Last Rucker Standing operates on the same universal clock as the Autumn Harvest Last Standing main event. The bell sounds at the top of every hour beginning at 7:00 AM Saturday. All ruckers must be back at the basecamp and checked in before the next bell. Ruckers start on the hourly bell, the same bell as the Big Bastrop Backyard Ultra. To keep the trail clear, ruckers hold in the Loblolly corral until a race official releases them, once the main field has cleared the start area. The hour counts from the bell, not the release. Ruckers who are not in the corral when the bell sounds are considered to have withdrawn from the event.

Rucks must meet minimum weight requirements: 30 lbs for men, 20 lbs for women. Ruck weight is verified at check-in and subject to random spot checks during the event. The ruck must remain on your back for the entirety of each loop. You may not carry weight by hand or in a separate pack.

Ruckers must be present at the Loblolly basecamp and depart on the bell. Late departure is not permitted. If you are not at the start line when the bell sounds, you are considered to have withdrawn from the event.

To count a loop, you must return to the basecamp check-in point before the next bell. A loop not completed in time does not count and results in elimination. There is no grace period.

A rucker is eliminated when they fail to complete a loop before the bell, voluntarily withdraw, or are removed by a race official for safety reasons. Eliminated ruckers must check out with race staff before leaving the course.

The Last Rucker Standing is the final rucker to complete a loop when all other ruckers have been eliminated. To claim the title, the winner must complete one additional victory loop after the last competitor is eliminated.

Any rucker who completes 20 loops (102 km) is recognized as a 100K Rucker Finisher regardless of final placement. This designation is awarded at the completion of loop 20 and stands even if the rucker continues and is later eliminated.

Aid is available at the Loblolly basecamp only. Drop bags are permitted. Crew may access the basecamp but may not accompany ruckers on the loop. No outside assistance is permitted on the course.

Race officials have final authority on all decisions including ruck weight disputes, loop timing, and safety-related withdrawals. Their decisions are not subject to appeal.

Yes. Minimums are floors, not targets. Whatever you choose to carry, it stays on your back for every loop.

Any standard rucksack with a frame or frameless design is permitted. Weighted vests do not qualify; the weight must be carried in a pack worn on the back. Race officials make final determinations on equipment disputes.

Yes. The format only requires you complete the loop before the bell. Pace is your choice.

No. The Loblolly Redemption is a consolation race for runners eliminated from the main Last Standing ultra; it cannot be registered for directly. Last Rucker Standing is a separate, directly-registered rucking category that runs concurrently on the same loop.

Yes. The Loblolly Loop is wide enough for all participants. Ruckers, Redemption runners, and occasional main-event runners all share the trail under standard trail etiquette. Faster movers have the right of way.

You may set it down at basecamp between loops. The only requirement is that the ruck is on your back when you depart on the bell and remains on your back for the full loop.

You must register for one category. Last Rucker Standing and the main Last Standing ultra are separate events with separate registration.

Why do ruckers wait after the bell?
The Big Bastrop field leaves first so the start area stays clear. Ruckers and Redemption runners are released together as soon as the main field has passed, usually within a minute or two. Your hour still starts at the bell, so plan your pace with that in mind.