Elm Creek Backyard Ultra

Elm Creek Backyard Ultra The Elm Creek Backyard Ultra is the first ‘Backyard’ event kicked off in the Twin Cities.

Inspired by the original Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra presented by Lazarus Lake, the Elm Creek Backyard will follow in its spirit.

Meet Blake Corbet. Stacy, MN. 25 loops. First time. Not the last. Blake signed up for Elm Creek in 2023. Life got in the...
06/05/2026

Meet Blake Corbet. Stacy, MN. 25 loops. First time. Not the last.

Blake signed up for Elm Creek in 2023. Life got in the way — twice. This year he finally made it to the start line and went 100 miles. Worth the wait.

He's run 40+ races and will tell you Elm Creek is one of his favorites. "Everybody was looking to elevate each other. I could feel a sense of 'let's go further together' rather than a competition to outlast others." In 40+ races, that's not something you take for granted.

100 miles was the goal from day one — he told friends and family before the race because that's how he stays accountable. He knew it was going to happen when the sun came up around 6am. "When the sun rises, it feels like a completely new race."
But first, you have to get through the night. Around lap 15, cold and dark, fatigue fully set in — that's when the "why am I doing this?" creeps in.

His answer: micro goals. Get through this loop. Get to sunrise. His secret weapon for the 1am low? A Jolly Rancher C4 stashed in advance — something to look forward to when he needed it most.

Blake showed up solo. No crew, no chair ("I'll fix that next year"). He planned each aid station stop during the last mile of every loop so he could get in and out fast. 52–55 minute laps — enough time to grab what he needed, not enough to get comfortable.

The community filled the gap. Next year his wife and 2-year-old son will be adding to the noise.
His advice: "Don't react too much to how you feel early. Ultras aren't linear. When I'm suffering, I remind myself that part of the reason we do this is because it's hard — if it were easy, it wouldn't be as fun."

2027? He'll be back. Looking to go further than 27 laps. 😄

What's NextKettle Moraine 100 is on the calendar. Elm Creek 2027 is already locked in — and this time, no ceiling. "No g...
06/03/2026

What's Next

Kettle Moraine 100 is on the calendar. Elm Creek 2027 is already locked in — and this time, no ceiling.

"No goals for 2027," he said. "Time to go big."

Loop 24 in three words: Don't blow up.

He didn't.

5/5



What He'd Tell YouStay in problem-solving mode. The looped format gives you a reset every 60 minutes — use it. When some...
06/03/2026

What He'd Tell You

Stay in problem-solving mode. The looped format gives you a reset every 60 minutes — use it. When something isn't working, you have a chance to try something new on the very next loop.

That's not a consolation prize.

That's the whole game.

Oh — and don't underestimate Coca-Cola after midnight. Luke hardly ever drinks soda. It carried him through the night.

He may have a problem now.

4/5



The People Who Made It HappenLuke is quick to share the credit, and he means it.His wife is the foundation. She showed u...
06/03/2026

The People Who Made It Happen

Luke is quick to share the credit, and he means it.
His wife is the foundation. She showed up after work to crew him through the evening, went home with the kids for the overnight hours, and came back early in the morning — espresso in hand — to see him through to the finish. She suggested this goal before last year's race was even over. She built it with him.

Travis Jeffreys showed up overnight without being asked. No invitation, no obligation — just there, in the dark, force-feeding fruit snacks and changing socks and keeping Luke moving through the hardest stretch. "I don't think I would have made 100 without him," Luke said. That's not a throwaway line.

On the course, Nick Steel offered clutch nutrition advice at exactly the right moment. Beyond that, every runner Luke spoke to had something to give — PRs, breakthroughs, dream races, future efforts.

"There's no shortage of inspiration out there," he said. The backyard format does something to people. The loops create space for real conversation, and real conversation creates momentum.

3/5



The Plan and When It CrackedLuke came in with a two-pace strategy — one slightly slower loop for quick fuel stops and fa...
06/03/2026

The Plan and When It Cracked

Luke came in with a two-pace strategy — one slightly slower loop for quick fuel stops and fast turnarounds, one a few minutes faster for loops where he needed shoe changes or extra care. The idea was to stay efficient, avoid banking time, and resist the temptation of long breaks. Smart racing.
What he didn't plan for was his nutrition falling apart past the 10-hour mark. His last two races — a 50k and a 50 miler — had convinced him that gels and liquid carbs were dialed in. They weren't built for this.

Once the hours stacked up, he had to scrap the plan and experiment with warm, savory food. Lap 11 was the low point: stomach issues brewing, 13 hours still ahead, the realization that he had to run everything he'd run last year just to reach halfway. The anxiety was real.

Getting back to camp, seeing his crew, and making adjustments turned the tide. Just after midnight — fresh clothes, new shoes, hot food — everything clicked at once.

He suddenly felt fast and strong.

That's the backyard ultra in a nutshell: the race resets every hour if you let it.

His eyes started playing tricks on him around 3am. Every patch of grass looked knee-height and glowing. Super weird, he said. He kept moving anyway.

2/5



Don't Blow Up: Luke Mundy's First 100 at Elm CreekLuke Mundy found Elm Creek the way a lot of people do — through someon...
06/03/2026

Don't Blow Up: Luke Mundy's First 100 at Elm Creek

Luke Mundy found Elm Creek the way a lot of people do — through someone who wouldn't stop talking about it. John Crosby, Elm Creek OG, got him on the 2025 waiting list.

Last year Luke ran 54 miles self-supported out of the nomad tent.

Before that race was even over, his wife looked at him and said they should make a real effort at 100 the following year.

That's the kind of crew Luke has.

1/5



Meet Riley Prekker. Champlin, MN. 11 loops. Riley came to ultras through her husband Montana, who has been part of Elm C...
06/01/2026

Meet Riley Prekker. Champlin, MN. 11 loops.

Riley came to ultras through her husband Montana, who has been part of Elm Creek since year one. She spent years crewing and watching from the outside — until a 2024 hurricane changed her perspective. She stopped asking if she could do hard things and decided to find out for herself.

Last year she set a goal of 50 miles and hit it.

She felt surprisingly strong early, dialing laps around 52 minutes and targeting 75–85 grams of carbs per loop. The clear skies were deceptively tough — more sun exposure than expected, stomach turning on carbs and electrolytes as the heat built. Then her heart rate climbed to 180–185 and wouldn't come down even at a walk. She listened to her body and called it.

11 loops. Her body handled the effort significantly better than last year. The progress is real.

In her corner: mother-in-law Michele, an elite crew captain who managed both Riley and Montana simultaneously. Montana himself also paced and supported her throughout — perks of marrying an ultra runner. 😄

Her advice for a first backyard: set a big goal but don't anchor to it. "Last year I stopped when I hit my goal, even though I likely had more to give. This year I approached it with flexibility and let myself see what was possible."

What's next? Superior 100 — chasing her first belt buckle.

The course, if it could talk? "You guys are so stupid." 😂

You'll always see her at the creek. 🌊



Meet Matthew Moser. St. Paul, MN. 25 loops. Solo crew. Mountain Dew sommelier. 🍋💚Matthew checks ultrarunning.com's event...
05/29/2026

Meet Matthew Moser. St. Paul, MN. 25 loops. Solo crew. Mountain Dew sommelier. 🍋💚

Matthew checks ultrarunning.com's event schedule almost every day. That's how you know he's serious — and that's how he found Elm Creek.

He didn't make any promises coming in, but figured 100 miles was doable if he could dodge the blisters and stomach issues that had haunted him in past races. Around hour 20, still holding down Mountain Dew and still in decent shape from the ankles down, he had a quiet realization: I owe it to myself to go at least 25 hours.

So he did.

Loop 15 threw a scare — a small blister forming, that sinking "here we go again" feeling setting in. Safety pin. Fresh socks. No problems thereafter. Crisis averted, methodically. That's Matthew's whole vibe.
He came out here completely alone. No crew. No pacer. Just brownies, granola bars, and fruit snacks for the first 20 laps, then strictly Mountain Dew to the finish line. (His gut does not negotiate with savory food during a race. It's a firm boundary.) 50-minute laps left him just enough time to eat, use the porta potty, and tend to his feet. Textbook.

His mid-race soundtrack? You Dropped a Bomb on Me — stuck in his head for an undisclosed number of loops. He also took a wrong turn in the middle of the night after the grassy hill climb. The course, if it could talk, would simply say: Pay attention to the flags. He knows.

Highs and lows? "I just feel a steady state of mild apathy doing these things." Honestly, respect.

What did he learn about himself out there? "With the right combination of psychiatric medication, it's possible to not have your gut fail you by the 100K mark." Matthew does not need your hype. He's got this.

Post-race meal: Costco brand breaded boneless chicken chunks. An extra helping. Earned.

Next up: Coalfields Backyard Ultra in West Virginia, Old Tom Backyard Ultra in Manitoba, and the Loopy Looper 100 miler in New Jersey. Barring a torn ACL or job relocation, he'll be back at Elm Creek in 2027.
We'll be watching for you on the event calendar, Matthew. 📅

🎤

Meet Mike & Caleb Wallin. Dayton, MN. Father & Son. 100 miles & 62.5 miles. The Wallin family has been part of Elm Creek...
05/26/2026

Meet Mike & Caleb Wallin. Dayton, MN.

Father & Son. 100 miles & 62.5 miles.

The Wallin family has been part of Elm Creek since nearly the beginning. Ducky and Mike volunteered year one. Mike ran year two. Then he turned to his son Caleb and said — you should do this with me.
They live just north of Elm Creek Park Reserve. This really is a backyard race in their backyard.

Mike came in hoping to hit 100 miles for the fourth time. Caleb came in with a goal of 100k — maybe a little more. Both got exactly what they came for.
They ran most loops side by side or within yelling distance. They talked constantly. About everything and nothing. A raccoon. Ni**le chaffing prevention — allegedly discussed before the race. The important stuff. 😂

They were both told to slow down early because they were going too fast. They did not slow down.
Mike's pacing plan was to be more conservative this year. The first loops felt good. He kept going. Some lessons have to be learned more than once.

Caleb's mantra near mile 50 when the motivation disappeared? "Only one more loop. Then just another one. And another." It worked.

Mike's highest moment of the entire weekend was watching Caleb hit his 100k mark, decide he wanted to run it in, then decide he wanted to run it in hard. A dad watching his kid dig deeper than they planned — that's not something you forget.

Three words for Mike's loop 24? Blister popping time. Caleb's last loop? Woe is me.

What did Mike learn about Caleb out there? "He's crazy." What did Caleb learn about his dad? "He's crazy."

Sounds about right.

2027? Both of them. No hesitation.

|

Meet Drew Boe. Taopi, MN. 24 loops. 100 miles. First ultra. Ever. Drew found Elm Creek on Google. He'd never done an ult...
05/22/2026

Meet Drew Boe. Taopi, MN. 24 loops. 100 miles.

First ultra. Ever.

Drew found Elm Creek on Google. He'd never done an ultra before but was intrigued by the backyard format. 100 miles was a stretch goal.

Loop 20 nearly ended everything. He went looking for a bathroom at the chalet, couldn't find it, wasted precious time and energy, and emerged to find not another runner in sight. He started walking and called his wife to let her know he was probably done.
Two things changed his mind.

His wife's encouragement and prayers. And the fact that McDonald's lunch menu wouldn't be available for a few more hours and he might as well keep going. 🍔

He kept going.

By loop 21 the confidence was back. Loops 21-24 were his highest moments of the entire weekend.

Loop 24 in three words? Relief. Thrilling. Joyful.

His crew was everything — wife, daughter, siblings, parents, co-workers, neighbors, all of them out there at some point. The thing that kept him going most? Hearing his daughter say "da da" at the end of every loop. Monster cookies, puppy chow, fist bumps, and a lot of prayer didn't hurt either.

Most random 3am thought? Regretting his wife's podcast recommendation — Blurry Creatures — while running alone through pitch black woods. 😂

What did the Elm Creek course say to him? "Descend at your own risk."

When it was over he went straight to McDonald's.

Obviously.

What did he learn about himself? "I can do an ultra."

Welcome to the 100 Mile Club, Drew.

🤍

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