Sarah Perry has set a new Backyard Ultra Women’s World Record of an impressive 95 laps, or 395 miles. The INOV8 athlete competed at the 2025 Big’s Backyard Ultra Individual World Championships in Tennessee, US, where she exceeded the previous world record of 87 laps, set by American Megan Eckert last year.
Sarah also now holds a new UK national record, after bettering Matt Blackburn’s previous best, which also stood at 87 laps.
What is a Backyard Ultra?
Backyard Ultras involve runners completing a lap carefully measured at 4.167 miles on the hour, every hour.
As the hours and days pass, runners drop out through exhaustion and injury until just one – the winner – is left standing.
Backyard Ultra world champs 2025
At this year’s World Championships, 72 runners – each representing their country – started the race. They ran on a mix of trails and roads.
Sarah, 34, of Cumbria, was one of four women to have qualified for the championships. She was also the last woman standing, with Eckert racking up 92 laps as her nearest challenger before she retired.
Sarah pushed on to complete a further three laps. She eventually retired with a sore back shortly after lap number 95.
The 95 laps, or 395 miles, is the equivalent of almost the distance from London to Edinburgh.
Sarah raced for 95 hours – almost four full days – during which she slept for very little time, taking only naps in a tent in between some of the laps.
When she retired there were a further nine runners remaining.
The eventual winner was Australian Phil Gore with 114 laps, just five shy of his own men’s world record.
Sarah’s mixed emotions at new Backyard Ultra record
Sarah said: “I’ve got mixed emotions. I’m quite disappointed that my back went when everything else was working so well.
“ I had it in my legs and my head on reaching 100 laps, something I was really fixed on, but that’s ultra running.
“It’s going to take a while to process it all.”
Prior to the race, Sarah’s best Backyard Ultra result was 59 laps, achieved in 2024. At the time, it was a new UK women’s record.
INOV8 founder Wayne Edy said: “We are incredibly proud of Sarah and her world record-breaking achievement.
“This is the reward for the many, many hours of commitment she has put into her training and the sport.
“Sarah is small in stature but big in grit and determination. She thoroughly deserves this success and all the acclaim.”
Sarah, who is a maths teacher, was crewed by her partner Luke.
Sarah’s final race stats:
95 laps (Women’s World Record)
395.83 miles (637.032 km)
Average lap time: 51:13
Last lap time: 57:38
Sarah used INOV8’s TRAILFLY MAX and ROADFLY MAX shoes during the race.