Biggest Little Ultra

10/01/2026

Throwback to the magic of 2025... and a look ahead to an even bigger 2026! 📸💙(Swipe through to relive some of our favorite moments from last year's race!)

As we count down to October 9-11, 2026, we've got some BIG news for our 48-hour competitors. Thanks to our friends at Destination Trail, the top male and female finishers of the 48-hour race will each win a FREE ENTRY into any one of their 2027 races.

That means your performance at the Sparks Marina could earn you guaranteed entry into legendary races like:
🏔️ Tahoe 200 or Tahoe 100K
🦶 Bigfoot 200
🏜️ Moab 240
👹 Arizona Monster

These are some of the most sought-after (and hardest to get into) ultra races in the country. Winning your division at our 48-hour event could be your ticket in.

Biggest Little Ultra | October 9-11, 2026
Sparks Marina, Sparks, Nevada

Register: BiggestLittleUltra.com
See Destination Trail's full race calendar: DestinationTrailRun.com/race-calendar

08/23/2026

Meet "The Jester." 🃏

Ed Ettinghausen is coming to the 2026 Biggest Little Ultra this October for his 315th 100-mile race. And if all goes to plan, he'll walk away with FOUR new world records in a single weekend. 🤯

Let that sink in:
🏆 356th career attempt at 100 miles or longer
🏆 336th career finish at 100k or longer
🏆 316th career finish at 100 miles or longer
🏆 189th race finish over 100 miles

Oh, and he already holds the World Record for wins—an absolutely wild 83 victories at 100 miles or longer. He's not just a runner. He's the World's Winningest 100-Miler.

But ask anyone who's run alongside Ed, and they won't just talk about the records. They'll talk about the laughs. Known for racing in full jester gear, Ed brings joy, jokes, and decades of ultrarunning wisdom to every single mile.

He'll even be attempting a long-shot 168th podium finish—despite (by his own admission) starting the race a casual 11 hours late. Never count out The Jester. 😄

Come watch history in the making at the Sparks Marina this October. Or better yet—register and run alongside a legend yourself.

📍 Biggest Little Ultra | October 9-11, 2026
🔗 Register: link in bio

Follow Ed's journey:

07/26/2026

What if we told you that you could share a start line with a 14-time Western States champion? 👀

It's happening at the 2026 Biggest Little Ultra.

Three incredible ultrarunning legends have registered:
✅ Ann Trason (48-hour event)
✅ Ed Ettinghausen, "The Jester" (100-miler, maybe two!)
✅ Jim Ingalls (81 years old, fresh off a National Championship)

Plus 60+ other incredible runners and walkers from across the country.

This is shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend at the Sparks Marina!

07/19/2026

The 2026 Sparks Backyard Ultra is officially in the books!

Thank you to everyone who made it unforgettable. Congrats to our top finishers—Kenny Krygier led the men with 25 yards, and Nicole Ward topped the women with 9!

And here's the big news: 2027's Sparks Backyard Ultra is a Bronze Ticket Event! 🥉
The winner earns a path to the Silver Ticket event and a shot at the World Team Championship.

Save the date: May 22, 2027

Full recap on our website https://www.biggestlittleultra.com

04/03/2026

Biggest Little Ultra and Backyard Ultra's Mount to Coast Shoe Giveaway March Winners! 👟🎉 (p.s. We're doing this giveaway again in April!)

Congrats to:
Jenny Weaver (Backyard Ultra)
Robert Padan (Backyard Ultra)
Terri Gray (Biggest Little Ultra)
Steve Kissell (Biggest Little Ultra)

Todd will contact you directly to arrange shoe shipment!

🔥 BONUS ANNOUNCEMENT 🔥 Mount to Coast is giving away FOUR MORE pairs of shoes!

NEW DEADLINE: April 30, 2026
Register for either race by April 30 = automatic entry!
Already registered? You're in!
Haven't registered? Sign up now for your chance!

Winners announced: Early May

Register: BiggestLittleUltra.com

04/02/2026

Meet Raquel, Special Event Supervisor for the City of Sparks! She shares the city's enthusiasm for hosting the Sparks Backyard Ultra and Biggest Little Ultra at the beautiful Sparks Marina.

From the history of this manmade lake to why it's the perfect ultramarathon venue, Raquel gives us the full story.

When the city hosting your race is THIS excited about welcoming runners and walkers, you know you've found something special.

Watch the full video ⬆️ then come see it for yourself in 2026!

📍 Sparks Marina, Sparks, Nevada
🏃 June 2026 & October 2026

Register: BiggestLittleUltra.com

03/23/2026

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great."

Mile 70 of a hundred-miler. Hour 18 of a Backyard Ultra. Your legs are screaming. Your mind is bargaining. Everything hurts. And then you remember: this is exactly what you signed up for. Not the easy parts. Not the miles when you feel strong. The HARD parts. The moments when you want to quit. The hours when continuing feels impossible. That's where the growth happens. That's where you discover who you really are. That's what makes crossing the finish line, or completing one more loop, actually MEAN something.

The Sparks Marina course is flat, well-lit, and supported. We've removed every unnecessary obstacle. But the distance? The mental challenge? The test of will?
That's still hard. That's still yours to overcome.

And that's what makes it great.

Sparks Backyard Ultra, June 2026
Biggest Little Ultra, October 2026
BiggestLittleUltra.com

Welcome to the Newest Ultra Marathon Event in the Biggest Little City of Reno. This is a fixed time/fixed distance race held over two days for runners and walkers. We offer fixed time options of a 6-hour, 12-hour, 24-hour, and 48-hour race, as well as fixed distance options of a 100 mile and 50 mile...

03/19/2026

Elite Sports just joined the Sparks Backyard Ultra as a sponsor! 🙌

They're donating premium Duffel Bags as race prizes. Heavy-duty. Multi-compartment. Built to last. Perfect for race gear, crew supplies, travel, and more.

Why Elite Sports + Ultrarunning?
The connection is simple: toughness. Just like fighters who train for hours and demand gear that won't fail, ultrarunners need equipment built to last. Elite Sports creates products for athletes who refuse to compromise on quality.

Limited bags available. Winners announced race day.

Think you can outlast everyone else? Register now.

📍 June 20, 2026 | Sparks Marina, NV

🔗 BiggestLittleUltra.com/backyardultra
🔗 elitesports.com

03/12/2026

Congrats to Ken Kania who set a PR in the 50 mile race at the 2025 Biggest Little Ultra. His advice for 2026 runners? "This course is perfect for setting a PR."

Thank you Ken for sharing a video about your experience! ⬆️

THE SPARKS MARINA ADVANTAGE:
🏃 Flat course = consistent pacing
💡 Well-lit = no slowdown at night
🚻 Real bathrooms on course
🍽️ Comprehensive aid station
🏨 Hotel steps away
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Crew-friendly loop format

The 2025 Biggest Little Ultra established course records across every distance:
100 miles | 50 miles | 48 hours | 24 hours | 12 hours | 6 hours
All waiting to be broken in 2026.

What's your time goal? The course is built for speed. The only question is: how fast can YOU go?

📍 Sparks Backyard Ultra - June 2026
📍 Biggest Little Ultra - October 2026
Register: BiggestLittleUltra.com

Read the full article on why the Sparks Marina provides ideal conditions for a PR: biggestlittleultra.com/blog

03/07/2026

Swipe through these photos from our last race and tell us you don't believe in the power of family support. 💙📸 Tag yourself and loved ones below 👇

The 2025 Biggest Little Ultra was FILLED with moments like these:
✔ Families camping out or stopping by over the weekend to cheer you on.
✔ Pets waiting loyally for their favorite person.
✔ Kids running alongside Mom or Dad, even if just for one loop.
✔ Spouses tracking splits, managing nutrition, and encouraging when their athlete wanted to quit.
✔ Friends forming impromptu cheering sections at odd hours.

This is what makes the Sparks Marina loop special. Your people can actually be there. Not watching from a distance or catching you for 10 seconds at mile 25. But present for the entire journey.

Todd built these races around fitness and family. The 2025 participants showed us exactly what that looks like in action.

To every support crew member in these photos (and the hundreds we didn't capture), you're the unsung heroes. You're why people finish. You're why impossible becomes possible!

Thank you for being the heartbeat of our race. 🙏💙

Registration is now open for 2026. Ready to bring YOUR crew in 2026?
Sparks Backyard Ultra - June 2026
Biggest Little Ultra - October 2026
Register: BiggestLittleUltra.com