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BackyardPace requires watchOS 10.6 or later on the watch, and any Apple Watch running that version will work. A newer watch is recommended for the best GPS and heart rate accuracy over long hours, and for battery life across a long race.

The companion app requires an iPhone running iOS 17.6 or later.

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.

Yes, via iPhone mode. BackyardPace runs the entire race from your phone at base, so you can keep using your Garmin, COROS or other watch to record the run itself. It does not connect to or control your watch. The two simply run alongside each other. A native Garmin version is in planning.

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, including GPS route, heart rate and 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, or export a TCX file and upload it yourself.

Connect your Strava account in the iPhone app, then tap Upload to Strava on the race summary when you finish. Your race arrives with GPS, heart rate and every yard as its own lap.

If the upload fails, check your internet connection and try again. You can also tap Share TCX to save the file and upload it to Strava yourself, which works whether or not you have connected your account.

One thing worth knowing: viewing lap splits on Strava is a Strava subscriber feature. The laps are in the file either way, but a free Strava account may not display them.

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. You buy it once and use it forever. There is no subscription, no locked race-day essentials, and no upsells required to use the race engine. The App Store shows the current price in your local currency.

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.

Yes. BackyardPace is live on the Apple App Store now. It is a one-time purchase with no subscription, and it works two ways: race from your Apple Watch, or run the race from your iPhone alongside any other watch.

No. iPhone mode runs the whole race from your phone: yard timing, recovery countdowns, lap logging and alerts for the next start. The phone sits at base while you race. If you do have an Apple Watch, the watch becomes your race computer and the phone can stay in the tent.