BBU 2026 Newsletter #2
BBU runners!
We’re now just a few weeks away from race weekend, and excitement is building fast!
Firstly, if you missed Newsletter #1, you can read it on our website here: [CLICK]
Many of the important logistics, race village information, Team Namibia qualification details, supporter information, environmental policies and nutrition requirements were covered there, so please make sure you’ve read it.
Here are some important reminders and updates:
BACKYARD ULTRA RULES – PLEASE READ
The Brandberg Backyard Ultra follows the official international Backyard Ultra rules as published by Lazarus Lake. These are standard Backyard Ultra rules used worldwide.
The full rules can be viewed on our website here: [CLICK]
A few VERY important rules that regularly catch runners out:
STARTS ARE ABSOLUTELY NON-NEGOTIABLE
Every loop starts exactly on the hour when the cowbell rings.
Warning whistles will sound:
• 3 minutes before start
• 2 minutes before start
• 1 minute before start
You MUST be inside the starting corral when the bell rings.
If you are not in the corral at the bell, you are immediately eliminated.
You MUST also start with everyone else at the bell.
You cannot stand in the corral and then start 10 or 20 seconds later. When the bell rings, everybody leaves together. No exceptions. You can leave the corral and then stop to put on shoes, for example, but once you leave the corral, you can’t hand off gear to someone, since you are technically already on the route.
NO SUPPORTERS ON THE ROUTE
No supporter runners, friends, family members, bicycles or vehicles are allowed anywhere on the course.
Supporters may only access the route via the official Turnaround Cheers transport.
This rule applies day and night.
NO ARTIFICIAL AIDS
No trekking poles or other artificial aids are allowed.
COMPLETE EVERY LOOP WITHIN THE HOUR
Every lap must be completed within 60 minutes to count.
A lap completed in 60:01 is a DNF.
NIGHT RUNNING (ULTRA’S ONLY)
All runners remaining after dark must carry a functioning light source and wear reflective gear. This will be checked during registration on Friday, where you will receive a sticker on your race number after your night gear has been checked. No sticker, no night loops.
Please bring spare batteries or backup lights.
ULTRA RUNNERS – IMPORTANT LAP COUNTING CHANGE
Because our ultra field has grown significantly this year, we need your help to ensure lap counts remain accurate.
All runners (Ultra, Challenge and Fun Run) must sign in before race start on Saturday morning. Please arrive early.
Ultra runners will now be responsible for confirming their own final lap tally at the end of their race before receiving their medal.
Please keep track of your own laps throughout the event.
As many of you know, BBU operates with a small but absolutely phenomenal volunteer team, and this system helps us ensure every hard-earned lap gets recorded correctly.
NO ELECTRICITY AT THE RACE VILLAGE
This is VERY important.
There are NO electrical outlets available at the race village.
Please bring:
Power banks
Solar charging solutions
Spare batteries
Rechargeable lights and headlamps
NO GENERATORS ALLOWED
Generators create noise that can interfere with runners hearing the lap start warning whistles and race announcements.
Please plan accordingly.
FRIDAY DINNER & RACE BRIEFING
Dinner tickets for Friday and Saturday evenings will go on sale on:
29 June
Only 150 dinner tickets will be available for each night, so please book early if you’d like to join us.
IMPORTANT
You do NOT need to purchase a dinner ticket to attend the official race briefing.
The race briefing will take place immediately after dinner and is compulsory for all runners.
More information on ticket sales will follow soon.
BEST DRESSED COMPETITION IS BACK!
One of our favourite BBU traditions returns this year… and we’re hoping to see some serious creativity!
There will be a prize for the Best Dressed Runner.
This year’s theme:
MOVIE CHARACTERS
Whether you’re a superhero, villain, wizard, pirate, cowboy, Jedi, Minion, gladiator or something completely ridiculous, we want to see it!
The dress-up lap will happen on the very first lap, so our fun runners can join in too. Make it fun, make it memorable, and most importantly, don’t take yourself too seriously.
And don’t worry — you absolutely do not have to run your entire ultra dressed as Shrek, Darth Vader or Jack Sparrow (unless you’re committed to the bit… ).
The first lap is all about having fun, creating great memories, getting some fantastic photos and kicking off the weekend with plenty of gees before things get serious later on.
So start planning, raid the costume cupboard, borrow from your kids, visit the dress-up box in the garage and bring your favourite movie character to life in Uis!
We can’t wait to see what you come up with.
SATURDAY NIGHT BRAAI & FIRE
We’ll have a fire going in the race village on Saturday night for those still battling through the darkness and for supporters wanting to stay warm.
Feel free to bring your braai supplies and enjoy the atmosphere.
Please remember:
Camp chairs
Warm clothing
Extra layers
Uis has a reputation for being very hot during the day and surprisingly cold at night.
Come prepared for both.
TRAINING REMINDER
We hope your training is going well!
If you’ve mostly been training on roads, now is the time to start spending some time off-road.
The BBU course includes:
Rocky terrain
Uneven surfaces
Rolling hills
Technical sections
Trail-specific training will help enormously when race day arrives.
You can read more about the day and night routes here: [CLICK]
BBU RACES GREEN
One of the things we’re most proud of at BBU is that we race green.
No single-use plastics
No styrofoam cups
Please bring your own water bottles, flasks or hydration containers to use throughout the weekend.
At the race village, we will provide:
Drinking water
Complimentary electrolytes courtesy of Deopharma
Simply refill your own bottles as needed.
Need a coffee fix? The one and only Two Beards complimentary coffee will once again be available throughout the event. Bring your own mug, or grab one of our commemorative BBU 2026 mugs, which will be on sale at the event.
And here’s the bonus: your BBU mug doubles as your tumbler for the legendary Cowbell Cruiser
when you head out for Turnaround Cheers and enjoy your complimentary drink courtesy of Atlantic Stillhouse.
Please help us keep the race village, course and surrounding environment clean throughout the weekend.
Leave nothing behind except footprints, memories and a few sore legs.
Let’s keep Namibia wild, clean and beautiful.
TEAM NAMIBIA QUALIFIER
Remember that BBU 2026 is the final qualifying event for Team Namibia for the Backyard Ultra World Team Championships in October.
The Top 8 overall finishers (not split by gender) will automatically qualify for Team Namibia.
The competition this year is shaping up to be exceptional.
THANK YOU TO OUR INCREDIBLE PARTNERS
Events like the Brandberg Backyard Ultra simply would not be possible without the support of our amazing sponsors and partners.
A special thank you to our Presenting Partner, RMB Namibia, whose continued support helps make this event possible and allows us to keep growing the Backyard Ultra movement in Namibia.
We are incredibly fortunate to have a group of passionate Namibian businesses and organisations standing behind BBU.
You can view all of our event partners here: [CLICK]
Click on their logos to learn more about who they are and what they do.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll also publish a breakdown of exactly what each partner contributes to the event, whether through race infrastructure, runner support, logistics, prizes, conservation initiatives or donations to our legendary silent auction.
Speaking of conservation…
One of the things that makes BBU special is that the event creates real impact beyond race weekend. Funds raised through the silent auction help support our conservation beneficiaries:
Save the Rhino Trust Namibia (SRT)
Ocean Conservation Namibia (OCN)
Pangolin Conservation & Research Foundation (PCRF)
These organisations work tirelessly to protect Namibia’s wildlife, wild spaces and endangered species, and we’re proud that the BBU community plays a small part in supporting their important work.
When you’re at the event, please take the time to visit them, chat to their teams and learn more about the incredible conservation work being done right here in Namibia.
To all our partners, sponsors, volunteers and conservation beneficiaries — thank you for helping make BBU so much more than just a race.
Thank you once again for being part of this incredible event.
We’re looking forward to welcoming all of you to Uis very soon.
Train smart, prepare well, and remember:
ONE LOOP AT A TIME
The BBU Team
