Big Bastrop Backyard Ultra

Lake Bastrop, Texas • Friday, December 31, 2027

Run out the year. Run in the next one.

The Last Race of the Year

The second Big Bastrop Backyard Ultra starts on the morning of New Year's Eve and runs under the lost pines until one runner is left. Start in 2027. If you're still in the corral when the midnight bell rings, you start yard 18 in 2028.

Our first edition in October 2026 was awarded Bronze Ticket status by Big's Backyard Ultra. Every result is posted to the official Big's results database, and every runner gets a certificate of achievement. Big Bastrop is also part of The Last Frontier Circuit, the Texas Backyard Ultra Series.

Friday, December 31, 2027

New Year's Eve at Lake Bastrop

The Big Bastrop Backyard Ultra

You'll never know how far you'll go... until you show.

Start: 7:00 AM  |  Distance: 4.167-mile loop  |  Format: Last One Standing. One loop. One hour. Last runner standing wins. Are you in?

You'll run the Gideon Loop from Basecamp through a short winter day and a long night. The first loop starts before sunrise (around 7:30 AM), so bring a headlamp to the start line. Sunset falls around 5:45 PM, during yard 11. Night gear is mandatory from the 5:00 PM bell. The midnight bell starts yard 18 and the new year.

To win, the last runner must start the final yard alone and finish it inside the hour: a solo victory lap. If two or more runners start a yard and only one makes it back in time, that runner goes out once more, alone, to claim the win.

Paid by the Mile:

The last runner standing receives an event champion's trophy and a check for $2 per mile covered, rounded to the nearest dollar. The winner also earns a complimentary entry to the next race on The Last Frontier Circuit. Prize money is awarded to an official winner only (final loop started and completed solo). Entry is non-transferable; if the winner is already registered for that race, they receive a credit they can apply to a future race or merch.

How many loops are in your software? Come find out. You can get there just by showing up and taking it one loop at a time:

1 Loop: 4.167 miles (A great trail run)

2 Loops: 8.33 miles (A major personal milestone)

3 Loops: 12.5 miles (Essentially a trail half marathon)

4 Loops: 16.67 miles (Uncharted territory)

24 Loops: 100 miles (One full day)

You don't need to be fast. You just have to move 4.167 miles in 60 minutes. That is a very doable 14:23-per-mile pace.

You can briskly walk the uphills, jog the flats, and still make it back to the starting corral with 5 to 10 minutes to spare to sit in a chair, eat a snack, and get warm.

It's not a speed race. It's a pacing game.

Run until you can't. Then run one more.

Important Race Format Note: The Big Bastrop Backyard Ultra starts promptly at 7:00 AM and has no time limit. The race continues until one runner completes a solo victory lap. The race director may pause or end the race at any time for runner safety.

The Texas Backyard Series Pass Options

Want the full circuit experience? Choose a Bundle during checkout to unlock contender privileges:

• Mailed Legacy Bib: Your permanent number for the entire season, shipped straight to your door. Zero race-day lines (must be registered at least 3 weeks before the first race day for guaranteed delivery).
• Priority Crew Pit Setup: Premium space closest to the starting corral at all venues.
• Injury Deferral Insurance: Clean, hassle-free single-race transfers if your training block gets sidelined.

A backyard ultra is won at the rest chair, not the starting line. Click here to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter: training plans, pacing strategy, and the mental playbook for the bell. Every Wednesday, straight to your inbox.

Course: 1× Gideon Loop via Swift Trail. Aid stations every 2.1 miles, full support at start/finish.

The Loblolly Redemption

Miss the bell on the main course and your race isn't over. It's different. Walk to the Loblolly corral, and at the next bell you start the 5.1 km Loblolly Loop with everyone else who got dropped. Same bell, smaller loop, new field. Last person standing wins. You can't register for the Redemption. You can only be sent there. Click here for the full rules.

The Course

The Gideon Loop

The loop runs on the trails of Lake Bastrop South Shore Park, with rolling terrain, moderate elevation changes, and a mix of single-track and wider trail sections.

Towering loblolly pines shade much of the course. Lakeside stretches give you water views, and interior sections wind through quiet forest that feels very different after dark.

Course Highlights

• Loop: 4.167 miles, about 141 feet of elevation gain per loop
• Trail Type: Mix of single-track and wider trails
• Views: Lake Bastrop overlooks and the Lost Pines
• Aid Stations: Every 2.1 miles, full support at start/finish
• Night Running: Most of the race runs in the dark. Headlamp and backup light required.
• Safety: Well-marked with high-visibility trail markers

Every Registration Includes

What's Not Included

Event Logistics

Packet Pickup

Thursday, December 30: 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM

Friday, December 31 (race morning): 6:00 AM to 6:45 AM

Location: Lake Bastrop South Shore Park Pavilion

Spectators and Crew

Friends, family and crew are welcome to come cheer, and the midnight bell is a good one to be there for.

Lake Bastrop South Shore Park requires a park entry fee for all non-registered spectators and crew. Passes can be purchased in advance through our race store.
Click here to purchase a Spectator Park Entry Pass.

Parking & Directions

Start/Finish Area: Lake Bastrop South Shore Park

Free parking at the venue for registered runners. Arrive at least 45 minutes before the start.

The race guide will be emailed one week before the event.

Weather & Contingency

Late December in Bastrop is usually mild by day and cold at night, with highs often in the 60s and overnight lows that can drop into the 30s. Plan for warm layers, dry clothes for the night, and a cold-weather setup at your chair.

In case of severe weather, the event may be:

• Moved to an earlier or later start time
• Postponed to a later date
• Paused or ended early for runner safety

A decision will be made 24 hours before the scheduled start and communicated by email and social media.

Refund & Transfer Policy

• No refunds; transfers at the race director's discretion
• Weather Cancellation: Runners receive credit toward a future backyard ultra on our event calendar.

Ring In 2028 on the Trail

One loop. One hour. One runner left standing. See you at the bell on December 31.