Kansas City Backyard Ultra 2026

The Kansas City Backyard Ultra begins and ends at the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain in Mill Creek Park on Kansas City's Country Club Plaza. This August event offers a Last Runner Standing format, alongside timed races of 12, 9, 6, and 3 hours. In the backyard format, participants have one hour to complete each loop and must return to the start corral before the next loop commences. Each loop consists of four 1-mile circuits on the Mill Creek Park Trail, featuring a mondo-like track surface. Runners encounter the main aid station each mile, where water, ice, food, and electrolyte drinks are provided. Staff signal the start of each loop with whistles and countdowns. Crew support is prohibited on the course, and trekking poles are not permitted. The results will show each runner's total miles completed, rather than designating most participants as official finishers.