The endurance race returning to Llagostera in 2026

Plan your race pace

The Backyard Ultra in Llagostera has a date for its next edition: Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026, with a planned start at 9 a.m. The race uses an endurance format based on repeated loops, starting and finishing beside the town’s multipurpose sports pavilion. Each lap covers approximately 6.7 kilometers, a distance some listings round up to 7 kilometers.

That figure does not represent a fixed total distance. In this format, the challenge is to complete one lap within each hour and line up for the next start for as long as a runner can continue. The competition lasts until only one participant remains able to complete a lap, so the final mileage depends on how long the event lasts. The route combines trails, tracks and dirt sections, with organizers planning separate daytime and nighttime routes.

Date, start and confirmed details

The event is announced for Dec. 5, 2026, in Llagostera, in the province of Girona. Available information places the start and finish outside the multipurpose sports pavilion and sets the beginning at 9 a.m. The race is listed as a loop of about 6.7 kilometers; the 7-kilometer figure in some calendars appears to be a rounded version of that distance.

The race schedule is designed to change as the day progresses. According to published details, the daytime route is used from approximately 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., followed by a nighttime course. That alternation means a single race may test navigation and concentration in daylight and later under artificial light. A start time is listed, but a complete schedule for subsequent starts has not been provided here.

Some practical details remain unconfirmed in the reference information. It does not give an entry fee, registration window, maximum field size or a verifiable link to the official website. Nor does it include the complete rules or a downloadable course map. For that reason, those details should not be treated as confirmed, and it is not possible to say whether entries are available. The date and start time are listed, while registration conditions need confirmation from the organizers.

A format that resets the challenge every hour

The logic of a backyard ultra is simple to explain and demanding to sustain. Runners must complete a lap of approximately 6.7 kilometers before the hour ends. When the next hour begins, those still in the race start again at the same time. Any time left after crossing the finish can be used to eat, drink, change clothes or rest, but it disappears when the next interval starts. The winner is not the runner who completes a lap fastest, but the one who lasts through the most full cycles.

This structure changes how effort is managed. Starting too fast can create a physical debt that accumulates through the night; running too cautiously, on the other hand, can leave less time to recover between laps. The aim of each loop is to finish within the hourly limit while saving enough energy for the next one. In practice, pace adjusts to the terrain, fatigue and light conditions rather than to a fixed per-mile target.

The race ends when one participant completes a lap alone after the others have withdrawn or cannot make the start within the time limit. There is therefore no scheduled finish time or announced maximum distance. The duration depends on the last runner able to complete the course. To someone watching, every new start acts like a small reset: a group sets off again, even though its members may already have been racing for many hours.

A course that changes between daylight and darkness

The daytime route description specifies a combination of narrow trails and tracks, with about 35% track and 65% trail. It also mentions a shaded setting, with vegetation and sections near a river. Organizers have said the course direction changes on each daytime lap, a detail that alters visual cues and can change how climbs, descents and footing feel.

The nighttime section is described as a dirt track with about 68 meters of positive elevation gain. The daytime figure is approximately 120 meters of climbing per lap. These are indicative figures from the available information; they do not replace an official elevation profile or allow every part of the route to be mapped precisely. The difference in surface and elevation between the daytime and nighttime sections may change the perceived effort, even if the lap distance remains similar.

The change in light is more than an atmospheric detail. On narrow trails, shadows can conceal uneven ground, roots or stones, and fatigue can reduce attention as the hours pass. A dirt track may be easier to follow at night, but runners still need personal lighting and clear reference points. The reference information mentions reflective nighttime markers, although it does not specify required equipment. The official rules should clarify what kind of headlamp, battery or reflective gear is required.

The pavilion as a base between laps

The start and finish are outside the pavilion, while the indoor area is intended as a place to rest. Published information mentions restrooms in the sports center and showers about 50 meters away. In a race that restarts every hour, that proximity may matter: it gives runners access to shelter between laps without moving far from the control point. The pavilion serves as the logistical base for a race with no predetermined duration.

Refreshments are also advertised, including fruit, drinks, hot broth and coffee. Those options can help vary food and drink during an extended event, although the reference does not specify quantities, hours or whether the service meets each participant’s nutritional needs. Support provided by a race does not remove an individual runner’s responsibility to plan food, hydration and clothing for many hours. Runners should confirm which products are supplied and what personal equipment may be left in the rest area.

Another listing for the event describes services such as insurance, a race bag, live results and parking for camper vans and motorhomes. It also mentions bib pickup the day before and on race day. Since conditions may change from one edition to another, these details should be treated as awaiting confirmation for 2026 rather than guaranteed services. The final schedule and included services should be checked against the organizers’ current information.

Registration, rules and details still to clarify

No entry fee or opening and closing dates for registration have been provided, so it is not possible to compare prices or say that registration is open. The latest information about the event mentions a limited field and a minimum age of 18, with a possible exception for minors who have a bib and authorization. Without specific 2026 rules, that criterion should be considered provisional. Age eligibility and entry requirements need express confirmation for this edition.

The same material says late starts and outside assistance during a lap are not allowed. In an hourly-cycle race, those rules are central: starting late can prevent a runner from finishing within the limit, while outside assistance on the course can affect equal conditions. However, details are missing about how each start is controlled, what counts as outside help and what penalties apply. The rules should explain the controls and grounds for disqualification.

The policy on withdrawals, unfinished laps, mandatory equipment and classification criteria also remains unconfirmed. Those points are not minor in a format where the final result may depend on many cycles and decisions made under fatigue. The approximate 6.7-kilometer lap helps explain the challenge, but it is not enough to prepare for the event without a full map and regulations. The official information will be the definitive reference for resolving these questions.

How a race without a set finish affects strategy

In a conventional race, the distance provides a clear horizon: the finish is a known number of miles away. Here, uncertainty is part of the format. A participant might aim to complete only a few laps or continue for as long as their body and the rules allow. That difference calls for thinking in manageable cycles, not as one endless block. Recovery between starts is part of the competition, not a break separate from it.

The time available within each hour also has consequences. A runner who finishes early has more minutes to sit down, change clothes or prepare for the next lap; someone who arrives close to the limit has little room. That does not mean running faster is always the best choice, because every acceleration has a cost. The described course and elevation point toward an effort that can be repeated, especially as temperatures fall and the surface changes in the dark. Consistency and the ability to eat and drink calmly can matter as much as short bursts of speed.

Night adds a mental dimension that does not feature in a short race. Sleepiness, cold, the monotony of repeating a route and uncertainty about the event’s duration can affect concentration. The hourly restart creates a sequence of small decisions: continue, eat, change a layer or stop. The format tests physical endurance and the management of attention, without making the event exclusively psychological: the terrain and accumulated load remain decisive.

Llagostera and the event’s charitable dimension

The race takes place in Llagostera, a town in Girona near the Costa Brava. Organizers have described the area as close to Girona and the coast, but the start itself is beside the multipurpose sports pavilion, not at an urban or coastal landmark. That base brings the start, finish and some support services together in one place. The race experience is built around the course and pavilion, with a marked transition between day and night.

Information about an earlier edition describes the event as its third edition and says that 100% of entry proceeds go to Oncolliga Girona, an organization connected with support for people with cancer and their families. That detail describes the plan published for that event, but does not by itself confirm that the same contribution will continue in 2026. Current confirmation from the organizers is needed before presenting it as part of the next edition. The charitable destination of the proceeds should be verified along with the entry conditions.

The same information mentions a community rice meal on Sunday at 2 p.m. for runners and companions. It is also unconfirmed whether this activity is planned for 2026, so it should not be treated as part of the next edition’s schedule. The distinction between a past announcement and a confirmed program matters: schedules and side events can change. While the race date is listed, activities for the following day need separate confirmation.

An event defined one lap at a time

The confirmed details describe a distinctive event on Girona’s calendar: a start at 9 a.m. on Dec. 5, 2026, a lap of about 6.7 kilometers and a format that resets the challenge every hour. The course combines trails and tracks during the day and includes a nighttime dirt route. The logistical base is the multipurpose sports pavilion in Llagostera. There is no fixed total distance that can be announced in advance, because the outcome depends on who keeps completing laps.

Important details are still to be published or confirmed, including the entry fee, registration, 2026 rules, mandatory equipment and the availability of services and related activities. An official route description will also be needed to understand the terrain and its changes precisely. Leaving those gaps unfilled is more useful than presenting an apparently complete but uncertain listing. The available information explains how the race works, but does not replace the organizers’ final announcement.

In a backyard ultra, the result is measured in more than miles: every hour brings runners back to the same starting point and asks them to decide whether they can begin again. That repetition, outdoors by day and under darkness later, distinguishes the event from a race with a conventional finish line. Llagostera is set for an endurance day whose length will be written on the course, one lap at a time. The race’s true limit becomes clear only at the final start.

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