The Awa Backyard Ultra

The "ultimate test of endurance as runners relentlessly push past their physical and mental breaking points" is how the backyard ultra format is described by its inventor Lazarus Lake (organiser of the infamous Barkley Marathons and the OG Big's Backyard Ultra).  With no defined finish time or distance, a new lap begins on the hour, every hour until only one runner remains.  

Apista Events brings this gruelling format of ultramarathon trail running to Whanganui with the Awa Backyard Ultra.

COURSE RECORD: 16 Yards (107.2km) - Bojan Mishevski, 2026

The Awa Backyard 2027 is a Bronze Ticket event. This puts our race on the designated pathway toward the Backyard Ultra World Championships.

The winner in 2027 will receive a bronze coin guaranteeing entry into a Silver Ticket event. Winners of Silver Ticket events are then guaranteed selection to the national team.

The Awa Backyard Ultra starts at 9:00am on Saturday, 25 September 2027 with the ringing of a bell to signal the start of the first yard (lap).

Participants

All participants in the Awa Backyard Ultra must be 18 years of age or older.

The Course

Each "yard" is a lap of 6.7km (with an approximate elevation gain of 200m).

Runners must finish each lap within 1 hour.

Runners may not leave the course, except for toilet breaks, until each lap is completed  (once the bell goes you must complete a loop before any support is given/taken). 

The Starts

Each lap/yard starts precisely on the hour every hour (signaled by the bell). A warning whistle will be blown at 3, 2, and 1 minutes prior to the start of each lap.

Participants must be in the starting corral at the bell. If you are not in the starting corral when the lap starts you DNF.  No late starts.  No exceptions. 

Yards

Except for restroom breaks a competitor cannot leave the course until the Yard is complete.

No non-competitors on the course (including eliminated runners)

No personal aid during a Yard

Each Yard must be completed in less than an hour to be counted

Slower runners must yield/allow passes

No non-competitors on the course (including eliminated runners).

You are not permitted to receive support or pacing from those not competing  – gear,  food or liquids.  All that is allowed is a quick verbal encouragement as they pass you, or you pass them.  You will be disqualified if this rule is broken.

No personal aid/support during a lap (the one aid/support location is the event base)

No artificial aids (including trekking poles!).  Music is okay but we ask that you’re aware of other runners so as not to hold people up.

No animals are allowed on the course with runners.

The Finish

There is no set finish time. 

The winner is the last person to successfully complete a lap when all others have given up.

All others are technically DNF (completed yards will be recorded for every runner).

If no runner can complete one more lap than anyone else, there is no winner.

Runners must report to the Event HQ when you decide you can no longer go on.

Super early bird entry (to 28 February 2027)

$95.00 Individual (age 14+)

Early bird entry (1 March - 31 May 2027)

$105 Individual (age 14+) 

Standard entry (1 June - 31 August 2027)

$125 Individual (age 14+)

Late entry (1 September - 24 September 2026)

$150 Individual (age 14+)

LIMITED ENTRIES - 100 spots only