The fifth edition of the Ulala Backyard Ultra Paraguay will take place on 15 and 16 August 2026 at Club El Cortijo in San Bernardino, bringing together runners from Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, and other countries for one of the world’s most demanding endurance competitions. With nearly 200 runners already confirmed, the 2026 edition of the event is preparing to once again challenge the physical and mental limits of its athletes.
The event is particularly significant this year because it will serve as a qualifier for Paraguay’s national Backyard Ultra team, whose selected athletes will compete in the World Team Championship in October 2026, alongside runners from 86 countries.
Unlike a conventional race, the Backyard Ultra has no fixed finish line or predetermined total distance. Runners must complete a 6.706-kilometre loop within one hour, starting a new loop at the beginning of every hour. The process continues until only one runner remains. The race eliminates anyone who fails to complete a lap within the hour.
A growing international presence
The Ulala Backyard Ultra Paraguay has become an increasingly important event on the regional endurance calendar, attracting competitors and their families, support teams, and other visitors from Paraguay and abroad.
Their arrival generates activity for hotels, restaurants, shops, and other local service providers in San Bernardino and nearby towns. The competition supports ultrarunning in Paraguay while boosting the local economy through sports tourism.
The race also holds Silver Ticket status within the international Backyard Ultra circuit. The global Backyard Ultra organisation awards this certification to events that meet its standards, further strengthening the competition’s position within the South American endurance scene.
The unique ‘last one standing’ format
The Backyard Ultra format was created by American race director Lazarus Lake and is built around a deceptively simple rule: runners must complete one 6.706-kilometre lap every hour. Once a lap is completed, competitors have the remaining minutes of that hour to rest, eat, hydrate, change clothes, or prepare for the next start. At the top of the following hour, everyone who remains in the competition must begin another lap.
There is no traditional finish line and no set number of kilometres to cover. Instead, the race continues hour after hour until only one competitor remains. The race eliminates any runner who fails to complete a lap within the allotted hour.
This makes the event less a test of speed than a test of endurance, strategy, recovery, and mental resilience.
More than a test of speed
Because runners must complete every lap within the same one-hour window, the fastest runner does not necessarily win. The key is finding a sustainable pace that allows an athlete to continue for as long as possible. The short breaks between laps become crucial. Competitors use these minutes to eat, hydrate, change clothes, stretch, and recover before the next lap.
Sleep deprivation becomes another major challenge as the race extends through the night and into subsequent days. Experienced Backyard Ultra competitors develop strategies to make the most of every available minute of rest, including extremely short periods of sleep. The format therefore places athletes under a combination of physical and psychological pressure that increases with every successive lap.
A significant event for national athletes
The 2026 edition carries additional importance for Paraguayan runners because it will determine the athletes who will form the Paraguayan National Backyard Ultra Team for the World Team Championship in October.
With competitors from 86 countries expected at the global championship, earning a place on Paraguay’s team represents a major opportunity for the country’s leading endurance athletes. The qualification raises the stakes for local runners. It also supports the growth of Paraguay’s ultrarunning community.
Records and human limits
The current Paraguayan record belongs to Christian Aranda. He completed 28 consecutive laps over 28 hours, covering approximately 186 kilometres. Internationally, the discipline has reached extraordinary levels of endurance. The global benchmark is held by a Belgian athlete who remained in competition for 119 consecutive hours, completing almost 800 kilometres.
These figures illustrate just how far the Backyard Ultra can push human endurance. What begins as a seemingly manageable 6.706-kilometre loop becomes an increasingly demanding test as hours turn into days, recovery time becomes more valuable, and the ability to keep returning to the starting line becomes the ultimate measure of success.
The 2026 Ulala Backyard Ultra Paraguay will bring international competition to San Bernardino. It will also support national-team selection and boost the local economy. The event will strengthen the development and international visibility of ultrarunning in Paraguay.
