The Backland
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The Backland - Last Man Standing Run
The Backland is a last person standing trail race near the Texas and Oklahoma border held at Walnut Creek Resort in Gordonville, Texas on Saturday December 5, 2026. The course is a majority trail with a small portion of road and uses a 4.5-mile loop called a "land."
Eighty participants will be allowed in the competition this year. Registration opens on February 1st each year, and registration is $150 starting in 2026. The event follows an hourly elimination format: each land must be completed within one hour; runners who do not finish a land or who quit are eliminated and ring the bell. A rule introduced in 2025 disallows ties, and the final remaining competitor is titled The Backland Champion.
All finishers receive a Backland long sleeve shirt and a beer or root beer. Runners who complete 103.5 miles (23 lands) receive The Backland 100-mile belt buckle, and those who complete 153 miles (34 lands) receive the golden 150-mile belt buckle. The event awards a cash prize of $1000, a trophy, and a six-pack to the last person standing, and there is a trophy for the best start/finish setup.
An on-course aid area under the pavilion is included with registration and provides beverages (hot chocolate, water, local beer, Hyperlyte, coffee, sodas, pickle juice), food (chicken tortilla soup, macaroni and cheese, PB&Js), snacks (fruit, cookies, chips), and first aid/medical equipment. Camping and cabins are available at the resort for out-of-town participants. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
