Big Dog’s Backyard will start this weekend in Bell Buckle, TN. This year’s event was to bring Golden Tickets winners from around the world together to compete head-to-head until only one person remained.
Then 2020 happened.
Not to be deterred, race organizer, Gary “Laz Lake” Cantrell just added a few twists and turns to the grueling, yet fascinating race. To adhere to COVID guidelines for safety and travel restrictions, each county will host its own satellite Backyard race. The concept is excruciatingly simple: you have one hour to complete a 4.16 mile loop or yard. This repeats until only one runner remains). While individuals will compete against each other this year, National pride is also on the line. We expect more camaraderie and support within the teams. In total, over 25 countries have fielded teams with ~300 of the top endurance athletes, racing simultaneously from different venues in their home countries to see who will be the last runner standing!
COMPLETE ROSTER by country: https://vacationwithoutacar.com/2020-bigdog-wc/ FOLLOW the race at Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra: https://www.facebook.com/groups/142055916440410/permalink/689680888344574/
The tough trail and road course at Big’s will be home to the USA team. Here is the roster for team USA (alphabetically listed): *Note: Jordan Webster McKelley earned a spot on TEAM USA, but has to decline due to injury. He will be replaced by Brian Trinkle.
AMELIA BOONE (GOLDEN, CO) Age: 37
LONGEST DISTANCE: 112 miles
MY CREW: Gina Fioroni
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• 3x World’s Toughest Mudder Champion
• Spartan Race World Champion
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Running around with friends! And all the hallucinations!
SPONSORS:
HumanN, Ultimate Direction, Big Spoon Roasters and Addaday
JACOB CONRAD (WOOSTER, OH) Age: 35
LONGEST DISTANCE: 170 miles
MY CREW: Kyle Wittel, and my father Paul Conrad
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• Winner of Bob’s Big Timber Backyard Ultra with 41 hours/170 miles,
• 3 consecutive podium finishes at the Mohican 100
I LOOK FORWARD TO: I’m excited to get the chance to run with a great field of runners and see how far I can go. It seems like it’ll be a great environment to go for lots and lots of miles.
SPONSORS: Vertical Runner Race Team and XOSKIN
COURTNEY DAUWALTER (Golden, CO) Age: 35
LONGEST DISTANCE: 309 miles of the Colorado Trail
MY CREW: KEVIN!!
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
Crewing Kevin at The Bear, running a 24 hour race with my mom, finishing my first 100 miler at Superior 100 with my family crewing & pacing
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Running with this fantastic group of athletes, helping each other push our limits and hallucinating some new friends.
SPONSORS:
Salomon, Sufferfest Beer, Suunto, Tailwind Nutrition, Addaday, Honey Stinger, Injinji, Squirrel’s Nut Butter, Superfeet
AARON ELLISON (ELLICOTT CITY, MD) Age: 44
LONGEST DISTANCE: 112 miles
MY CREW: No crew
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• Golden ticket winner of the Capital Backyard Ultra
• 3rd at Orcas Island 100
• 7th at Cruel Jewel 100
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Meeting all my famous teammates. Seeing how far I can go as I didn’t get to find out at the Capital Backyard Ultra.
JOE FEJES (Columbia, SC) Age: 54
LONGEST DISTANCE: 606 miles 6 days
MY CREW: My ultra-runner extraordinaire wife, Kelley
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
A few years ago I ran 44 hours at Bigs. I know I can do better. No one in the field has run 100+ miles for six days. I will win this.
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Hanging with my multiday brother (and my idol) David Johnston for many hours…
SPONSORS:
XOSKIN Compression Shorts —when you want game day advantage in multi-day running—go thin, go breathable, go commando, go XOSKIN!! Great stuff!!
MAGGIE GUTERL (Durango, CO) Age: 40
LONGEST DISTANCE: 250 miles
MY CREW: Otto Lam
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• 2019 Last Man Standing at Bigs
• 2015 Gold Medal 24 Hour USA Team
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Running with friends for days!
SPONSORS:
Tailwind Nutrition, Drymax, Leki, Trail Toes
DAVID JOHNSTON (Warrenton, MO) Age: 50
LONGEST DISTANCE: 551 Six Day, 43 yards Bigs
MY CREW: The Best: My Dad, Frank Johnston
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• 1st – Iditarod Trail Invitational – 350 Miler – Knik, AK, 2018
• 1st – Susitna 100 – 100 Mile Run – Big Lake, AK, 2019 and 2020
• Countless 24 hour and multi-day events
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Running with King Joe Fejes….Joe! Joe!
SPONSORS: My wife Dr. Andrea Hambach!
OLIVIER LEBLOND (Arlington, VA) Age: 48
LONGEST DISTANCE: 262 miles
MY CREW: Sarah Smith, I’ll have the best crew of all runners!
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• 48-hour American record in 2017
• 3rd at the 24-hour World Championships in 2019
• 100-mile American age-group record (45-49) in 2020
I LOOK FORWARD TO: Seeing other human beings in 2020! Visiting the pain cave.
SPONSOR: USWE Sports
HARVEY LEWIS (Cincinnati, OH) Age: 44
LONGEST DISTANCE: 241 miles Bigs assist 2017; AT 2,190 miles
MY CREW: Judd Poindexter my crew extraordinaire from 2017
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• Team Gold, Oct 2019 – 24 Hour WC Albi, France w/ 160.609 miles.
• 1st Place Long Haul 100 miler, January 2020, 15:55:19
• 1st Place Burning River 100, August 2020, 17:48, 11 days after setting the record of fastest time highest to lowest in the contiguous USA.
I LOOK FORWARD TO: Being able to just focus on running and the camaraderie with the other runners, Laz, our crews and the dogs.
I look forward to the opportunity to explore our outer limits!
SPONSORS: While not a sponsor per se we currently have a film in theaters in select markets across the country – “Like Harvey, Like Son”
Newton Running, RunQuest Travel, Road ID, 2XU, Swiftwick,
Tailwind Nutrition, Simple Hydration, Structural Elements and Peak
Performance Sports Therapy
PHIL MCCARTHY (New York City) Age: 52
LONGEST DISTANCE: 3158 miles across the USA
MY CREW: Elaine Acosta
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• Former 48-hour American Record (257.34 miles)
• 24-hour National Champion 2009, 2011
• Ran across USA in 2018 in 49 days, 7h, 55m
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Hanging with my buddies
SPONSORS:
Wrightsock, Epsomit, Shades of Brooklyn
SARAH MOORE (Detroit, MI) Age: 32
LONGEST DISTANCE: 137.51 miles
MY CREW: Husband and master chef, Andrew Moore and friend, Lauren Zens
RACE HIGHLIGHTS: Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia delivered to me by the RD after 24 hours at Ode to Laz Backyard Ultra, Kissing my husband at midnight on our Anniversary in the middle of completing the CCC UTMB 2018, Winning the Golden Ticket at Ode to Laz this year in August and getting to hug my bestie at the finish line for the first time since quarantine began
I LOOK FORWARD TO: Going farther than I ever have before and running with my idols
SPONSORS: I got some cool socks from XOSkin.usa that are made out of copper and tephlon, and a husband that cooks better than Gordon Ramsey himself, ensuring I go the distance.
CHRISTOPHER POWELL (Aiken, SC) Age: 36
LONGEST DISTANCE: 112 miles trail 24 hr event.
MY CREW: My wife Alison will be crewing me
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
Winning a golden ticket into Bigs at the Asylum: LMS event last year is a major highlight.
Completinfg my first 100 2 yrs ago, and to realize that with a lot of hard work, it was attainable. I also enjoy doing races and pacing with family and friends whenever I can.
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Just being there! I never thought that something like this would be possible.
GABE RAINWATER (Fresno, OH) Age: 32
LONGEST DISTANCE: 154 miles
MY CREW: My wife and K-Witt
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
I am most proud of running 13 consecutive Mohican 100 races and breaking the 20 hour mark.
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Being a part of an elite group on a world stage
SPONSOR: Vertical Runner Wooster
BRIAN TRINKLE (Cumming, GA) Age: 58
LONGEST DISTANCE: 378 miles
MY CREW: Hannah Trinkle
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• Exceeding my goals and finishing strong at two un-crewed multi-day races in the same year (Tarheel and Vol State)
• Grinding it out as a mid-packer in dozens of ultras and making lots of friends along the way
• 32 hours at BIG’s
I LOOK FORWARD TO:
Just enjoying the overall experience of being surrounded by runners with talent vastly superior to mine!
SPONSORS:
My amazing wife, Jane Trinkle!
MICHAEL WARDIAN (Arlington, VA) Age: 44
LONGEST DISTANCE: 262.5 miles (2020)
MY CREW: Phil Hargis
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
• Quarantine Background Ultra Champion 2020
• 7 marathons, 7 days, 7 continents, 2:17:49 marathon PR
I LOOK FORWARD TO: Doing something special with a fantastic group of athletes and representing the USA
SPONSORS:
HOKA ONE ONE, T-Mobile, Nathan, GU, Sweetgreen, Injinji, Compressport, Big Spoon Roasters, Squirrel’s Nut Butter, Med Star, Inside Tracker, Polar-USA, Red Dog Coffee Roasters, Spartan Trail, T8-underwear, Ultra X, Zansors, Stoked Oats, District Taco and Uncommon Breed
Outlaw Runs 