Babak Rastgoufard

About

Babak Rastgoufard is an American ultrarunner originally from Cleveland, Ohio, who moved to Missoula, Montana in 2009 and came to distance running in his late twenties as a way to explore the mountains surrounding his adopted home. A quietly competitive presence on the Montana and Pacific Northwest ultra circuit, he built toward the longest and most unusual events the sport has to offer. In 2016 he won Big's Backyard Ultra — Laz Lake's loop race in Bell Buckle, Tennessee in which runners complete a 4.166-mile loop every hour until only one person remains — completing 29 laps (approximately 121 miles) to become the sole finisher and champion of what was at the time the longest-running edition of the race. His win preceded the explosion in backyard ultra popularity and came at a formative moment in the race's history. A measured and analytical competitor, Rastgoufard approaches endurance running with the same methodical energy that saw him become one of Missoula's most respected long-distance athletes.

Notable Wins

• — Big's Backyard Ultra 2016 (29 laps
• — ~121 miles
• — sole finisher and champion)

Race History