what is cat lap?
backyard ultra · barn cat energy · lyle, washington
run the loop. come back. run it again. keep going until one cat is left standing. that's the whole sport. cat lap is a backyard ultra, run at barn-cat scale on a little loop in the columbia river gorge.
the gist
a backyard ultra is the simplest race idea there is, taken to its most stubborn conclusion. everyone starts together and runs one loop inside a fixed window. the catch: as soon as the window's up, you line back up and do it again. and again.
- one loop, one start line, everyone together.
- finish inside the window → you advance to the next loop.
- miss the window → you're out (a dnf, worn proudly).
- the last cat still lapping wins. there's only one finisher.
cat lap shrinks the classic ~4-mile-an-hour grind down to a ~0.685-mile loop and adds gentler clock-based formats, so whether it's your first ultra or your fortieth, there's a way to lap.
the formats
three ways to lap. pick your poison.
| Format | The clock | You win by… |
|---|---|---|
| 3-Hour | 3 hours, freeform loops | most loops at the buzzer |
| 6-Hour | 6 hours, freeform loops | most loops at the buzzer |
| Last Cat | new loop every 10-min bell | being the last one still lapping |
last cat standing is the main event. in 2026 joe took it at 52 loops.
faq
when's the 2027 race?
not locked yet. drop your email below and you'll get the date first, plus the moment registration opens.
where does it happen?
on the loop in lyle, washington, out in the columbia river gorge.
do i have to be fast?
nope. backyard ultra rewards stubbornness over speed. the 3-hour format is a completely chill place to start.
what do i need to bring?
shoes, snacks, and a questionable relationship with the word "again." we'll sort the rest closer to race day.
what's with the cats?
the loop has residents. they set the tone, and you're running on their turf, hence "cat lap." every loop you run is logged on the lifetime laps board.
» want the 2027 date? drop your email «
the loop runs on: @catlap.run