Liskeard PE Teacher Picked for England Backyard Ultra Team

Picture this. You complete a 4.167-mile lap. You catch your breath, eat something, maybe change your socks. Then you do it all again. And again. Every hour, on the hour, until you simply cannot go on.

That’s the format Liskeard’s Oli Jones is heading into later this month, and he’s doing it in an England vest.

Oli Jones, 52, a PE teacher and long-standing member of East Cornwall Harriers in Liskeard, has been selected to represent England at the Four Nations Backyard Ultra Championship. The race takes place at Florence Court in Northern Ireland on 20th June 2026, and it will be his first international race.

One of the toughest formats in the sport

Backyard ultra racing is one of the most physically and mentally demanding endurance formats in the world. Athletes complete a 4.167-mile lap every hour, on the hour. Miss the cut-off or fail to finish and you’re out. The race ends only when one runner is left standing.

The Four Nations brings together 40 of the strongest backyard ultra athletes from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Oli is one of 10 in the England squad. He’s hoping to beat his own personal best of 150 miles, which works out at 36 laps.

A format he only discovered three years ago

Oli found his passion for backyard ultras back in 2023. Since then he has taken part in several, often finishing in the top three. He won the 2024 Devon & Cornwall Backyard Ultra.

Outside of racing he volunteers as a run leader for East Cornwall Harriers, has raised thousands of pounds for charities, and is known for encouraging runners of all abilities to come together and enjoy being active.

The team is asking for sponsorship

Getting an England team to Northern Ireland is not cheap, and most of the athletes are paying their own way. Team Captain Rebecca McWass is appealing to local businesses who might be able to help.

“Despite competing at national level, the majority of the athletes are entirely self-funded and need to source funds to cover costs such as travel, accommodation, logistics and event entry fees. Several of the 10 athletes representing England are from the South West and need to take time out of day jobs for several days either side of the event, often unpaid, as well as cover the cost of getting themselves to Northern Ireland and back,” Rebecca said.

“If any local businesses are able to make a donation, no matter how small, towards supporting the England Backyard Ultra team in attending the Four Nations tournament, we would be very happy to offer plenty of promotional coverage in return, via our social media channels, event presence and engagement with the wider running community. Every little bit could make a real difference!”

Donations can be made via the team’s Crowdfunder page. Businesses interested in sponsorship can contact Rebecca directly at [email protected].