Suffolk Back Yard Ultra Festival

Event overview

The Suffolk Back Yard Ultra Festival is a backyard ultra held at High Lodge, Thetford Forest in Suffolk. Competitors run repeated laps of 4 miles 880 feet (6.7056 km); each lap must be completed within the hour and the last person to complete a lap is the winner for the full event. The full event uses chip timing and carries a £1,000 prize. There are also timed options of six and twelve hours that use the same setup but finish automatically at the time limit; those timed races have no winner or prizes.

Logistics and rules

The full and 12-hour entries are open to entrants aged 18 and over; the 6-hour entry is open to entrants aged 12 and over provided a parent or guardian is onsite and an emergency contact is supplied. There is a flat parking fee of £10 for the event period; the site entrance gate is closed overnight and there is no overnight entry during that window. Onsite facilities include one aid station at the start/finish with hot and cold water and basic snacks, a coffee vendor and a food van, portaloos and urinals, and free camping in two camping areas. There is no mains power and signal is patchy; a small charging station and limited public Starlink wifi are provided. Event rules follow official Backyard Ultra standards (hourly loop starts, corral requirements, no personal aid during a loop, no artificial aids) and results are based on distance completed. Discounts are offered to experienced backyard runners based on past yard totals. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.

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