Journal

Strategy, pacing and the long game.

Practical writing on Backyard Ultra racing. Pacing, recovery, nutrition, gear, and what actually happens after 100km.

Articles coming as the beta opens. Guides written from real race experience — not general running advice with a Backyard Ultra label on it.

How to pace a Backyard Ultra

The most common mistake in a Backyard is going out too hard in the first six hours. A guide to building a pacing strategy that gives you time in the bank without blowing up early.

Coming soon

What to expect after 100km

Around lap 15, things change. Physically, mentally and logistically. An honest account of what the second half of a Backyard Ultra actually feels like — and how to be ready for it.

Coming soon

Backyard Ultra recovery strategy

Your recovery window shrinks as your lap times drop. How to manage food, hydration, sleep and kit changes in 20 minutes or less — and what to do when you have more time than you need.

Coming soon

Apple Watch vs Garmin for Backyard Ultras

Both can track a long run. Neither was built for the last-runner-standing format. A practical comparison of how each platform handles Backyard Ultra race day — and the gaps both still have.

Coming soon

How much rest time should you actually bank?

Finishing a lap in 42 minutes sounds like a win. But is it the right call at hour 18? A look at the maths of rest time banking, and when speed stops being an advantage.

Coming soon

What to eat during a Backyard Ultra

The nutrition challenge in a Backyard isn't the first 12 hours. It's what happens when your appetite disappears and you still have 8 more loops to get through. Real-food strategies that work when gels don't.

Coming soon

How to survive the night laps

3am is where most Backyard Ultras are won and lost. Not by speed — by whether you kept moving. A guide to managing the mental and physical reality of racing through the night.

Coming soon

Training for a Backyard Ultra: the loop mindset

Training for a marathon teaches you to run one continuous effort. Training for a Backyard Ultra teaches you to stop and start again. What changes in how you train when the format changes.

Coming soon

Headlamp, bib, watch — race kit for Backyard Ultra

The minimalist kit list that gets you through a Backyard Ultra without over-complicating setup or changeovers. What to carry on the loop, what to leave in the tent, and what you'll wish you'd brought.

Coming soon

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