The Cottonwood Countdown
Saturday October 11, 2025, 9:00 a.m.
The Nelson Backyard Ultra is a project of the Nelson Running Club, a registered Non-Profit Society in B.C. The goals of this event are simple: to have a low-key, inexpensive, and outrageously fun and friendly race, open to runners of all ages and abilities. Proceeds from the race go to help pay for trail building and maintenance through multiple local organizations.
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REGISTRATION FOR 2026 OPENS FEB 2, 2026!
Race Director,
Stephen Harris
PRESENTING SPONSOR:
Supporting Sponsor:
Prize sponsors
2025 Winner: Matt Simpson, 26 hrs, 26 loops, 174.2 km!
2025 Assist: Rosie Gibson, 25 hrs, 25 loops, 167.5km!
What's a
Backyard Ultra?
The devious brainchild of Lazarus Lake, the creator of the Barkley Marathons, a Backyard Ultra is a no-frills trail running race that almost anyone can attempt.
The rules are simple. At 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, the horn sounds to start the race. Runners complete a lap of the 6.7km trail (compact gravel rail trail, beside a lake, partially forested, and partially in a mountain meadow. It's deceptively challenging). Runners need to finish within one hour - which is achievable by most, even beginners.
At the end of their lap, they have whatever time is left in the hour to rest, eat, and stretch. At exactly 10:00 a.m., the horn sounds again, and everyone heads off for lap #2.
If you don't finish in the hour, or choose not to start the next hour, you're eliminated from the race and you're listed as DNF (did not finish).
The race ends when only one person successfully completes a lap. That person is the winner.
Backyard Ultras often go for 18-24 hours, but it's not uncommon for them to go MUCH longer than that. As long as you complete a lap in an hour, and are in the start/finish corral for the start of the next lap, you're still in the race. In 2024, we went 31 hours to find our winner (see below for details).
Backyards are 'no-frills' events, meaning runners are responsible for their own aid and support. We'll have porta-potties, water, and some basic supplies at the start/finish corral, but runners need to have their own support crew if needed.
It's competitive, but based in camaraderie, because everyone starts each lap together. It's accessible to most runners, because it's about endurance and perseverance, not necessarily speed.
It's a great test of your ability to push through pain, fatigue, and exhaustion. Classic Type-2 fun!
Route details
Rail Trail - Cottonwood south to Apex
After a family of Grizzly bears forced a last-minute relocation of our race in 2023, we've decided that the bears actually did us a favour, and we're sticking with our 'replacement' route at Cottonwood Lake!
Cottonwood Lake Regional Park is about 10 minutes south of Nelson on Hwy 6. There's ample parking, washrooms, and lots of space for racer crew and spectators.
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The race route is a simple - but deceptively challenging - out-and-back loop on the rail trail. 3.35km out, and 3.35km back. The route surface is compacted gravel/dirt path that is mostly shaded by mature trees, and winds alongside Cottonwood Lake. Towards the turnaround point, runners emerge from the forest into a clearing at the Nelson Nordic XC ski area.
2025 Race Recap: another amazing BYU
RACE RECAP:
Cottonwood Countdown — Nelson Backyard Ultra 2026
Despite a rainy, cold start, spirits were high at the 2026 Cottonwood Countdown Nelson Backyard Ultra. There’s something about this race that amplifies good energy—Jaclyn Dexter once called it “the Shambhala of running,” and the vibe lived up to that name.
**Why Backyard Ultras Feel Different**
A Backyard Ultra isn’t about speed. It’s about endurance, perseverance, motivation, support, consistency, and strategy. Each hour brings a fresh start and a shared countdown, which keeps the start-line energy constant. Even when your personal reserves are low, the group’s encouragement can carry you to “just one more loop.”
For context: the combined total of all loops run this weekend exceeded 4,781 km—about the distance from Nelson to Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
**Results and Top Performances**
- Winner: Matt Simpson (Kamloops) - Matt looked strong all day and night and took the overall win. He also repeated as our Speed Lap champion, ripping through loop three in 25 minutes (the race average per loop is just under 50 minutes). To keep running for 26 hours after a speed effort like that is remarkable.
- Assist: Rosie Gibson - Rosie completed 25 hours and delivered the essential push that every Backyard winner needs. Calm, friendly, and steady, Rosie ran a superb race. The 24-hour (100-mile) mark often brings emotional moments—exhaustion, mental fatigue, and the sheer scale of the challenge—and Rosie pushed through it all.
- 100 Miles: Jaclyn Dexter - A three-time Cottonwood veteran and constant source of positivity, Jaclyn completed 24 hours / 100 miles before calling it a day. She also delivered the welcome to the traditional territories of the Indigenous peoples of the region. True to form, she cheered others on, danced across finishes, and kept the fun alive. Her two boys joined the early hours: Ben completed 2 loops / 13.4 km and Blake finished 3 loops / 20.1 km.
**Female Field Steps Up**
This year, the women raised the bar and surpassed the previous women’s mark of 19 loops.
- Ellie (Eleanor) Winter — At 23 years old and new to Nelson, Ellie ran 20 loops / 134 km entirely self-supported out of her SUV. After loop 19, she hit an emotional wall, called family in Australia, rallied, and went back out for one more. For such a young athlete to show that kind of resilience is inspiring.
- Nicole Hamilton — Traveled from Victoria and pushed through the cold and rain for a personal best of 16 loops / 107.2 km, supported tirelessly by husband Mike.
- Jessica Hoar — Joined the 100 km / 15-loop club, while also lifting up others—cheering, encouraging, and nudging folks back onto the course for “one more.”
**A Note on the Simpsons**
- Matt’s wife Danica ran 9 loops with him before DNF’ing to crew him for the remainder. (She’s a GP physician, he’s a geotechnical engineer, and yes, we’re working on recruiting them to Nelson!)
**A Year of Babies**
- Two-time champion Hugh Beedell withdrew when his wife, Tara, gave birth a few days before the race. Everyone is well, and we hope to see Hugh back to challenge Matt next year.
- Laura Celeste ran with 10-week-old Lucy in a stroller for loop one, then headed back out solo for loop two while Dan Van der Houwen took over baby duty. Postpartum running is no small feat—doing it in cold rain with a stroller is next level.
- Greg Smythe (Grand Forks) ran 8 loops / 54.6 km while on alert—his crew chief (and wife) was 40 weeks pregnant with two other kids in tow. After getting home, on Sunday morning at 9:36 a.m., they welcomed a healthy baby boy. Congratulations!
**Moments from the Backyard**
- “Metronome Monte” Comeau (68, Salmo) lived up to his nickname with steady pacing, hit his 100 km goal, and stepped out. His daughter Grace, fresh off a Couch-to-5K program, completed 4 loops / 26.8 km, calling it “the hardest thing I’ve ever done” and smiling the whole way.
- Costume Lap (Loop 1) — Judged by 4-year-old Geneva Groat, the prize went to Heather Gottlieb for a vintage bathing look inspired by Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” video. Dozens of fun costumes boosted the opening-hour energy. And a special shout-out to Sophia Mountford who once again ran every loop in a different costume! Soph, you're a legend!
- Sing-Your-Way-In (Loop 4) — Prize for best and loudest finish-line song went to a group belting it en français
- Air Cadets & Grilled Cheese — A last-minute call from Rupert Robin of the Nelson Air Cadets brought the best kind of aid-station magic: hot, melty grilled cheese. The race bought the first 100 sandwiches and handed out vouchers to runners; many bought more on their own. Cold, wet, and tired? Grilled cheese is rocket fuel. They’re invited back next year.
**What It Takes to Host**
Backyard Ultras are simple in concept and community-driven, but still take real resources to run:
- Budget: Just under $3,000 to host.
- Planning: Months of coordination for sponsors, prizes, permissions, insurance, and logistics.
- Volunteers: 100% volunteer-run.
**Proceeds support**:
- Pulpit Rock Trail Society (trail building & maintenance)
- Nelson Running Club (including helping send a crew to a destination race next summer, TBD)
- We also cover the winner’s entry to the Silver Coin BC Backyard Ultra, the next step on the road to the Backyard World Championships.
**Thank You**
- Volunteers — Especially Jason and Deb, who each put in 16+ hours, and everyone else who set up, took down, hauled heaters, and kept fires burning, and the parks division of the RDCK for allowing us to use the park
- Medical & Care — Dr. Taylor Cooksley, who donated prizes and provided on-site adjustments and care.
- Sponsors — Title sponsors Nelson & District Credit Union and Valhalla Pure Nelson; prize providers Black Diamond, Salomon Running, DUER Performance, Whitewater Mountain Resort, Nelson Family Eyecare, Dr. Taylor Cooksley, DC, Tandoori Indian Grill & Lounge, Taste of Nature, Nuun Hydration, and Rviita Energy Tea
- Family & Friends, including Chantal Orr who arrived at dinner time with pizza for everyone - what a treat, and what a member of the running community you are! And to my mom and dad, Rod and Ingrid Harris who helped get everything ready, with mom bringing homemade soup and sandwiches for the volunteers and dad helping to get tents set up, building the clock stand, and more.
-And to anyone I’ve missed, please know we deeply value your support.
- And of course, my wife, Judith Barnaby, for coordinating volunteers and being my sanity while things got crazy in the days leading up to the race. Couldn’t do it without you.
To all the runners: Did you wake up hearing three whistles last night?
Sincerely,
Stephen Harris,
Race Director