 laps.
Chasing the Sun - Run from 8 am - 5 pm, completing 9 laps
Fifty - Completing 12 laps, 50 miles
24 Hours - Complete 24 laps, 100 miles

Since there can only be 1 finisher at a Backyard Ultra, each participant will receive a DNF magnet at the conclusion of their event. You can proudly display it somewhere prominent and look at it everyday until next year's race where it will motivate you to complete more milestones and DNF again. Each magnet will have empty spots to display your milestone stickers that you earn.

For the finisher of the SRC Presents: Backyard Ultra, you will receive a high quality camping chair. This chair will be 1 of 1 and you can proudly bring it to all your ultra events. With the race logo and "Finisher" prominently placed on the chair you can let everyone know that you're Backyard Ultra royalty.

Unsure what a Backyard Ultra is all about, come run the 1 lapper! Join us for 1 lap of the course, spectate and cheer on your running buddies, and get a feel for what this type of event is all about. Then you will be ready to join us in 2024! 

• You can pick up your bib early from Smithtown Running Company:
  
  • Thursday, December 7th - 11 am - 7 pm
  • Friday, December 8th - 11 am - 5 pm
• Race morning you can pick up your bib starting at 6:45 am from the start/finish line area.

What is a Backyard Ultra?

A Backyard Ultra is a form of ultramarathon race where competitors must consecutively run the distance of 6706 meters (4.167 miles) in less than one hour. When each lap is completed, the remaining time within the hour is typically used to recover for the next hour’s race. 

The event is open ended and will continue until there is one participant remaining.

• All competitors must start at the bell (no late starts)
• Except for restrooms, competitor may not leave the course until each loop is completed
• No non-competitors on the course (including eliminated runners and pacers)
• No personal aid during a loop
• Each loop must be completed within an hour to be counted, including the final lap.
• No artificial aids (including trekking poles).
• Participants must stay to their right to allow room for passing.
• Required safety gear that participants must have in order to participate: headlamp/flashlight, reflective vest and blinking lights
  
  

Determining a Finisher

• There must be at least 2 runners to start the next hours race. The finisher is the last person to complete a loop.
• All others are a DNF.
• If no runner can complete one more loop than anyone else, there are no finishers.
  
  

Race Format

SRC Presents: A Backyard Ultra will start at 8:00 am SHARP on Saturday! The race will start on the "Day Loop" and then move to the "Night Loop" at 5 pm (it's an out and back on roads) from 5 pm until 8 am the next morning (Sunday). At 8 am, runners still left in the race will switch back to the Day Loop until 5 pm on Sunday night. If there are still runners left at 5 pm, they will switch to the Night Loop again.

• Before the start of each loop, we will go through the following protocol as such indicating time until the start.
  • 3 minutes before the start
  • 1 minute before the start
  • 30 seconds will be announced before start
  • 10 seconds will be counted down before the start
  • START (Bell or Horn)
• You have ONE HOUR to finish the loop once it has started. If you finish a loop within the hour, you have the opportunity to START the NEXT hour provided you are IN the start corral when the next hour starts. If you do not finish within the hour, you are OUT of the race and considered a DNF.
  • Once you are on the course, you are not allowed any aid from your crew. You are not allowed to return to camp once the loop has started. You must be ON and STAY on the course, unless you need to use the bathroom (please do so off the trail or road discreetly).
  • Once you are back to the start and assuming you've finished within the hour, you may use the bathroom, eat, drink, sleep, ponder the next loop, etc., but you MUST be back in the start corral or you will be considered a DNF (NO EXCEPTIONS). This means you MAY NOT start late (even if you are in bathroom). You may also choose not to continue though you will be considered a DNF.
• When ending your race you must notify the race director or volunteer at the start/finish line, DO NOT go to the timing tent and tell them.

Required Safety Gear

If you plan on running through the night you will need the following items to be allowed on the course. These will be checked at check in. The safety gear will be required from 4 pm - 8 am. 

• Headlamp with spare/rechargeable batteries
• Reflective vest
• Flashing/Strobe light

These items are required and you will not be allowed on the course without them. You should bring your own and be familiar with using them. If you need to purchase, there are items in the store available. The purchased items will be handed out at bib pick up.

Aid Station

There will be a common aid station at the start/finish area that will be available for all runners. It will be stocked with all the usual aid station items at an ultra marathon. You will be able to set up a small chair/snack table of your own to use near the start/finish area. One crew member will be able to assist at the start/finish area only. Please keep crews to a minimum especially early on in the race. No on course support or pacers from your crew. There will be no aid station on the course, just a help yourself water station.

Sport drink, gels and bars will be provided by NeverSecond. Read more about them below.

Aid Station Stock
PBJ
Quesadilla - Cheese & Wraps
Perogies
Bacon
Broth - Bullion
Bananas
Gummy Bears
Trail Mix
Potato Chips
Pretzels
Soda - Coke, Mtn Dew, Ginger Ale
Canned Potatoes
Pickles
Coffee
Tea
Salt
Hot Water

The Course

Daytime Course - 8 am - 5 pm

Mix of single track and bridal path trails, some root, sand sections and fallen trees with 2 wooden foot bridge crossings and approximately 135 ft of elevation change. The course will be marked with survey flags and arrows at prominent turns. There will be a self serve water stop at ~2.7 miles into the loop.

Garmin GPX Link

Nighttime Course - 5 pm - 8 am

• 2.5 Out & Back Laps
  • 3 Northerly direction
  • 2 Southerly direction

Blacktop and hard packed dirt road with approximately 145 ft of elevation change. This course will be marked with road markings, cones and arrows.

Garmin GPX Link

Google Maps Link

Parking

Backyard Ultra participants will receive a parking pass at bib pick up that will allow them to park in the picnic area near the start/finish area.

1 Lapper participants and crew members will use the boat launch and dog park parking lots to park.

Please DO NOT park on the roadway as this is part of the course. We ask that participants trying to leave after the conclusion of their event do so 10 minutes after the start of the next hour's race and 10 minutes prior to the conclusion of that hour's race. When leaving in the dark please drive with extra caution as there will be participants on the road course for the duration of that hour's race.

You can view the parking lots on the Google Maps Link.

Staging

SRC Presesnts: A Backyard Ultra will be staged in the picnic area at Blydenburgh County Park.

Parking is for Backyard Ultra participants. You will receive a parking pass at bib pick up. If you do not pick up early you can show your confirmation email to gain access to this lot. 1 Lapper participants and crew members should park in the boat launching or dog park lots. DO NOT PARK ON THE ROAD, this is part of the course.

The starting coral will be directly behind the start/finish line noted by the green line. You must be in this area at the start of every hour's race or you will be eliminated from the race.

The yellow shaded area will be a common aid station and an area where each participant of the ultra will be able to set up a camping chair and a small amount of things. This area is next to the start/finish line. We request that only 1 crew member assist you in this area, especially early on in the event. 

The purple shaded areas will be open for you to set up a personal aid station with a more elaborate set up. Please keep to a 6'x6' area and if bringing canopies they should be no larger than that 6'x6'. Please no camping tents. Self contained camping is available at the campground. More Information Here

Port-a-potties will be located right next to the bath house near the start/finish line.

Founded in 1978, the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference is a unique non-profit grassroots organization that has created more than 200 miles of hiking paths on Long Island, including three National Recreation Trails. We are dedicated to protecting open space and our scenic Greenbelt trails for all to enjoy.

Since our founding, we have led more than 7,000 guided hikes, and now lead more than 200 free guided hikes each year. Our volunteers have donated a total of 500,000+ volunteer hours to Long Island’s parks and trails.

More Information

The EQUIPE SESTRIERE-XT, a high performance trail shoe that was built to ensure protection in any terrain conditions. With the same 5mm drop and DD Anima midsole of the Nucleo, this shoe will feature an aggressive outsole design influenced by the hoof pattern of the Ibex mountain goats that roam this region of Italy.

The name "Sestriere" comes directly from the mountain range in Piedmont, Italy that is a popular travel destination for running and skiing. For us, this holds a more specific purpose as it was a crucial training ground of our Head of Product, Gelindo Bordin. Even more so, there is a specific trail named after him in this region- "Sentiero Gelindo Bordin" which you can see pictured below:

Our on course fueling will be provided by NeverSecond.

FORMULATED AS A SYSTEM THAT WORKS TOGETHER TO HELP ENDURANCE ATHLETES PERFORM BETTER.
Through many years of working with professional athletes and teams, we consistently hear stories about how nutrition derailed an otherwise successful race. The reality is that most endurance athletes do not know how much carbohydrate they need to consume during training and racing. Further, the products they consume contain arbitrary carbohydate values. This causes a significant amount of confusion, product misuse and inconsistent performance. Neversecond’s C-SERIES energy gels & hydration sports drinks are designed to help endurance athletes consume the right amount of energy based on scientific research. We help athletes fuel smarter, so that they can perform better both during training and on race day.

More Information

or stop in at SRC and get the scoop from our staff.

Hydration
The vast majority of "hydration" and "electrolyte" mixes are developed by marketers sitting at desks. They are too sweet, too salty, too flavorful and full of all sorts of ingredients which serve no purpose and which can actually impede performance? Our drink mixes contain only 4 ingredients - maltodextrin, fructose, sodium and natural flavor. Each serving delivers fast-absorbing energy by 2:1 maltodextrin-to-fructose carbohydrate blend and 200mg of sodium. Our drink mixes are pH-neutral to minimize the risk of stomach problems. They are purpose-built to fuel and hydrate endurance athletes to their best performances.

Gels
Energy gels have been around since the mid 1990s. Unfortunately, they have not changed much - until now. Neversecond's C30 Energy Gels are more of a thick liquid than a gel. Mild in flavor with a low sweetness profile, C30 Energy Gels deliver 30 grams of fast-absorbing energy using 2:1 maltodextrin-to-fructose carbohydrate blend. This composition has been extensively tested and proven to fuel very high energy rates with very low potential for gastrointestinal distress. Each energy gel also contains 200mg of sodium to help with fluid delivery and retention.

Bars
To make an outstanding performance bar for endurance athletes is no easy task. There is a long-standing history of brands marketing snack bars as performance products. The vast majority of these products are formulated for hiking and lower intensity "lifestyle" activity. Our energy bars are strictly designed for athletes in motion.

- will be there to help the runners recover by offering 5-15 min massages.

- will have leg compression system, Theragun and foam roller there as well for runners to use.

- Tiffany of Stretch Long Island will be there to help with the runners.

World's best massage therapist on site from Saturday to Sunday. Owner of Bayport Athletic Recovery- providing services to help improve your athletic performance and to help with your pain and discomfort.

Looking for more details on the Backyard Ultra, unsure of the rules or wondering about strategy? We hosted an open panel discussion at Sayville Running Company to go over all things Backyard Ultra.

The panel consisted of experienced ultra participants and moderated by race director Mike Petrina. Panel discussion will start promptly at 6 pm and run for about an hour. A more detailed outline will be available as the meeting gets closer. Come a little earlier or hang out after to discuss with panel and race committee one on one.

Meeting Handout

Meeting Video (2 Part Video Playlist)