How can we help?

BackyardPace requires watchOS 9 or later, which covers Apple Watch Series 4 and newer. Series 6 or later is recommended for the best GPS and heart rate accuracy over long hours.

iPhone running iOS 16 or later is required for the companion app.

Open the iPhone app and enter your scheduled race start time. BackyardPace sends the race schedule to your watch automatically over Bluetooth. That's all the setup required.

Once the data is on the watch, you don't need your phone. The watch carries the race independently from that point.

No. Once the race is set up, the watch runs everything independently. Your phone can stay charging in your tent.

The phone crew dashboard does require the phone to be nearby (Bluetooth range) to receive live lap data from the watch — but this is optional. The watch race engine does not require the phone to function.

Not yet. BackyardPace is currently Apple Watch only. Garmin and other platforms are on the roadmap. Join the waitlist and select your watch model — demand shapes what gets built next.

BackyardPace uses absolute time, not a running stopwatch. The lap and recovery countdowns are derived from your scheduled start time, so they cannot be thrown off by accidental pauses, watch restarts, or Bluetooth interruptions.

If you re-open the app during a lap or recovery window, it will immediately show you the correct countdown based on the current time.

Open the iPhone app before the race starts and update the start time to match the revised schedule. The watch will sync the updated time over Bluetooth. Do this before the first lap begins and everything will carry through correctly.

If the watch dies and restarts, open BackyardPace as soon as it's back on. Because timing is based on absolute clock time rather than an elapsed timer, the app will immediately recalculate the correct position in the race.

To avoid this: Apple Watch Ultra typically lasts 60+ hours in standard GPS mode. For older models, using Low Power Mode during recovery windows can significantly extend battery life across a long race.

BackyardPace derives all timing from the start time you entered and the watch's system clock. Make sure the start time was entered correctly, and that your watch time is set to sync automatically (Settings → General → Date & Time → Set Automatically).

If timing still appears off, please use the contact form below and include your race start time and the offset you noticed.

Your full race — GPS route, heart rate, lap splits — is saved as a workout to Apple Health and Apple Fitness automatically when you finish. It's stored on your device and iCloud if Health sync is enabled.

You can also upload directly to Strava from within the app once the race is complete.

First, make sure you've connected your Strava account in the iPhone app under Settings → Connected Apps. The upload requires an active internet connection at the time you trigger it.

If the upload fails, try again with WiFi rather than mobile data. If the problem persists, please contact us below with a description of the error message you see.

Yes — the phone crew dashboard (on your iPhone) shows lap trends and buffer time in real time. Your crew member needs to be within Bluetooth range with your iPhone. They don't need the BackyardPace app themselves.

Remote crew dashboards accessible by other people are on the future roadmap.

No. It's a one-time purchase of US$19.99 (launch price). You buy it once and use it forever. There is no subscription, no locked core features, and no upsells required to use the race engine.

Yes. BackyardPace is purchased through the App Store and tied to your Apple ID. You can install it on any iPhone and Apple Watch associated with the same Apple ID at no extra cost.

The beta opens in mid-2026. Waitlist members will be the first to receive TestFlight invites. You'll hear from us at the email address you registered with — no action required on your end until then.

Check your spam or promotions folder. Confirmation emails come from hello@backyardpace.com. If it's not there, use the contact form below and include the email address you registered with — we'll check and confirm your spot manually.