Backyard Ultra La Parra 2027: course, prices and start times

Plan your race pace

The sixth edition of the Backyard Ultra in La Parra will take place on Saturday, March 13, 2027, with a 9 a.m. start, at the Polideportivo Multiusos in this municipality in Badajoz province. The format breaks with the logic of a conventional race: each participant must complete a 6.706-kilometre loop before the hour is up, then return to the start when the next signal sounds.

The event offers an unlimited-loop ultra category, as well as marathon, 100-kilometre and pairs options. The loop distance, the 60-minute limit and the repetitive nature of the course shape a day in which endurance is measured not only in kilometres, but in the ability to start again. The organisers place the start and finish by the multiuse pavilion, near a Repsol petrol station.

A race where every hour resets the challenge

In a Backyard Ultra, the clock is not used to chase a pace-per-kilometre target. The central rule is to complete a 6.706-kilometre loop in less than an hour and be ready in the starting corral for the next one. If someone finishes in 50 minutes, they have about 10 minutes to drink, eat, change or simply sit down; if they use 59 minutes, there is very little time to recover.

Starts follow at hourly intervals, and all runners set off together. Joining after the final whistle is not allowed, so arriving late to the corral means missing that lap. The warning signals come at three minutes, two minutes and one minute. Timeliness is part of the rules and part of the strategy: there is time to rest, but the countdown always limits it.

The goal in the ultra category is to complete as many laps as possible. The winner is the last person to finish a lap within the 60-minute limit, while everyone else is recorded as DNF, the sporting abbreviation for those who do not complete the event under the stated conditions. If nobody finishes the final lap on time, the rules say there will be no winner. The result is decided by the number of laps, not by the fastest cumulative time.

A 6.706-kilometre loop that can add up to 100 miles

The course is 6.706 kilometres per lap, a distance chosen because 24 laps add up to about 100 miles, or roughly 166 kilometres. That equivalence helps explain the design of the event, although it does not mean every participant must complete 24 laps: limited-format categories offer more defined targets, while the open ultra can continue as long as someone follows the rules.

The start and finish are in the area around the Polideportivo Multiusos in La Parra. According to event information, the route combines livestock tracks, footpaths and streets, is marked, and follows the same course by day and night. Elevation gain is approximately 70 metres per lap, modest compared with a mountain race, but it builds with every repetition and makes it important to manage effort from the first section.

The surface and surroundings are not the same as those of an urban road race. The organisers recommend trail shoes and clothing suited to the weather, consistent with a route that includes tracks and paths. A headlamp will be mandatory when the organisers say so. Since the course repeats and may run into darkness, visibility and adapting to the terrain are part of gear planning, even though the route itself does not change between day and night.

Race formats for testing endurance in different ways

The ultra option has no lap limit. It is the format that takes the last-runner-standing concept furthest and may run for many hours, potentially into the following day. Published event dates cover March 13 and 14, a timeframe consistent with a competition whose duration is not set in advance. The starting rhythm, however, remains one lap every hour.

The marathon format is limited to seven laps. At 6.706 kilometres per lap, that maximum comes to about 46.9 kilometres, slightly longer than the classic marathon distance. The 100-kilometre category allows up to 15 laps, or approximately 100.6 kilometres. The category names describe each format’s approximate target; the actual distance is calculated by multiplying the number of laps by the official course length.

There is also a pairs race, with standings calculated from the combined number of laps completed by both team members. According to the published rules, this category can coexist with the individual standings. The available information here does not specify exactly how turns or laps are shared between teammates, so it should not be assumed that they can arrange handovers in any way they choose. That detail should be checked in the full regulations before registering, especially to avoid confusing a combined score with a conventional relay race.

Fees, places and registration for the 2027 edition

Registration information lists an opening date of April 1, 2026, and a closing date of Jan. 10, 2027. A total of 130 places are announced across the ultra, marathon, 100-kilometre and pairs categories. The registration listing also shows separate quotas for each format, so the number of places remaining in one category should not be mistaken for the capacity of the whole event.

Published fees vary by category and registration period. For the ultra, the listed amounts are 50 euros in the first block, 70 euros in the second and 80 euros in the third, plus a 100-euro late fee. The marathon is listed at 30 euros in the first period and 50 in the next; the 100-kilometre category at 40 and 60 euros; and the pairs race at 80 and 130 euros. The entry fee includes a race bib, T-shirt, drinks from the third lap, food from the seventh and a finisher gift, according to the information provided.

There are differences between the regulations summary and the available registration listing, particularly over the final ultra price and the exact closing time. The listing shows later blocks at 70 euros and a Jan. 10, 2027, deadline, while the summary gives a third price of 80 euros and a 10 a.m. cutoff. Because of that discrepancy, the applicable fee and deadline should be confirmed on the registration platform before payment. The information also announces a pasta dinner on Friday evening, available for an additional 15 euros during registration.

Refunds, race bibs and planning your arrival

The rules provide for partial refunds if a documented reason prevents participation. The stated refund is 75% for cancellations submitted by June 10, 2026; 50% from June 11 through Sept. 10; and 25% from Sept. 11 through Nov. 10. From Nov. 11, 2026, the information says there will be no refund. The percentages apply to the entry fee and depend on meeting the documentation requirements, so they are not the same as an automatic cancellation without supporting evidence.

Race-bib collection is scheduled for Friday, March 12, from 7 to 8 p.m., and on race day from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. The start is at 9 a.m., leaving a limited window on Saturday to collect the bib, attach it correctly and reach the corral in time. It must remain visible throughout the event. Planning your arrival in advance keeps administration from interfering with the start, especially for runners travelling to La Parra on race morning.

The pavilion has restrooms, and each runner will have a personal bag, chair and space. The organisers recommend bringing a chair, table, plate and cutlery, useful items when laps mount up and recovery consists of a succession of short breaks. Drinks are included from the third lap and food from the seventh; anyone who needs a different nutrition plan should remember that the race may last for hours and has no predetermined finishing time.

Rules, safety and participation requirements

The minimum age is 16. By registering, each participant declares that they are in suitable physical and mental condition and accepts the risks inherent in an endurance event. The organisers have civil liability and accident insurance, but that coverage does not remove the obligation to follow the rules or replace an individual assessment of whether taking part in a long-distance race is appropriate.

Outside assistance is not allowed during the event, and poles are prohibited. Headphones are permitted. These rules go along with the requirement to start from the corral and complete each lap within 60 minutes. The time limit is not extended for a stop, an incident or a particularly demanding lap: it applies to everyone, and the final whistle marks the end of the window to start.

Shoes and clothing should be suitable for trail running and the day’s weather. A headlamp must be carried when the organisers require it, a particularly relevant precaution during nighttime hours or in poor visibility. The route is marked, but each runner must follow directions and respond to changing ground conditions. In the event of force majeure, the organisers may set an alternative date without offering a refund; they may also amend the rules after notifying registered participants or cancel the event at the direction of the authorities.

What sets the Backyard Ultra in La Parra apart

The event is presented as part of the official worldwide Backyard Ultra calendar, associated with Big’s Dog Backyard Ultra. Event information says the best national performances may qualify for the national championship scheduled for October 2028. The exact qualification criteria and number of places are not specified here, so that possibility should be understood as subject to the official conditions in force, not as an automatic place for every participant.

The format turns the same 6.706-kilometre stretch into a different experience as the day progresses. In the early laps, the challenge may seem to be finding a sustainable pace; later, nutrition, the ability to rest in a few minutes and the focus needed to repeat the route all matter. The competition changes scale with every start: one more lap is not just extra distance, but another hour of decisions about energy, clothing and recovery.

La Parra also offers categories designed for different goals, from a seven-lap limit to an open-ended ultra and a pairs classification. The shared rule does not change: complete the course within the hour and be ready for the next start when it comes. For anyone considering taking part, the key details are concrete — date, start time, distance per lap, approximate elevation, category limits and registration conditions — while the final result depends on a format in which perseverance is tested one lap at a time.

The March start sets the first rhythm

The event begins on March 13, 2027, at 9 a.m., beside the Polideportivo Multiusos in La Parra. From that moment, every hour brings runners back to the same line, the same course and another countdown. The finish, however, cannot be set in advance: it depends on how many laps the person still in the race can complete.

The combination of a relatively short course, regular starts and potentially long duration means this Extremadura event demands more than speed. The marathon and 100-kilometre formats offer defined limits; the ultra leaves open the question of how long the runners who keep starting can endure. In La Parra, the race is decided both on the kilometres and in the recovery minutes between them.

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