Lion King Backyard Ultra 2026

Lion King Backyard Ultra is a last-runner-standing race held at Lions Club Park in Rolla, Missouri. It is structured around a 4.167-mile loop that begins again each hour. Participants must complete each lap within the hour and then re-enter the starting corral for the next lap. The race has no predetermined end; it concludes when a single runner finishes one more lap than all other competitors. Daytime running takes place on a dirt trail loop, while the night course shifts to a flat, paved out-and-back route. The initial eleven laps traverse dirt paths through mature deciduous trees, cedar groves, fields, and brief stream crossings, leading back to the starting corral via a paved section. Subsequently, the night route follows pavement alongside a flowing creek. The venue accommodates crews well for a backyard ultra, offering covered 10-by-10 pavilion spaces, water spigots, charging outlets, and porta-potties near the corral and at the two-mile mark. Aid stations providing water and salt tablets are located at both the start area and the halfway point. Proceeds from the race benefit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Prevention hotline and Lions Club Park. Awards consist of a custom Lion King or Queen belt buckle, a bronze qualifying coin, a swag bag, and lap-count ribbons for those who finish.