About BackyardPace
BackyardPace came out of a specific frustration: no existing app was built for this race format. Not really.
You could use a general running app. You could set manual alarms. You could rely on your crew to track the time. But none of those are purpose-built for the hourly start, the recovery window, the lap-by-lap execution that Backyard Ultra demands.
So BackyardPace was built from scratch, specifically for this race.
Most endurance sports have a clear start and finish. The question you're answering is: how fast can I go from A to B?
Backyard Ultra asks a different question: how many times can I complete this loop before I stop?
The format creates a set of timing and cognitive demands that don't exist in marathon running, trail ultras, or triathlon. You need to know: when does the next loop start? How long do I have to recover? Am I running this lap faster or slower than my recent average? If I finish this loop in 47 minutes, how long do I actually have to rest?
These questions repeat every hour, for as long as the race lasts. At hour four they're easy. At hour twenty they're not.
The app should reduce the mental load, not add to it.
General running apps record a run. They weren't designed for the loop-based, last-runner-standing structure of Backyard Ultra. BackyardPace was.
BackyardPace is built around a small set of principles that shape every decision.
The phone configures. The watch runs. During the race, the phone should be optional — not required.
A screen that demands decisions costs energy. In the later hours of a Backyard Ultra, that energy has a price. The interface shows what matters and nothing else.
BackyardPace uses your scheduled start date and lap duration to calculate everything. No running timers. No timers you can accidentally pause. The app can always determine race state from the clock.
Strava, Apple Fitness and Garmin Connect are brilliant at recording and storing runs. BackyardPace is focused on helping you execute a better race. The recording is a by-product, not the purpose.
BackyardPace integrates with Apple Health and Strava directly. It doesn't try to replace those platforms — it fills the gap they can't fill.
BackyardPace is currently in active development. The core race engine is working — race start scheduling, lap timing, recovery countdown, heart rate tracking, GPS recording and Apple Health saving are all operational.
The focus right now is stability: making the race engine rock-solid, ensuring lap actions survive connectivity loss, and consolidating the timing logic so phone and watch are always in sync.
A pacing engine exists in the codebase. Wiring it into the live race screen is a near-term priority. A full race history screen follows after that.
The product is being built to be the best Backyard Ultra companion app available on Apple Watch. Not the most feature-rich. The most reliable and the most useful on race day.
If that sounds like something you'd use, join the waitlist.
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We'll let you know when the beta opens. No noise — just the relevant stuff.
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