IT ALL started with an American most endurance runners across the globe have come to know by reputation – Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell, or Laz for short. The eccentric Barkley Marathons race director started the phenomenon of the backyard ultra with Big Dog’s Backyard in 2011. The distinctive race format quickly intrigued the ultrarunning community in the United States and then the world, gaining notoriety as “the race that never stops”.
In mid-June 2019, Peter Munns brought the concept to Australia with the Mirrim Wurnit Back Paddock Ultra. Munns hosted the event on his remote private property in country Victoria. His inaugural race saw 34 participants battle it out with a 6.7km lap on the hour, every hour until there was only one person left standing. That year, West Australian David Giles was named victor after 33 laps and 221.10km.
Since Mirrim Wurnit, more backyard ultras – or last one standing events, as they are affectionately known – have crept onto the racing calendar. And a majority of them are classified or sanctioned as AURA (Australian Ultra Runners Association, aura.asn.au) listed.
AAA Racing’s Clint Eastwood LOS, in Queensland, was the next
