Freedom Backyard Ultra
Always double-check with the organizer's website! This page may contain affiliate links.
Freedom Backyard Ultra Marathon (FBUM 2027)
The Freedom Backyard Ultra Marathon is a Last Man Standing backyard ultra held at the Missouri Freedom Camp in Bourbon, Missouri. The format requires competitors to complete repeated fixed-length laps until one runner completes one more lap than any other. Results are recorded as the number of Yards completed and the winner is the last person to complete a Yard.
The prescribed course length is 4 miles 880 feet (metric equivalent 6.7056 kilometers) and may be laid out as a loop or an out-and-back. The terrain is undulating Midwest country with rolling hills, creek crossings, fields and short gravel road sections. Trails are generally wide enough for UTVs; some sections are rocky, root covered and technically demanding. About half the course is wooded and shaded during the day. The starting corral is measured to fit the full field and remains a fixed size; the corral and main aid station are located at the barn next to the farm house. A small water point is located on course and a main aid station at the barn will offer food, drinks and supplements during the event.
Backyard Ultra rules used for the event include strict hourly starts at the bell, no late starts, no personal aid during a Yard, no artificial aids, limits on leaving the course except for restroom breaks, and a requirement that each Yard be completed in under an hour. Keeping lap times is optional. The race is open ended.
The event site address is 5992 Highway C, Bourbon, Missouri. Onsite camping will be available and hotels are about 15 minutes away in Sullivan, Missouri. Race shirts are provided to racers who register before May 5; later registrations are not guaranteed a shirt. There is a pre-race dinner the night before at the camp; racers eat free and additional plates for family or crew are available for purchase. There are no refunds and all proceeds are donated to the Freedom 13 Organization, whose mission includes building 50 recreational camps across the United States with a total of 650 homes to support veterans, police officers and their families. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
