Backyard Ultra Rules

The rules for the Brandberg Backyard Ultra are listed below and are compatible with the standard rules for any official Backyard Ultra as published by Lazarus Lake. Violation of any rule (as determined by the race director) may subject a participant to removal. 

Please note: Runners must be 20 years or older to participate in the ultra.

Starts
• Each loop starts precisely at the top of the hour with the ringing of a cowbell
• Warning whistles will be given 3, 2, and 1 minutes prior to the start
• Any runner not in the starting corral at the bell is eliminated
• All runners must start, (leave the corral onto the course), at the bell. No late starts.

On the course
• No dogs are allowed on the course or at the race venue (not even leashed, well-behaved tiny ones!) 
• Once a loop starts, no runner can leave the course (except for nature calls)
• No non-competitors are allowed on any part of the course, including bicycles or vehicles of any kind, without prior permission from the race director
• No personal aid can be given during a loop (specifically, runners must not receive or give anything to non-competitors during a loop. Runners can eat and drink what they are carrying and share things with other runners)
• No artificial aids are allowed (including trekking poles)
• Each loop must be completed within an hour to be counted
• Slower runners must allow passes

Winner
• The race concludes immediately after the first loop that is completed successfully by only one runner or by no runners at all
• The winner is the person who completes a loop that no other runner completes
• All others are technically DNF
• If no runner completes a solo, final loop, there is no winner

Race officials
• All participants must follow directions given by race officials
• The race director has final authority in case of any matters left unclear by these rules

Safety
Participants in the race are responsible for their own safety. Here are a few things to keep in
mind:
• The race course starts and ends in the town of Uis, but the largest part of the course will be on a public jeep track on the outskirts of the town within the communal land of the Tsiseb Conservancy. It is possible to encounter pedestrians, bicyclists, tourist vehicles, some goats and their very protective herding dogs. Stay alert and aware of your surroundings.
• Headphones may be used while running, but it is the runner’s responsibility to ensure they don’t interfere with awareness of hazards.
• At night, all runners must wear appropriate gear and clothing both to see and to be seen. This includes a functioning light source and some reflective clothing (a reflective safety vest is recommended). Plan ahead with spare batteries.