Jingle Balls Backyard Ultra (JBBU)

Race Format

The race format of a Backyard Ultra is quite simple.  You run a 6.7 km loop/lap within the hour, every hour, until there is only one race competitor left.  Competitor’s drop out of the race for three main reasons:

• Failing to complete the loop/lap within the hour
• Failing to make the Starting Corral before the next loop/lap begins
• Accepting defeat “I’m done”

So, for example, if you complete a loop/lap in 45 minutes, you have 15 minutes before the next loop/lap starts. What you do with your time is completely up to you, but you MUST be in the Starting Corral before the next loop/lap starts.  There are three, two and one minute warning bells so all participants are aware of the impending start time.  In essence, there is a new race every hour.  It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you run the loop/lap, as long as you make it back to the finish line before the 1 hour cut off.  In a traditional Ultra Marathon, you can hit a low point in the race, but regather yourself for 30 minutes at the nearest aid station.  Unfortunately you don’t have that same luxury in a Backyard Ultra.  You can’t afford to have a ‘bad’ loop/lap.

The clock never stops.

Backyard Ultra is not a race against others – there is no person “in the lead” at any time.  But rather, you are competing against yourself – to see how far you can go, one ‘yard’ (4.16667 miles (6.7 km) per loop/lap) an hour.  It is a simple concept that requires endurance, mental fortitude, planning, the ability to adapt when plans don’t work, and the ability to enjoy your run ‘in the moment’.

Thank you for being a part of the Intrepid Spirit family with this event.

Jingle Balls Backyard Ultra is affiliated with the Backyard Ultra organization.

 

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Backyard Ultra Rules

1. Route – Can be a loop or out-and-back format and must be 4 miles, 880 feet in length (metric equivalent: 6.7056 km)
2. Starting Corral – Must be sized to fit the entire starting field and must stay the same size throughout the event.  Competitor’s must be in the Starting Corral at the bell on the hour.
3. Starts – Each loop/lap starts precisely 1 hour after the last.  Warnings must be given 3, 2, and 1 minutes prior to the start.  All competitors must start at the bell (no late starts).
4. Loops – Except for a comfort room visit, competitors may not leave the route until each 6.7 km loop is completed.  No non-competitors are allowed on the route (including eliminated competitors).  No personal aid is allowed during a loop/lap (common aid stations are allowed).  Each loop/lap must be completed within an hour to be officially counted … including the final loop/lap.  No artificial aids (including trekking poles or music) are allowed.  Slower competitors must allow faster competitors to overtake when requested.
5. Timing – Timing of loops/laps is optional.
6. Winner / Result – The winner is the last competitor to complete a loop/lap.  All other competitors are technically ranked as Did Not Finish (DNF).  Results of each competitor in terms of distance covered are to be given.  If no competitor can complete one more loop/lap than any other competitor, then there is no winner.
7. Limit Cap – Race must be open ended.  That is, the race continues until there is just one competitor remaining.

For the new comers let us offer a couple of bits of advice on how to get the most from yourself in this format:

• Pace yourself from the very start.  It’s not a sprint race.
• Walk the uphill’s and jog the flats and the downhill’s.
• Minimize rest breaks to avoid stiffening up.
• Fight the sleep demons.  The new day’s sun will re-energize you again.
• Get your fueling strategy worked out early.
• Let your crew help, but don’t let them stop you unless your health is at risk.
• It’s better to miss completing a lap than not starting at all.  You never know.  It just could be your revitalization lap that kicks you up a gear to keep going.  So try the “just one more lap” approach.
• When lap times permit, don’t delay getting into the Starting Corral..  You must be in the Starting Corral before the start of the hour.

But most of all, we wish you a safe and amazing experience at Jingle Balls Backyard Ultra.

If you finish earlier than planned, please do hang around and encourage other competitors.  Perhaps you’ll learn a thing or two from those still going.  It’s a great place to chill out after your run so enjoy the atmosphere.

 

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Insurance

Our event insurance policy does not extend to personal injury.  It is mandatory that each competitor have at least personal accident insurance cover in time for the event.

 

Tents and Shelter

We have a shared sheltered tent area.  But you also can bring your own tent if you prefer.  Tents can be set up in the field adjacent to the shared shelter.  Our crew will guide you exactly where.  Be prepared for rain or sun.

• Each competitor can provide their own shelter, if desired (nothing bigger than a 3m x 3m tent).
• Portable toilets will be provided for competitors.  There are public toilets approximately 350m from the event venue for support crew to utilize.
• You will not be able to crew from your car.
• Field spaces are available on a first come, first serve basis.  Please be mindful to set up in a logical manner in order to provide access space for competitors walking to the Starting Corral.

 

Competitor’s Space

We have a shared, sheltered area next to the start line for competitor’s.  You cannot “spread out” in this space due to the limits on size, but as other competitor’s stop, you can add more space to your area here.   Support crew are able to help competitors out, but please be mindful of space and try to limit crew to just one per competitor early on in the event.  As competitors stop more crew can assist.  Competitors are always welcome to go to their tents in between loops/laps.

 

Portable Comfort Rooms

Portable comfort rooms will be lined up to be accessed during the transition period before or after each loop/lap.  Competitors may only leave the course directly to use the comfort room – as the comfort rooms are directly adjacent to the course, competitors will not technically be off the course.  However do not get stuck in a toilet as you must be in the Starting Corral and begin your loop/lap with the ringing of the bell.  Support crew and volunteers are asked to not use the portable comfort rooms between fifteen minutes to the hour and directly after the start of a loop/lap in order to allow competitors to have access.

 

Aid Station

The race will provide quality aid station nutrition, but it’s always a good idea to bring your own to supplement what is available.  We will have hot brewed coffee going 24 x 7.   Hot cup noodles will be available for the evening and night.  Pizza will be provided for the evening – starting around 6 pm.  Typical aid station items will be provided also – fresh fruit, chips, pan de sal, boiled egg, sticky rice, soda, buko, etc.  A list will be sent out to competitors a week or two prior to the race with specific items.

 

Competitor Tracking

Competitors will be electronically timed.  We will do our best to update social media, pending a good internet connection, so friends and family can follow along.  We will log everyone’s distance, although only the sole survivor will be considered a finisher as everyone else will be technically ranked as Did Not Finish (DNF).

 

Support Crew

Competitors may only have one crew member in the shared shelter while more than half of the runners are in the event.  This is due to space considerations in the competitor’s area.  As space increases between competitors and opens up, competitors may have more crew members assisting in the shelter.  Competitors and their crew are asked to try to have no more than two cars per competitor.  Crew may not assist their competitors while on their loop/lap.

 

Recommended Parking Space