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Suffolk Backyard Ultra 2022

John Stocker is the last man standing – again

Backyard Ultra returns to Suffolk with 120 proud DNFs

Last year, around this time, Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve, near Thetford hosted England's first-ever Backyard Ultra with a truly astonishing result, as reported here in runABC South. John Stocker (Bicester) set the world's best performance after a gruelling battle for supremacy with Matt Blackburn in a race that lasted for 81 hours and resulted in 122 non-finishers.

Perhaps we should remind ourselves of the body-breaking, will-crushing format of Backyard Ultra racing. Each competitor sets off at the start of every hour for a 4.167-mile lap (or 'Yard') on a testing trail course. Each 'Yard' must be completed within an hour and is then repeated until only one ultra-endurance athlete remains and is declared the winner – with other mere mortals cruelly listed as DNF!

The 2022 Suffolk Backyard Ultra organised by Challenge Running saw 121 brave souls set off at 12:00 noon on Saturday (28 May) with defending champion and world record holder John Stocker easing into his stride and the rhythm of the event. Facilities at Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve are basic but that only adds to the attritional values of this mecca for masochists. Portaloos, cold food, hot and cold drinks, and camping are available but the survival instincts of competitors are the most important factor.

After 15 hours, with 100K completed, the race had been whittled down to 46 competitors and as 24 hours was clocked up (100 miles) there were just 16 men and one woman still in contention. The women's race winner, Evelina Snezko (Belgium) heard the DNF bell after successfully completing 25 hours and 104 miles – she had set out for a 26th circuit but was timed out after a painful 1:16:22 final 'Yard' and her race was done.

The field steadily diminished as day two unfolded and at 40 hours there were just three remaining. Andy Day called it a day at this point, leaving John Stocker and Hendrik Spoering (Belgium) to battle on to the bitter end. The curtain finally dropped, earlier than expected, when Spoering did not start Yard number 43, which Stocker completed in 49:58 for a total of 179.17 miles and a running time of 33:13:16. 

Stocker's fastest lap was run in 39:18 on Yard #22; his slowest was 51:16 (Yard #16) and his average was 46:22, so he typically had less than 15 minutes to do the things necessary to keep moving each and every hour. But this man has cranked out 81 hours before and is an absolute master of his craft, so this was a fairly easy run to be 'last man standing'.

Detailed results via runABC South race listing here

Image of John Stocker and Race Director Lindley Chambers via Challenge Running on Facebook

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