Some say he is brave, others that he is crazy. Brian Pasmor competes in Backyard Ultra’s, one of the world’s most extreme runs. The 28-year-old Paraguayan athlete recently competed in the International Backyard Ultra in the state of Tennessee in the United States.
A Backyard Ultra is an ultramarathon format where runners must complete a 4.167-mile (6.706 km) loop every hour, on the hour, until only one participant remains able to continue. The race has no fixed distance or time limit—the winner is the last person standing, often after running for 2–4 days straight.
The beginning of a mission
The path of Brian Pasmor to becoming an ultra-runner was not something he started completely alone. Pasmor’s running story began in 2007 with a 5k race, that he ran with his family. “To get to know the sport,” he tells The Asunción Times. “We did not go with the intention of making times, just to participate and enjoy our Sunday.”
Today, Brian has competed in five Backyard Ultra’s, one of the most extreme tests of running abilities in the world. The first four he participated in were held in Paraguay. The most recent was the International Backyard Ultra, which takes place every two years, in Tennessee. Brian explained that the race is held that American state, “because the founder of the race lives there and hosts it in his “backyard.”
During the event, Brian was able to meet the founder, Lazurus Lake. “He is very well-known and organises other events beyond Backyard Ultra. I realised while speaking with him that many people are interested in getting to know him, he is like a character for people. He is also really easy to talk to; he listens to people and wanted to know more about Paraguay.”
Brian Pasmor’s most impressive Backyard Ultra results
Ulala Backyard Pinamar 2024, 14 loops (93.94 KMs).
World Team Championship, 2024, 24 loops (161.04 KMs).
Ulala Backyard Aguavista, 2025, 16 loops (107.36 KMs).
World Individual Championship 2025, 15 loops (100.65 KMs).
Comparing Backyard Ultra
Relatively speaking, ultra running is a new sport in Paraguay. The first Backyard Ultra in Paraguay was held in August, 2023. The Backyard Ultra consists of two sections, one during the day and the other at night. In Tennessee, the daytime portion requires participants to scale rocky trails, facing the risk of tripping on boulders or tree roots, while at night, the track changes to smooth asphalt.
“It is 11 hours out of the day on the trails, and 13 hours at nighttime that are all on asphalt. During the day, it was extremely hot, and was already a very enclosed environment with almost no wind, so all of us sweat so much, because of the high humidity as well.”
When asked if the heat in the United States was comparable with that of Paraguay, Brian Pasmor responded: “No, it was not, there were editions of Backyard that we did in Paraguay that were completely asphalt, we did not have any shade and the heat from that asphalt surrounded us. Especially during midday, it was lethal.”
Ultra Trail in Patagonia
However, this definitely was not the first time Brian Pasmor’s endured extreme conditions during one of his races. The Patagonia 100 Miles Run, held in San Martín de los Andes, Argentina, was his longest race yet.
“I did 33 hours, almost without stopping. There are stations where they prepare water and something to eat, but only for a moment, and then we continued. I do not really use gels, but usually carbohydrate drinks or actual food. Because when we run for a long time, we definitely want to eat something.”
The Ultra Trail differs from Backyard Ultra, but are as impressive. Sponsored and organised by UTMB World (Ultra Trail Mont-Blanc), participants need to reach their destination, often more than 100 miles (160 kilometres) away. Events are held around the world, and the country with the most of them in South America is Argentina.
Brian’s support and motivations
While generally supportive of his endeavors, there are times where Brian’s family has been worried for him. “They are always there waiting for me, and more so, when I tell them for example, I should arrive at an established time and I do not actually get there at that time. Many times, it is just because of a different route we took, so we arrive late or get lost.”
During the daytime portion of the Backyard Ultra, music is prohibited. “So it is not uncommon for one to think “What am I doing here? Who sent me here?” But those thoughts pass, and there are always really beautiful moments as well.”
“A form of coming together”
Even if you are starting as a beginner, Brian encourages anyone interested to participate in these types of events. “Especially Backyard Ultra is a form of coming together, in a distance that is accessible for many people. It is new, fun and for the people who are just starting, it can be a way to accumulate many kilometres without the pression of a half-marathon or marathon.”
Those beautiful moments, are what make all of the suffering worth it in the end. Brian related that without motivation, these events would be impossible, even with the perfect conditions. Internal motivation is what drives Brian to keep going hour after hour.
You can follow more of his athletic journey, as well as his personal tips and experiences on Brian Pasmor’s Instagram. To see morem find Brian Pasmor on YouTube.
Photo Credit: Kings Trail Club and Brian Pasmor.
