Austria Backyard Ultra Wagendorf-518_edited.jpg

Austria Backyard Ultra -
Wagendorf/Oststeiermark 2026

Austria Backyard Ultra goes to the green heart of Austria!

How many rounds do you dare?

7 laps is more than a marathon.

15 laps is 100 km.

24 laps is 100 miles.

Austria Backyard Ultra festival on a fantastically beautiful trail route in Eastern Styria.

The Backyard Ultra mode is very simple.

Every hour the runners start a 6.706 km (=4.167 miles) long course. You have exactly one hour to do this. If you don't finish the round on time and don't start again, you're out!

No late start! Very easy! ;-)

The event runs until there is only 1 runner left on the course. => open end

The race takes place according to the official Backyard Ultra regulations of the American original.

rules in detail

What can you expect in Wagendorf/Eastern Styria:

We are kicking off the third edition of ABU Wagendorf with some big news.

Based on many opinions and comments such as: “I would really like to reach the night hours and run with a headlamp,” “It takes so long for it to get dark that I'm already back home by then,” “A backyard in the summer? The midday heat kills me,” we are responding to your feedback and hereby announce:

“Summertime is festival time”
- so we're moving the start from Saturday at 9:00 a.m. to Friday, July 10 at 4:00 p.m. and sending you off in high spirits for running and partying, hopefully straight into a balmy summer night. So we're turning the tables—throwing a spanner in the works of the midday heat for now and letting you try out your new headlamps from Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny.

NEW: Day and night route

As usual, the first few hours will be spent running the tried-and-tested home training route of many runners from far and wide, in the lovely Wagendorf style.
However, we don't want to send 200 runners out on the trail at night, so we will start after dusk at around 8:00 p.m. on a relaxed, quiet night route. After the first climb, we will turn left onto Eckweg, where a slightly undulating running route awaits you. Halfway through, we turn around and run back the same way, and to your relief, the climb up Safenberg is now behind you :P
The night loop can be used to complete the course quickly and without too much effort, so that you can eat properly and even take a decent power nap.

At around 6 a.m., with the first rays of sunshine and a fresh cup of coffee, we will send you back on your day loop. Here you can start the day refreshed, hopefully having had a good night's sleep. Since it will already be almost midsummer at the beginning of July, the midday heat will not spare you – you will be grateful for the easy night route, but we are watching over you and want to see you run for a long time :)
Make sure you have enough sunscreen and cooling aids. Those who make it into the evening hours can return to the night loop to recover.

The whole thing will of course be rounded off with music, parties during the night, and a morning pint on Sunday—we hope you'll still be on the course then.

As every year, we will be on public roads—even at night—so please bring a headlamp and high-visibility vest.

Parking is available around the curling hut, shower facilities are approx. 300m away.

Kick off for the first yard
16:00 on July 10, 2026

Timeline Wagendorf / Oststeiermark 2026

Friday July 10, 2026:
12:00 noon to 3:30 p.m.: bib pick-up
4:00 p.m.: START Austria Backyard Ultra Festival Wagendorf

Musical accompaniment and moderation from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m
Early shopping Sunday, July 12, 2026 from 09:00 a.m

award ceremony does not take place for the Backard Ultra. Prizes and the DNF trophy will be handed over immediately after the runner's DNF.

DNF the runner: If you are more drawn to the gastro instead of to the starting line, you have to deregister yourself with the organizers and receive your very own DNF trophy.

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That is not all ...

Austria Backyard Ultra Team Challenge:

In addition, you can register as a team of 3 for the Austria Backyard Ultra Team Challenge.

Each participant runs their own Backyard Ultra, whether with a team or without.

As soon as exactly three participants have registered with the same team name (please pay close attention to spelling and typos!), you will automatically be entered into the ABU Team Challenge. (No additional registration fees!)

The yards (= laps) of the three participants are simply added together.

If one team member drops out, the others can continue running as normal for as long as they want.

Run together, have fun, and motivate each other to achieve peak performance!

There are great prizes from La Sportiva for the winners.

Maximum security in uncertain times!

With our BE SAFE option for € 5, you can play it safe! Cancel by June 10, 2026 without giving a reason and get your entry fee back.

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Participation fee

AUSTRIA BACKYARD ULTRA

The participation fee at ABU Wagendorf is structured according to the following participant contingents:

Step 1 - price of EUR 60,- (contingent of 30 places)

Step 2 - price of EUR 70,- (contingent of 60 places)

Step 3 - price of EUR 80,- (contingent of 60 places)

Step 4 - price of EUR 90,- (contingent of 50 places)

When the starting places for the Step 1 price have been sold out, the Step 2 price starts, etc.

Online registration closes on July 8, 2026 at the latest!

Late registration on site (if places are still available):

Entry fee EUR 100,-

An early closing of the registration is possible at any time when the starter contingent (200 participants) has been reached.

Location & arrival & route Wagendorf

Location up Google Maps

getting there

Directions:

- coming from Graz -> highway A2 to exit Hartberg -> Unterlungitz -> Wagendorf

- coming from Vienna -> E59 Wiener Neustadt -> exit Pinggau B54 direction Lafnitz -> Grafendorf -> Wagendorf

Route - Day loop:

The start is at the curling hut of the "ESV Wagendorf" curling club.

We head out onto a 700-metre section of road with an ascent of around 40 meters, which is easy to master. We then turn onto the Eckweg - a wide gravel road.

Halfway along, we leave this again and turn into the forest, where we enjoy the tranquillity of the forest and continue on a flowing trail section towards Hubertuskapelle. From there, the rest of the route is also on a wide gravel path back towards the start/finish area.

A total of around 130 meters in altitude await us on the varied route with many different surfaces.

Beautiful views of the highlights of the surrounding area await you on several sections of the route, you can see the Hochwechsel in the north, the local mountain of Grafendorf - the Masenberg, the Ringwarte (the heart of Hartberg) and the neighboring village of Grafendorf where 80% of the route is located.

Here, every runner has the opportunity to try something new, regardless of whether they are on the road, on the trail or simply on a leisurely hike.

Download GPX file day loop:

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Route - night loop:

Don't worry—the first climb of the day loop will still be there, because you all love it, right? We don't want you to miss it.

After the climb, we turn left onto Eckweg, where a slightly undulating running route awaits you. Halfway through, we turn around and run back the same way. To your relief, the climb up Safenberg is now behind you :P

Download GPX file night loop:

organizational

The route is sufficiently marked and secured by marshals. After 10 laps at the latest, you already know the way blindly. 😉
The route is mostly on forest paths, mostly gravel, only short sections on asphalt (from the start and last section to the finish), ratio approx. 80% gravel/forest, 20% asphalt.
In the start/finish area, participants will be given space in the weatherproof hall (ESV Wagendorf) for chairs, cool box, sleeping bag,... First come - first serve! Electricity available. There is also a meadow for your own pavilion or tents!
To avoid unnecessary plastic waste in the refreshment area, each participant should bring their own drinking cup / flask / bottle as usual!
Sanitary facilities are available near the start-finish area.
Refreshment station is in the start-finish area. There is no aid station on the route.
At the parking lot next to the hall - directly next to the start-finish area - there is enough space for campers - also first come, first serve, please register by email or phone if you need a parking space.
The forest is a local recreation area and not a garbage dump. We move around in nature and treat the animals with respect. Inappropriate behavior in nature (especially the throwing away of garbage) will be punished with immediate disqualification.
The run takes place at your own risk and on your own responsibility on a route that is not closed off or monitored. On roads, the StVO must be followed and traffic must be observed.
With an elevation gain of approx. 130 meters and mostly beautiful, well runnable forest ground, there is no particular increased risk of accidents, but we still recommend that participants are sure-footed in the terrain and wear appropriate footwear.
Headlamps and high-visibility vests are compulsory in the evening!!!

The participant is responsible for accidents or injuries of any kind and must take out adequate insurance himself. The landowner and the organizer are not liable for this.

Services

race organization
Musical entertainment and moderation
Catering during the run (water, iso, cola, coffee, soup, tomatoes, cake, fruit, salt, peanuts, salt sticks/pretzels, spreads, chips, and much more). Subject to change. There is no guarantee that the complete offer will be offered throughout the event.
dnf-trophy and certificate for all participants
Parking lot and parking space for campers (limited number)
A hall is available for participants to store personal belongings, deckchairs, camp beds, self-catering, etc.
Changing rooms, washing and shower facilities near the start/finish line
DUV rating
…and much more!