SCOTT MARTIN WINS 2026 BANANA SLUG BACKYARD ULTRA AT 78 YARDS

Scott Martin won the 2026 Banana Slug Backyard Ultra by completing 78 yards over 78 hours at Champoeg State Park in St. Paul, Oregon. Martin's 325-mile total made him the lone finisher, the last competitor able to continue under the format's rules.

The race began at 7 a.m. on Friday, April 24 with 64 starters and ended at 1 p.m. on Monday, April 27. Martin outlasted the field over more than three full days of continuous racing.

The 2026 edition produced a record 23 runners reaching the 24th lap, the 100-mile threshold. That depth surpassed the 2025 edition's 20 finishers at the same mark and reflects the format's growing competitive depth in the western U.S.

The 100-mile coin finishers in 2026 included: David Mitchell, Derek Knight, Eric Cabral, Eric Hallsten, Eric Yan, Evan Egener, Gaelen Watt, Jacob Goltry, Jason Wilde, Joshua Niggli, Julija Šorytė, Kevin Moore, Lizzy Fowler, Megan Smyth, Micah Morgan, Mikal Pattee, Molly Lucas, Pam Smith, Rokas Žičkevičius, Ryan McIrvin, Scott Martin, Tyler Clements, and Tyler Rocha.

The Banana Slug Backyard Ultra has built a reputation as one of the deeper U.S. backyard events outside the Big's Backyard Ultra championship. The race serves as a qualifying race for Big's and as a destination ultrarunning event in the Pacific Northwest.

Martin's win places him among the qualifying targets for the 2027 international team competition. The 78-yard performance is a strong international-caliber result that would compete for top-five placements at Big's Backyard Ultra.

The race format requires a 6.7-kilometer loop every hour, on the hour. Athletes continue until they fail to complete a loop inside 60 minutes. The cumulative toll over multiple days makes 80-plus yard performances rare worldwide. Reaching 100-mile depth at any backyard race typically marks an elite-level effort.

The Banana Slug Backyard Ultra moved from its original Santa Cruz, California location to Champoeg State Park near Portland, Oregon in recent editions. The wooded Willamette River-area course has produced consistent finish depth.

The 2027 Banana Slug Backyard Ultra is scheduled for April 23, 2027 at Champoeg State Park.