This weekend is the first ever Kansas City backyard ultra put on by the friendly people of Midwest Endurance Race Company.

The backyard ultra is a last man standing event, with some fixed time races thrown in. (I mean, why not? You have the permits).

I have some sentimental connections to the venue. Mill Creek Park on the Country Club Plaza is where I started regularly running. I can’t really claim home…field? Court? Track? Let’s go with “course.” I can’t really claim home course advantage, though. Several competitors hail from Kansas City proper, with the majority being from just nearby.

I’m going to attempt a quick rundown of the last man standing competitors. All the information is what I could guess from ultrasignup. Ultrasignup lists runners from top race percentage down, so that’s how I’ll do it.

Starting with:

Samuel Fischer: M20 from Humboldt, IA. Only 2 results on ultrasignup, a 1st place 100 miler and a 2nd place 50 miler.

Timothy Carey M42 from Leawood, KS won 1st place at the Mile 0 20 miler.

Abigail Milian F33 from KCMO has been killing it at races all summer!

Jenna Terrill, F37, OPKS, has several finishes of “The Hawk” 50 mile distance. Moving up to the hundred this year. I’ll see you there!

Tyler McDaniel, M39 from KCMO has plenty of experience with last man standing events and fixed time events.

Randy Taylor, M41 from KCMO. I know this guy. Besides being the run coach for midwest endurance race company, and my girlfriend, I’ve discovered (after ultrasignup investigating) that all this guy does is win ultramarathons!

Drew Ibarra, M38 from Olathe, KS… same thing. A lot of top finishes in a lot of races.

Cameron Wallace, M29 from St. Paul, MN has placed well in tough races.

Jonathan Haase, M39 from Oak Grove MO has respectable finishes at prairie spirit and Kansas rail to trail. He’s very fast!

Brian Marquette, M56, from Seattle, Washington. I see a runner from out of town, I immediately think “ringer.” Nothing on Brian’s ultrasignup, though, except some respectable finishes.

Farhad Zarif, M 53, KCMO: This guy is interesting. He’s done the grand slam of Kansas ultrarunning. He was at my first 100 back in 2001.

Derek Pflugradt, M37 from Gower, Missouri. Derek is a yeti trail runner like me!

Lathem Scott, M48 KCMO, is signed up for the hawk marathon. He’s also done the snake and psycho wyco during one of the hottese,t summers!

Cole Gardiner M30 from Ashland, Kansas, is already signed up for another backyard ultra!

Shannon Brisco, F52 from Archie, MO has a lot of experience from doing 4 fore 30 infinity backyard ultra.

John Munson M66 of Overland Park Kansas has run Brew 2 Brew several times.

Shane Sunderman M48 from Lincoln, NE, has done some 100s and is registered for the ultrapalooza 100.

Josh Johns, M32 from KCMO, has no races on ultrasignup. Mystique!

Steven Sousek M57 from Lincoln Nebraska either has no races or 2 races in a different profile.

Chris Jones, M53 from Bixby, Oklahoma, has quite the resume. I wonder if it’s actually his profile?

And, finally, Kent Hileman M44 from Overland Park, Kansas. No ultrasignup profile, but still an accomplished athlete.

Seems like a really cool lineup 😎

I look forward to meeting all these terrific people and maybe running a few laps. In this format, I believe it’s anyone’s race!