Gravel & Grit Events

Partner with Gravel & Grit Events

Work with a grassroots trail running event where useful products, local support, honest storytelling, and community atmosphere actually reach the people they are meant for.

Why it matters

A real event, with a real community behind it

Bristol Backyard Ultra is built by runners, for runners. Our first edition brought together runners, crews, volunteers, families, local brands, and race-weekend stories that carried well beyond the finish area.

300+ runners and spectators across the inaugural weekend, including over 100 runners
130+ of 150 tickets sold for 2027 within the first two months
Bristol an active, engaged grassroots trail running community at Blaise Castle Estate
£2,000+ net sales revenue from the onsite kit shop used by participants and supporters
"Just that feeling of one more being encouraged by everyone participating and spectating. The Crewless Crew was such a nice touch as well." Runner feedback from the inaugural Bristol Backyard Ultra
Partner value

Why partner with us

Trusted race-day presence

Your support appears in a setting where runners are paying attention: basecamp, race communications, event content, and the moments around the challenge itself.

Useful product discovery

Backyard Ultra runners care about kit, fuel, recovery, comfort, and practical support. Good products are noticed because they make the weekend better.

Local credibility

We are Bristol-based and community-led, with a route, atmosphere, and partner mix that make sense for local and like-minded brands.

Strong storytelling

Rain, mud, headtorches, crews, volunteers, and one more lap create natural photo, video, and social content without forcing the story.

Audience fit

Our runners and supporters are active, outdoors-minded, practical, resilient, and loyal to brands that show up in useful ways.

Flexible collaboration

We prefer partnerships that fit the brand and event properly, rather than fixed packages that look tidy but do not add much to race weekend.

Ways to work together

Flexible partnerships that add something useful

We are open to conversations with running, outdoor, wellness, food and drink, retail, media, and community-aligned brands. The best fit is simple: it should make the event better for runners, crews, volunteers, or supporters.

Product support

Fuel, drinks, recovery, kit, comfort, coffee, or other practical support that helps runners through the weekend.

Prizes and rewards

Thoughtful prizes for standout performances, community moments, runners-up, volunteers, or finish-area celebrations.

Retail and kit advice

Helpful pre-race advice, local store links, discount support, or race-weekend guidance that helps runners arrive prepared.

Basecamp activations

Simple, useful on-site presence for runners and crews, shaped around the event rhythm rather than a hard-sell stand.

Community support

Local partnerships that help make the weekend warmer, calmer, more inclusive, or easier for the people taking part.

Commercial activations

Partnerships in action

Photo examples from the inaugural event will sit here, showing sponsor presence, product support, and race-weekend commercial activations in context.

Commercial partner activation at Bristol Backyard Ultra basecamp.
Onsite partner presence, and shoe demo, run by Ronhill.
Partner product and kit support available to Bristol Backyard Ultra runners and supporters.
We were privileged to work alongside Andy from the Salomon team, offering a shoe demo over the weekend.
Bristol Backyard Ultra event village showing commercial partner activity.
Over £2,000 income raised for Up & Running via their pop-up shop, running across race weekend.
Current and past partners

Brands who helped shape the first edition

Fir Tree Media

Captured the photo and video story of the inaugural Bristol Backyard Ultra.

Up & Running Bristol

Supported runners with practical kit advice and an exclusive event discount.

Salomon

Provided winner's prize support and race-weekend footwear demo opportunities.

OOFOS

Supported recovery-focused prizes for tired legs and feet after a long weekend.

TrueStart Coffee

Helped fuel basecamp with coffee support and a prize for one of our runners-up.

Protein Rebel

Supported the event with prize contribution and gels for runners to sample.

Start the conversation

Interested in working with us?

Tell us a little about your brand, what you would like to support, and what you think runners or crews would find genuinely useful. We will come back with a conversation, not a one-size-fits-all package.

  • Your brand or company name
  • The type of support you have in mind
  • What runners, crews, or volunteers would receive
  • Any useful timing, budget, or activation notes

If the email button does not open, email info@gravelandgritevents.com with the subject line Partnership enquiry.