Lion King Backyard Ultra
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Lion King Backyard Ultra
Lion King Backyard Ultra is a backyard ultra held at Lions Club Park in Rolla, MO. The event uses a repeating loop of 4.167 miles (6.706 km) that each competitor must complete within one hour. The race has no predetermined end; the winner is the last runner to complete one more lap than the runner in second place.
The course is a loop that runs on dirt trail during daylight and on paved trail at night. The first 11 laps cover the dirt trail (about 45.8 miles) before the route changes to the paved section. Daytime trail scenery includes mature maple, oak and cedar groves, small creek crossings, an open field and a run around the lake. The paved out-and-back follows a creek and passes through rural countryside with wildlife sightings. The final 0.167 mile of each lap is a paved straight into the starting corral.
Facilities at the park include multiple pavilions that provide covered space, dedicated 10 by 10 foot spaces for each runner and crew, water spigots, a charging station with 110 V plugs and USB outlets, and porta-potties next to the corral and at the two mile mark. Aid at the starting corral and the halfway point includes water, salt tablets, restrooms and staff support.
Awards include a custom lion king belt buckle and a bronze coin for the winner, induction of Top Male, Top Female and the Assist into a Hall of Fame, and ribbons for all finish distances. Fifty percent of event profits are designated to charity with 30% to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Prevention hotline and 20% to Lions Club Park. A 50% refund is available until August 1, 2025; after that no refunds are given. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
