One More Lap: Inside the Layers of Pain Backyard Ultra
Photos by Colby Brokvist.
At first glance, a backyard ultra can sound a little intimidating. But according to race director Elaine Kennedy, you don’t need to consider yourself an ultrarunner to join in.
“The best thing about a backyard ultra is that it’s only as hard as you make it,” she says. Layers of Pain gives runners up to 24 opportunities to complete a 6.7-kilometre loop, with everyone returning to the starting line together each hour.
“Some folks just want to run a lap or two, and that’s great! And some want to truly push themselves past their limits and see what they are capable of.”
Layers of Pain began in 2025 with local runner Brett Casey, who wanted to take on a backyard ultra but couldn’t find one nearby. When Brett moved away, Elaine and Sarah Poole happily inherited the event and kept the local sufferfest going.
A Race for Every Kind of Runner
Unlike a traditional race with one finish line, a backyard ultra gives each runner the chance to decide when they’re done. Between loops, participants typically have 10 to 15 minutes to rest, eat, hydrate and spend time with their support crews before lining up for another mass start.
That structure makes it easy to complete the distance you came for. It can also make it dangerously tempting to keep going.
“It’s very easy to just keep going for ‘one more lap’ since there’s always a bunch of people to run with you,” Elaine says. “Mob mentality at its best!”
While some runners arrive with ambitious distance goals, others come out for a few social laps on the trails. Elaine and the volunteer crew work to ensure both groups feel equally welcome, keeping the energy high and staggering the prizes so runners have a chance to take home some swag no matter how many loops they complete.
Friends, family members and fellow runners also add to the atmosphere with snacks, gear, encouragement and motivational signs—including the especially reassuring reminder that “toenails are overrated.”
The Right Trails for the Job
Layers of Pain takes place at the Onion Lake Ski Trails, where the wide trails and gentle terrain give runners room to travel side by side and help keep the elevation manageable as the loops add up.
The network of interconnected trails also allowed organizers to map an exact 6.7-kilometre course, while the open field at the base provides plenty of space for runners to build their own support stations. Registration, first aid, snacks and prizes can all be kept nearby, with access to Snow Valley Nordic Ski Club’s buildings and electricity.
The club also brushes the course before the race and maintains the trails, lodge, outhouses, rental shop and parking area through the work of its volunteers. Excess proceeds from Layers of Pain go back to the club in recognition of everything it does to make the event possible.
“Without Snow Valley Nordic Ski Club, there would be no Layers of Pain,” Elaine says.
When the Sufferfest Sets In
The mood begins to shift as day turns to evening and the number of runners on the course shrinks. The daytime activity settles down, volunteers and participants get to know each other better, and everyone focuses more on helping the remaining runners continue safely.
Organizers check in more closely to make sure participants have enough food, water and electrolytes, while continuing to offer encouragement at the beginning and end of every loop.
There’s excitement as runners surpass personal records and discover they can travel much farther than expected. There’s camaraderie between people who have spent hours sharing the trail. There are also blisters, fatigue and the increasingly difficult work of convincing tired legs to head out for yet another loop.
Eventually, Elaine says, the mood turns into “quiet awe” as runners continue beyond 80 or 100 kilometres and into the night.
Some of Elaine’s favourite moments came from joining participants for a few evening laps. Running alongside them gave her the opportunity to hear how they discovered the event, learn about their goals and race plans, and talk about everything from fuelling strategies to previous backyard ultras.
“It was really special to get to know the participants better and suffer a little bit with them,” she says.
Fuelled by Coffee and Community
Although Sarah had to be in Ontario during this year’s event, Elaine had plenty of help from Gianna Tetz and a dedicated group of volunteers. Fresh volunteers joined for the evening loops, helping keep the energy up as the hours stretched on.
Coffee also played an essential role.
“I definitely could not have survived the chaos of organizing and being awake for 24 hours during Layers of Pain without coffee,” Elaine says. The crew kept Ascent Coffee on hand throughout the weekend, with Copper Morning as Elaine’s go-to—although she adds that the Guatemala roast, when available, “cannot be beat.”
Choosing a single highlight from the weekend is nearly impossible. There was the sunshine, Clancy’s all-purple outfit, Stefan’s alarming blisters, more than 60 participants setting out together for their first loop, and Sam and Rory’s all-night showdown and final laps in the early hours of the morning.
The real highlight, however, may have been seeing how many different ways people made the event their own.
“Don’t be intimidated by the ‘ultra marathon’ title,” Elaine says. “It’s a really fun and supportive event whether you’re doing two, twelve, or twenty laps.”
Layers of Pain is expected to return in 2027. Bring plenty of snacks and electrolytes—and be prepared to get talked into just one more lap.
