Medicine Hat's Keith Harder to run for Canada at Backyard Ultra worlds

Medicine Hat runner Keith Harder will represent Canada at the 2026 Backyard Ultra World Team Championship, with athletes from 74 countries competing simultaneously in their own locations on Oct. 17. Harder, originally from Maple Creek, will run his loops in Sicamous, B.C., starting at 5 a.m.

The Backyard Ultra format requires competitors to complete a 6.7-kilometre loop every hour until only one runner remains able to continue. In the team event, each country fields up to 15 runners, and their total completed loops are added together to determine the world champion.

Harder earned his spot on Team Canada by winning the 2025 Old Man Backyard Ultra in Lethbridge with 42 loops, equivalent to about 281 kilometres or 175 miles, one of the top qualifying results during the two-year qualification period. He said his running career began as rehabilitation after back surgery in 2017, progressing from walking to jogging, then 10K and marathon distances before moving into ultra-distance racing.

Harder said success in the format depends heavily on consistent nutrition, hydration and short naps between loops, as well as mental resilience during overnight hours. He typically completes each loop in 49 to 52 minutes, leaving a few minutes to eat, drink and prepare before the next hour begins. His wife and a friend will travel with him to Sicamous to provide support during the race.