One 6.7-kilometre lap. One hour. Then do it again — for as long as you can.
The Hanmer Springs Forest Camp Backyard Ultra returns on 8 August 2026, bringing one of endurance running's simplest — and toughest — formats back to the forest.
Competitors complete a 6.7km loop within one hour.
At the beginning of the next hour, everyone still in the event starts another lap.
Then another.
The format continues until only one runner remains able to complete the course in time.
Endurance without a fixed finish line
Unlike a conventional race, there is no predetermined finishing distance.
Every competitor decides, lap by lap, how far the day goes.
That changes the challenge completely.
Speed matters less than pacing, recovery and the ability to keep moving long after the distance would normally feel finished.
Between loops, runners return to the same base, giving support crews a chance to help with food, clothing and preparation before the next hourly start.
A fitting Hanmer setting
Hanmer Springs Forest Camp sits within the forest environment that makes the village such a strong base for outdoor events.
The area is already home to a large network of walking and cycling trails, while the village offers plenty of ways to recover once the event finally ends.
For spectators, the repeated-loop format also makes a Backyard Ultra unusually easy to follow.
For runners, there is only one real question:
Can you make it back in time to start one more lap?