Lee Siemens, a Registered Massage Therapist who works out of Winkler has officially smashed his personal running record at Old Tom’s Backyard Ultra Marathon, completing a remarkable 15 loops—an impressive 100.1 kilometers—at the event held near Blumenort on July 5th.
The Backyard Ultra is no ordinary race. “You run 4.1667 miles or 6.7 kilometers every hour,” Siemens explains. “Then, with the time remaining, you sit down, rest, eat up, and then you do it all again at the top of the next hour.”
There’s no set "finish line" in this unique format. Runners continue until only one person remains who can complete a loop. “It’s a last man standing type event,” said Siemens. “The world record has gone over 100 hours—so four and a half days, 450 miles.”
For Siemens, whose previous Backyard Ultra ended after just three loops, this year’s result was a milestone. “It shouldn’t be too hard to set a new PR this year,” he joked ahead of the race. Not only did he beat his previous record—he more than quadrupled it.
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Fueling the finish
Running continuously through the day and night requires more than just determination. Siemens carefully planned his nutrition, aiming for between 60 and 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
“I work as a massage therapist and I encourage people to eat well,” he laughed. “Ultra running is a different story, where you maybe don’t eat as healthy. I’m big on gummy candies and chocolate bars.”
He credited his success to a strong support team as well. Siemens’ friend Henry, an experienced race crew member, was on-site to keep him going. “You need somebody to push you out the door of the tent and keep trucking,” said Siemens. With that backup, he was able to keep moving hour after hour—even through the mental fog and fatigue that comes with running through the night.
Faith, purpose, and a bigger why
But Siemens wasn’t just running for himself. His effort was also a fundraiser for the Pembina Valley Pregnancy Care Centre, a cause he felt strongly about supporting.
“I’m a Bible-believing man,” Siemens shared. “Psalm 139 talks about being fearfully and wonderfully made. This is a place of safety. If you have a need, they’re going to do their best to try and meet it. To me, it’s a very valuable ministry.”
He set up a way for people to pledge donations either per loop or with a lump sum, and all funds raised go directly to the Centre.
Making an impact in the community
The Pembina Valley Pregnancy Care Centre, with locations in Winkler, Morden, and Altona, offers confidential, compassionate support for those facing an unexpected pregnancy, pregnancy loss, or parenting challenges. The funds raised through Siemens’ effort will help provide practical items like baby clothes and diapers, as well as counselling, education, and ongoing emotional support.
Executive Director Linda Marek expressed her appreciation for Siemens' initiative. “We’re just grateful that Lee wants to put his passion and literally his energy and his time into supporting us,” she said. “I think Lee’s just amazing and brave to do an ultra marathon.”
Marek expressed deep appreciation for Siemens’ decision to run for the Centre. “He’s just got a passion for running and he wants to put that toward a good cause, and we’re grateful that he chose us.”.
Marek also noted the real-world impact of donations: “Any funds that Lee raised, whether people donated per mile or per loop or just a lump sum… that goes towards the supports and services we offer to clients across the region. Winkler, Morden, Altona… Whether it’s someone exploring their options or they’ve had a loss and they have grief… or they need help with baby items—we’re happy to help.”
To learn more about the Centre, visit pvpcc.com. To follow Siemens’ future runs—or to revisit the one that just tested his limits—follow @turkey.legs.and.lungs.leevi on Instagram.
And if you’re curious about the race itself or want to cheer runners on next year, visit oldtombackyard.com. Just don’t forget your gummy bears.
