GrassRoots Backyard Ultra 2026

GrassRoots Backyard Ultra 2026 brings Backyard racing back to the Sheep River corridor in Okotoks, Alberta. The event uses a 6.71 km loop format, with runners setting off every hour on the hour until one remains.

The course is built for pacing and patience rather than pure speed. It combines a mostly paved pathway with a short single-track dirt section, plus modest climbing, so the effort stays honest over repeated laps.

For runners who like strategy as much as stamina, this one leans into the Backyard Ultra format from the first loop to the last.

For runners comparing local trail options, it fits alongside other trail races in Okotoks.

The course follows an open public-pathway loop in Okotoks alongside the Sheep River. It is mostly asphalt, with a short single-track dirt section, and the loop includes 34 metres of gain. The Backyard format means runners repeat the same 6.71 km circuit each hour.

• 6.71 km Backyard Ultra loop
• Hourly starts on the hour
• Open public-pathway course along the Sheep River
• Primarily asphalt with a short dirt-trail section
• 34 metres of elevation gain
• Last Person Standing format
• Trail race in Okotoks, Alberta