If you’ve ever felt confused about bronze tickets, silver tickets, gold tickets, or how runners actually qualify for Big’s Backyard Ultra, this episode breaks it all down in a clear, no-fluff way.

In this short episode, we walk through how the backyard ultra qualification system works, what each “ticket” really means, and how runners progress from local backyard races all the way to the World Championships at Big Dog’s Backyard in Tennessee.

This episode is designed to help you understand the system without assuming you’re already chasing Big’s, whether you’re brand new to the backyard format or just curious about how the pathway works.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• What a Bronze Ticket is and how you earn one
• What a Silver Ticket Event is and why winning matters
• How National Backyard Ultra Teams are formed
• The role of At-Large qualifying and why big performances still matter
• What people mean by the “Gold Ticket” and the World Team Championships
• How runners ultimately qualify for Big’s Backyard Ultra
• Why most runners don’t need to worry about Big’s yet and why that’s okay

Key Takeaways:

• Tickets are awarded to the Last Runner Standing, not based on mileage alone
• You don’t need to win a race to be competitive through the At-Large pathway
• Strong backyard performances over time are what open doors
• The backyard system rewards patience, consistency, and experience

Links:

Big's Backyard website

Silver Ticket Events

2026 World Championship Team

The Road to Big's World Team USA Brackets

👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset.

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