Matthew Sandlin Won Prairie on Fire Ultramarathon
The runner completed 179.1 miles to claim victory at the backyard ultramarathon held near Indianapolis.
Updated on Sept. 26, 2026 in Running
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Matthew Sandlin secured his win at the Prairie on Fire event by running 179.1 miles. The endurance race, which took place near Indianapolis, saw significant participation from runners across the field.
Why it matters
The backyard ultra format tests mental and physical endurance by requiring participants to complete a specific loop within every hour. This event structure has seen explosive growth since its inception on a private farm, now reaching global participation.
A total of 228 runners finished at least one lap, with 117 participants successfully covering more than 50 miles. The race required competitors to finish a 4.167-mile loop once every hour.
The players
Matthew Sandlin
He is the winner of the most recent Prairie on Fire backyard ultramarathon.
Gary Cantrell
He is the creator of the backyard ultramarathon format who held the first race on his farm in 2011.
Majel Wells
He is an endurance runner who covered 129.1 miles during the Prairie on Fire race.
The details
Runners are eliminated from the competition if they fail to finish their loop within the allotted hour, with participants resting in tents between laps. The format was originally developed by Gary Cantrell to fit a race course on his 140-acre property.
Timeline
The first backyard ultramarathon was organized in 2011.
The inaugural Prairie on Fire race occurred in 2022.
The most recent Prairie on Fire event took place in September 2026.
Over 700 backyard ultramarathons are scheduled for the coming year.
Season Trajectory
The rapid proliferation of these events indicates a shift in endurance running where backyard ultras now compete with traditional races for participant attention. With over 700 races slated for the next year, the format has moved from a niche experiment to a standard fixture in global ultrarunning.
Participants in the backyard ultra format must manage their recovery periods in tents to ensure they can sustain the 4.167-mile-per-hour pace for extended distances. Runners aiming to compete in future iterations must account for both the physical mileage and the strict hourly time cutoffs.
The takeaway
The backyard ultra format proves that mental pacing and sleep management are just as critical as raw running speed. Aspiring ultramarathoners should focus on consistent, steady laps rather than aggressive early speeds to maximize their potential longevity in the race.
Further reading
For more on the local endurance circuit, visit the Running section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The New York Times.
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