They were also both trying to keep the U.S. team alive in the international competition, an Big’s Backyard Ultra, Running Shoes & Gear.
When the cow bell would sound, marking the start of a new lap, the two ultrarunners would fist-bump before setting off, trying to outlast the other while simultaneously pushing each other to keep going. They both had their sights on going beyond the 68-yard record (283.33 miles), set in 2018 by Johann Steene. Fastest Barefoot Half Marathon Run On Ice new element added to the ultra this year when travel restrictions prompted by the coronavirus pandemic Karl Meltzer Extends His 100-Miler Win Streak.
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“I wanted Harvey to stay in, and he wanted me to stay in so we could see what was possible,” Dauwalter told Runner’s World. “We would chat some laps, but we ended up falling into our own paces and routines. We were both trying to keep our trains on the track.”
This was familiar territory for both. Dauwalter was the assist (the second-place runner) at the 2018 record run, when she ended up going 67 hours before dropping out. In 2017, Lewis battled Guillaume Calmettes through 58 loops before dropping. (In backyard ultras, the race ends when one person has done one more loop than every other runner—so when the second-place person drops, the race effectively ends.)
Quarantine Backyard Ultra.
Dauwalter had not run a race in more than a year because of the pandemic. She participated in the Quarantine Backyard Ultra in April and attempted a fastest-known-time on the Colorado Trail (more than 500 miles), but Big’s was her first time with a bib on in 2020.
Through the first two days, she felt good. She was able to squeeze in eight- to 10-minute naps while at camp in between loops, she was getting her food down, and she was foam-rolling and using a massage gun and using a.
But it wasn’t all roses. She experienced some hallucinations, most involving animals and a vivid one she remembers about a circus and Mickey Mouse throwing out t-shirts to a crowd. There were also some struggles with sleep on the second night along with the usual highs and lows of an ultra.
“I just didn’t want to ruin the game,” she said. “I just wanted to keep lining up. I don’t want someone else to stop running because I stopped. After 2018 when Johann won, he just teases me, in a friendly way, not at all rude, that I ruined the game for him and his race was over. The only way I wanted to go out was if I timed out on a lap or I was incapable of continuing.”
Lewis felt similarly coming into the race. He had visions of winning after an incredible year that included setting a fastest-known-time on the Self-sealing cap with 16 or 20 oz capacity. The high-school teacher from Cincinnati mixed up his paces, giving himself more time to rest and sleep for a few loops and coming in with only a few minutes before the bell on others.
In those short windows, he and his crew chief, Judd Poindexter, worked to keep his body in racing shape. Little blunders make a world of difference in these races, so limiting them kept Lewis out through the third day.
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“I couldn’t have asked for a better competitor to face off against and collaborate with,” Lewis told Runner’s World. “Courtney is extremely dedicated and tenacious, but also extremely humble. She’s in it for the right reasons, so running with her is easy. She has such a positive energy and the right type of energy force that you need to sustain miles and miles and miles.”
Both were moving strong as the third night began. At night, the race moves from the trail to a safer, out-and-back road route. Though the miles are less technical, this is where many runners struggle to battle mentally.
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“I got to a point where my mind gave up but my body didn’t,” Lewis said. “I started putting what I was doing into a map in my mind. It really just knocked me back thinking about have to go five more laps to get to 300 miles. It’s important to focus on a single lap, and not any distance beyond that.”
At the start of the 68th yard, the one that would tie the existing record in Bell Buckle, both competitors lined up. Before setting out on the road, Lewis mentioned to Dauwalter that he was starting to struggle. The bell sounded and Dauwalter went ahead.
A few hundred meters away from the start, Lewis made the call and walked back to camp, finishing with 67 laps—nine more than his PR in 2017.
“Finishing second is never a bad thing,” Lewis said. “I got to a point where I was satisfied. I wanted to win. I had a mantra in my head that was, ‘I want to win Big’s.’ Ultimately, I’m not sure I would be any happier if I finished first or second. It was neat to push ourselves and I’m satisfied overall.”
All Dauwalter had to do was finish the loop to be crowned the U.S. champion. As she ran the out-and-back on the road, she was the only one at the race who didn’t know that.
She kept her normal pace and at the turn around, she headed backing thinking she’d see Lewis as they had all night. Neither wore headlamps, so they often didn’t see the other until they were right in front of them.
Even as she got close to camp, she hadn’t thought it was over. She thought she might’ve just missed Lewis in the dark.
Yet, when she came back to camp, she was greeted by cheers and congratulations, finishing her final yard, tying the record for most loops, and becoming the second woman in a row to win Big’s Backyard.
“It was awesome,” Dauwalter said. “I love this format. I think it’s so cool because everyone gets to push their limits and see what possible. I was excited this was happening during such a crazy year, that I was able to be part of it, and that I was able to share it with so many fantastic people.”
All who were awake congratulated her and cheers some beers before calling it a night. The finish would earn the U.S. second overall in the battle of countries and make the second to last to team standing.
Only the Belgians, represented by Karel Sabbe and Merijn Geerts, were left standing after 68 hours. They ended up making it 75 yards, the first backyard athletes to ever go for more than three days. This came after they had to move to a 1K looped course each night due to a curfew in the country.
“I love that the Belgians crushed it,” Dauwalter said. “Makes me wonder what number we could be pushing to next.”
It is unclear how Big’s will look moving forward. The race in Bell Buckle will always be there, but it will be interested to see if Laz comes up with some similar plans moving forward.
“I know Laz is dreaming up the next big thing,” Lewis said. “We’ll see what creativeness he comes up with.”
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They were also both trying to keep the U.S. team alive in the international competition, an Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand. His work has previously been published in Men’s Health.
