Bigs Backyard Ultra: New Women’s World Record Set As Racers Keep Going

The 2025 Backyard Ultra World Championships in Bell Buckle, Tennessee have entered uncharted territory. Sarah Perry of the UK and Megan Eckert of the USA have already smashed the women’s world record for the format, completing 87 yards, or 367 miles, and they’re still going.

The record fell early Wednesday as the two began Yard 88, surpassing the previous benchmark of 86 yards. Both Perry and Eckert have continued with no signs of slowing, marking a historic moment in the race created by Lazarus Lake, the mind behind the Barkley Marathons.

Only 14 runners remain from the original 75 who started Saturday morning. Among them are defending world champion Harvey Lewis (USA), world-record holder Phil Gore (AUS), and Belgium’s Merijn Geerts, all still pushing beyond 370 miles with barely a minute of rest each hour.

Perry and Eckert’s shared effort has become one of the defining stories of the week. They’ve run side by side for much of the race, supporting each other through the dark night loops and the muggy Tennessee air. As of Yard 89, both had crossed the start line again, extending their own record with every lap.

In a post from the course, writer Jared Beasley confirmed the milestone, noting that Perry and Eckert “have set a new Women’s World Record in Backyards at 87 Yards, 367 miles. They are continuing on.”

Now approaching four full days of running, fatigue and sleep deprivation are beginning to show on the remaining athletes. Each lap may be just 4.167 miles, but after nearly 90 hours of continuous effort, even small mistakes, a missed alarm, a blister, a moment’s hesitation, can end it all.

The overall Backyard Ultra world record stands at 119 yards, set earlier this year by Phil Gore in Australia. Whether anyone in Tennessee can challenge that remains to be seen, but for Perry and Eckert, the women’s record has already fallen, and every step from here is history in motion.