KENT BACKYARD ULTRA SERIES 2.3. SHOLDEN

Date: Saturday 10 April 2027

Start Time: 9:00 AM

Venue: Lillyroo’s Glamping, Sandwich Road, Deal, Kent, CT14 0AT

Event Format: Backyard Ultra / 7 Hour Challenge

Total Places: Capped at 120 runners

7 Hour Challenge Places: Limited to just 10 places

2.3. Sholden

Sholden sold out last year and carried a long waiting list.

Now it returns with a clear target to beat:

Luke Carter’s 41 yards.

Set at Lillyroo’s Glamping, just outside Deal, 2.3. Sholden is the flat, PB-friendly, family-friendly camping event of Kent Backyard Ultra Series II.

The route is simple, accessible and runs across coastal marshland, with just 8 metres of ascent per yard. It is a brilliant place to chase a personal best, but the simplicity also makes it a serious test of the mind.

No big climbs to blame.

No technical sections to hide behind.

Just you, the bell, and the decision to go again.

Arrive from Friday, stay for the weekend, bring your crew, enjoy the bar and freshly cooked food, and immerse yourself in a full weekend of Backyard Ultra atmosphere.

If you want in, click the entry button now and spread the cost interest free.

Why Book 2.3. Sholden?

Sold out last year with a long waiting list

Target to beat: Luke Carter’s 41 yards

Flat, accessible course with strong PB potential

Family-friendly camping and glamping venue

Bar and freshly cooked food available on site

Supporters and crews welcome

7 Hour Challenge limited to just 10 places

Interest-free payment plans available

What Runners Said Last Year

Sholden received a 4.9 public average rating on Eventrac, based on approved reviews.

Runners praised the organisation, atmosphere, marshals, venue, support crew and beginner-friendly feel of the event.

“Wonderfully organised and such a good atmosphere. The course is both beginner friendly and ideal for long performances.”

David Gladwish

“A really friendly crowd. Everyone was pleasant and happy to chat. The crew were phenomenal.”

Mark Chandler

“This was my first BYU and so glad it was with Hellfire Events.”

Scott Beighton

“Superbly organised & supported.”

Karen Ash

If you are new to Backyard Ultra, Sholden is a strong place to start.

If you are chasing a bigger number, it is also a very good place to find out how far you can really go.

The Format

Backyard Ultra is simple.

Run a 4.167-mile loop, known as a yard, every hour, on the hour, until only one runner remains.

Finish the yard in under 60 minutes and you stay in.

Miss the bell, fail to complete the yard in time, or choose not to continue, and your race is over.

Everyone starts together. Everyone gets the same hour. Everyone has to decide whether they are going again.

Entry Options

There are two entry options.

Backyard Ultra

The full event.

Run one 4.167-mile yard every hour, on the hour, for as long as you can keep going.

You might arrive aiming for your first yard, your first ultra, your first 100 miles, Luke Carter’s 41 yards, or something beyond that.

You do not need to know your limit before you start.

You just need to answer the next bell.

7 Hour Challenge

The same route.

The same rules.

The same start line.

The same atmosphere.

The difference is that your challenge finishes after a maximum of seven yards.

Complete all seven and you will cover just over 29 miles.

This is a strong introduction to the format without committing to the open-ended Backyard Ultra.

The Course

Sholden uses a single route for both day and night running.

The course is a simple, flat, out-and-back gravel trail across coastal marshland. It is wide, runnable, easy to follow and accessible for runners and support crews.

Because it is an out-and-back route, runners regularly pass each other throughout the event. That keeps the course social, supportive and connected, even when the hours start to stack up.

Flat course.

Clear route.

No excuses.

Make a Weekend of It

Sholden is not just a race day.

Camping, glamping, campervan and base setup options are available as booking extras, giving runners, crews, families and supporters the chance to stay close to the action from Friday onwards.

The start and finish area becomes the heart of the weekend: runners coming in every hour, crews preparing food, families watching the bell, volunteers keeping the event moving, and supporters waiting to see who heads out again.

This is the Backyard format at its best.

Kent Backyard Ultra Series II

Sholden is 2.3. in Kent Backyard Ultra Series II.

The full series features four events across Kent:

2.1. 16 October 2026 - Vigo Village

2.2. 9 January 2027 - Dover

2.3. 10 April 2027 - Lillyroo’s Glamping, Sholden

2.4. TBC

Each event location has been chosen because it asks something different from you.

This series has not been built as four copies of the same race. It has been built as a four-part challenge that helps runners develop across different terrain, conditions and start times.

Vigo starts the series with a muddy trail running challenge and a night-time start. Dover adds coastal trail running with road sections mixed into the route. Sholden gives you a simple, flat and mentally exposing course where consistency matters more than anything else.

Across the series, runners will experience both day and night starts. That matters. If you want to become a stronger Backyard Ultra runner, you need to know how your body and mind respond when you are running in the dark, carrying fatigue, and still having to answer the bell.

The goal behind Kent Backyard Ultra Series II is simple: to give runners a structured way to build towards bigger distances.

Enter one event, take on a couple, or use all four as a progression towards your first 100 miles.

Medals and Buckles

Your effort is recognised.

Complete at least 1 yard: Kent Backyard Ultra DNF medal, because every yard counts

Complete 24 yards / 100 miles: Bronze Buckle

Go the furthest at Sholden: Gold Buckle Male & Female

Finish 2nd overall: Silver Assist Buckle

Finish 1st overall: Gold LPS Medal

Complete the most yards across the full series: Black Buckle Male & Female

Good to Know

Supporters and crews are welcome

Camping, glamping, campervan and base setup options are available

Bar and freshly cooked food will be available on site

Interest-free payment plans are available

Minimum age: 16

Runners under 18 require parent or guardian consent

Full event information, including camping, food, bar, parking, arrival details and the Runner & Crew Guide, will be available here:

https://www.hellfireevents.com/backyard-information/2-3-sholden/

Ready to Enter?

Sholden sold out last year.

This year, the target is clear:

Beat Luke Carter’s 41 yards.

Or come for your own target: your first yard, your first seven, your first ultra, your first 100 miles, or your PB.

If you want in, click the entry button now.

Secure your place, spread the cost interest free, and get ready to answer the only question that matters:

Are you going again?

Description supplied by the event organiser.