August, 2022 | runbkrun

Running the length of the United Kingdom, what could possibly go wrong ?

26 August bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 2 Comments

Next year I have entered the inaugural running of the Run Brittania Ultra, yep , I’m going to run the length of the United Kingdom from Lands End to John O’Groats. To say I’m excited is the ultimate under statement, I feel like a small child on Xmas Eve, only 100 times better. This race, over 35 days, yep, 35 days, one more time, 35 days, is going to be so, so cool.

From the events website:

This is a major physical and logistical undertaking, the entire distance is still fairly seldom attempted on foot in one sitting – and rightly therefore constitutes an enormous lifetime achievement for any runner or walker.

We’ve put together a truly stunning 1000 mile, 70, 000 ft elevation adventure that spans the entire length of this great nation, but not as you have ever seen it. Our route has been put together with painstaking precision, encompassing a real ‘runners line,’ largely avoiding busy roads and packing in huge chunks of off-road terrain. It is a swashbuckling tour-de-force through 4000 years of British History and landmarks, taking you on a journey through the very soul of this storied Isle. We have also managed to weave together several of the UK’s most famous and enjoyable long-distance paths, including major sections on the South West Coast Path, Wye Valley Way, Offa’s Dyke, Clyde Walkway, the Great Glen Way and all 95 glorious miles of the West Highland Way.

The entire distance is still fairly seldom attempted on foot in one sitting – and rightly therefore constitutes an enormous lifetime achievement for any runner or walker.

According to the website it has a difficulty of 5 , which I assume is the most, hell if it was a 1-10 scale I reckon it’d be a Spinal Tap 11. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOO5S4vxi0o ) Did I mention the 35 days , albeit I think four of those days are for rest , recovery and massage ? That’s an average of 50km a day or just over a marathon , doesn’t sounds a lot but I’m sure towards the end, when you’re running through the Scottish Highlands, fatigue may play its hand. For some reason Rat Race ( https://ratrace.com/ ) decided to go from Lands End to John O’Groats meaning you take on the hardest part, i.e. Scotland!, at the end. I’m sure it’s all uphill as well ! Maybe they should think about doing a Comrades and reversing the direction each year, though having to find the 8,000 pounds entry fee annually could be a hard conversation to have with your family. Actually I hope my Wife doesn’t read this post , she tends to ignore them, so I can blame our lack of family holidays on the ‘nasty Russians causing inflation and crashing the stock market’, not me entering one of the most expensive foot races on the planet.

To get a feel for this smorgasbord of hurt check out the itinerary below. Doesn’t seem that bad when it’s written down in front of you and it all looks very nice with the beautiful British sunshine and tail wind caressing you home. I have a feeling there may be dark, dark times when you question your own existence on this planet and I would expect nothing less. Of the 40 starters I would expect more than half to drop by the wayside just because of the various and numerous things that could derail you, injury, hydration or nutrition issues, alcohol poisonings, mugging, kidnapping , death , the list of possibilities is endless. On the bright side because it’s a stage race I’m assuming we’ll be avoiding too much night running and given the time of year the daylight hours will be at their maximum; it’s actually ran over the summer solstice which is good. Maybe a slight detour to Stonehenge to do a few laps around the attraction when the druids are doing their thing, do they still sacrifice virgins on the longest day or is that a myth ?

They’re broken down the event into five 200 milers, give or take, with a day rest before each one, simple really. I’ve ran three 200 milers so far in my illustrious (?) career and always felt pretty good at the end of each one but as for going again after a days rest, four times, not so sure. I don’t suppose anybody is really including the organisers. There will be forty runners who are determined to find out come June next year. Over the event I’m hoping to make some lifelong friends as you tend to do on these type of events, they tend to bring people closer together, united in hurt. It’s hard enough for most people to contemplate anything past a marathon and a 200 miler is always met with the ‘they’ve invented cars now, you know that right’. With Run Brittania they’ll probably resort to ‘they’ve invented planes now, you know that right’ , bless ’em.

Truth be told it’s a good point, a 1,000 miles is a bloody long way anyway you look at it, with most of the course being trail with some serious elevation thrown in for the hell of it. There will be some seriously great scenery especially at the start as run along the cliffs in Cornwall, as well as the Scottish Highlands towards the end of the journey. I’m sure Wales will offer up something special as well.

Another big reason for entering this event was it starts in my old stomping ground. I grew up in Penzance and only left after finishing University in my middle twenties. I was then drawn to Aberdeen for work before emigrating to Australia in 2001. I am very excited about the first day running from Lands End past what I consider to be the two best beaches in the country, Sennen and Gwenver. It was here I spent my youth surfing the Atlantic swells that hit the coast after marching over the pond from the States. Great waves, great memories and a misspent youth. I hope to retire to this part of the world when no 3 daughter finishes her education in 3-4 years, dust of the surfboard and start watching ‘Big Wednesday’ again on a weekly basis. I use to love my surfing as a youngster and only gave it up due to the sub-zero temperatures of Aberdeen and the crowds of Perth. I will return but I have a few more running goals to achieve before I give away competitive racing, with this event being the first of many.

Running shoes, I will be using Altra’s of course, ( https://www.altrarunning.com/ ) unless Hoka ( https://www.hoka.com/en/us/ ) offer me a sponsorship deal, I normally use the Altra Olympus range and I have brought many version 4’s and am looking forward to the new edition that has just dropped. I have also brought two pairs of Mont Blanc as they were on sale at Running Warehouse, too good an opportunity to miss.

But before Run Brittania I have a smorgasbord of racing to complete starting with the inaugural No Time to Die Frontyard Ultra in Adelaide, the third backyard Ultra in the four event series, in three weeks. ( https://nttdfrontyard.com.au/race-information/ ) The series culminates with the Hysterical Carnage Backyard Ultra in early November. ( https://hystericalcarnage.com.au/ ) Between the two events I intend to run the Melbourne Marathon for a fifth time, hoping to continue my sub 3 marathon streak currently sitting on 29 in a row, as well as the Feral Pig 100 miler a few days before the Hysterical Carnage. As you can probably make out for me it’s all about racing, it’s why I do what I do. I love the training and daily running but I need the goal to aim for, and that means a bib on my chest, don’t judge me.

I suppose that’s why I’m so excited about Run Britannia, it’s 35 days of racing , back to back, for a competitive runner like me it’s a dream come true albeit there is the opportunity for the dream to turn into a nightmare very quickly but that’s the beauty of the event, the unknown. The organisers are all about getting as many runners as possible to the finish line , it’s not a race as such and just finishing will be ever runners goal but you can bet there’ll be a spreadsheet somewhere with daily totals which will add up to a cumulative time, you would have to surely ? More importantly how will I get the run to show as one long run over 35 days on Strava ? I think I’ll go down the route of saving one day at a time and then stitching them altogether for the mother of long runs ! That in itself will be worth the entrance fee.

I will certainly be using these three products for the event… fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.

Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…

Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-

As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.

In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.

In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.

BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!

BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!

What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

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Ultra Marathons

Birdy’s backyard ultra 2022

18 August bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

I have ran Birdy’s Backyard twice before and both times I had reasons to finish early. The first year, 2020, I was under struct instructions to be home early afternoon the day after the start, so I had a 24 hour limit. This was a pity as I struggled through the night but for the last few laps felt fresh as a daisy and my last few laps were by far my quickest. I often wonder if this was my central governor ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_governor ) realising I was limited to 24 laps and reduced the feeling of fatigue as it knew I was close to finishing. No need to protect the body when the end is in sight ? Race report attached ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/08/16/most-fun-you-will-ever-have-in-running-gear/ )

In 2021 I had the Delirious West 200 miler ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) a few weeks after Birdy’s and decided that this was my A race for the year , demoting Birdy’s. I decided that I would go further than my previous attempt but not too far as to risk injury or long term damage pre-Delirious. Added to this there was a course change due to the amount of rainfall we experienced pre-event. Parts of the course were flooded and these were replaced , unfortunately the new course was far harder due to the mud and soft going underfoot. It meant we were probably four to five minutes slower per lap which over time added up. Very quickly fatigue played a part as you were just returning to your seat before you were up again and off on another lap. The mud eventually sucked the life out of you. In the end I managed 28 laps but was pretty goosed towards the end.. ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/08/30/birdys-backyard-ultra-wow-just-wow/ ) It was a smart decision as I ran a great race at Delirious finishing in just over 83 hours but more importantly having a great time ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/10/31/redemption-worth-waiting-for-day-1/ )

So 2022 I was in two minds, I had just ran the Unreasonable East 200 miler ( https://unreasonableeast200miler.com.au/ ) and had other events coming up that would need my full attention. Because of this I downgraded Birdy’s to a B-category race and set my goal to 36 laps. This would give me 150 mile club membership for all three of the current Ultra Series backyard ultras. (I have a pb of 47 laps for Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra and 37 laps for Hysterical Carnage) Of course if I thought I could go deeper I would but I wasn’t prepared to break myself to do it.

The week before Birdy’s we had had a very wet and windy spell that seemed to go on forever so we were very lucky to wake up to perfect conditions Friday morning as the image above shows. The Lake looked magical and there wasn’t a breath of wind, it wasn’t even that cold. This has been the same the two previous years , at the start anyway, and it is such a great way to start the event. With a 10am start time everybody is just so relaxed and the food van was there to serve quality bacon and egg toasties and great coffee, life was good.

This year the boys were all training for the Melbourne Marathon so had a decided that the Perth half was a more marathon training type event and so stayed in Perth. I drove down alone but had Rob to help me as he was also working with Phil Gore. Veronika was game for a very long run so also joined me. The Penrith three were back together, we had all gone to Unreasonable earlier in the year staying in Penrith, hence the nickname. Rob Donkersloot, from Mind Focused Running, ( https://mindfocusedrunning.com/ ) is a great crew, so relaxed and with so much experience, he is the voice of reason in the chaos that is a BK Ultra. He was also working with Phil and the two of them will certainly push the boundaries of what is possible in these events for years to come.

Right 10am, lap 1 and we are off. I took the GoPro out for a spin for the first lap, the one and only time. As you can see from the image below there is a lot of smiling going on. This continues for the fist few laps as the course was pretty dry and quick and finishing 6.7km in an hour is relatively easy. This gives you lots of time for socialising between laps and this is one of the draws of the event, every lap you are basically in the lead , standing with the event favorites albeit briefly normally. It takes on a carnival like atmosphere and everybody retreats to their marquess to go about their pre-start routines, on the hour , every hour. Of course some are a lot more organised than others with Phil Gore, spoiler alert the eventual winner, being probably the most organised. Phil and his team has taken this format to another level with a detailed spreadsheet stating what is expected of him for each lap. That will show him when to change, what to eat and when to sleep. He just goes through the spreadsheet one line at a time until there is nobody else left and then he runs one more lap to win, it really is that simple. He has now won the last five events he has entered only losing the fist one as an assist while setting an Australian record. We are very excited to see how he fares against the rest of the world October next year at the World Championships in the States.

First lap , leading the charge, GoPro in hand.

The good thing about a 10am start is you get seven laps in the light and with the ambient temperature we were treated to perfect running conditions, Shaun Kaesler even managed to get in 10 laps before he was required to help with RD duties. ( Felix , the race director, and his bother Simon had both came down with COVID a few days before the event so Shaun stepped into the breech, again!) It was good to run a few laps with him. There were surprisingly few DNF’s early as I think people just pushed themselves further than they thought and also were just having to much fun.

Although there were few DNF’s early there was one DQ on lap 1. Unfortunately for Frank the first lap was live streamed on the Facebook and Lazarus Lake was watching, the Godfather and inventor of the format. Frank had forgotten his water bottle so stepped back into the corral to collect it after leaving with the runners, this is against the rules , no outside assistance and no returning to the corral or start line after leaving. Frank made a big song and dance about returning for his water bottle and this was picked up by Lazarus who got in touch with the race directors and insisted he was disqualified. As you can imagine Frank was less than impressed but eventually saw the funny side and ran over 10 laps anti clockwise , out with the event, receiving high fives and words of encouragement from the runners. He is still maintaining he could have won it which, given his vintage, he is over 70, is hard to believe. ?

Chatting to the Ultra Series owner Shaun Kaesler.

The Birdy’s course can be broken down into three smaller sections. I use this technique on all backyard ultras. For Birdy’s the first 2km or so is very runnable, mainly on crushed limestone, past the caravan graveyard to the bridge. The next section through the meadows is the hardest of the three and requires more concentration with a couple of creek crossing involving a small leap, which is perfect for pulling hammys or twisting ankles. Once you get through this section there is the swamp section which is my favourite because there are two sections where you have to walk and also the terrain is just great fun to run on, you know you are also close to sitting down and a rest. Breaking the loop down helps as you can achieve three goals a lap rather than one, small steps, big gains. Later into the event these smaller goals make completing the laps so much easier compared to waiting for the finish each time, it can be the difference between making a lap or not.

Running through the swamp area Friday afternoon, still smiling.

The image above is me probably early Friday afternoon, not a cold enough yet for gloves or a beanie and still smiling as I come out of the swamp and head towards my chair for some hydration and nutrition. Get the eating and drinking strategy right and you will go far in this event, get it wrong and the fuel tank empties quickly and you come to a grinding halt. I see it so many times , runners cruising along one second and then a DNF, all down to stomach issues. Luckily I have always been blessed with a iron stomach and can usually find something to eat, even when I don’t feel like it. Weetbix is a good go-to food when all else fails, add sugar and it can get you through the next lap easily. I usually carry a 500ml soft water bottle filled with either plain water, bix, poweraide or maurten that I sip on while I run. I also make sure I have main meals when my body expects it, i.e. a good breakfast, lunch and dinner. As you’re not running that quickly you can eat more than you normally would, pre-run, and if you have to walk sections of the lap to help with the digestion so be it.

Myself and Phil had our own t-shirts created by the guys at OC Clothing ( https://occlothingco.com.au/ ) and Chris also got in on the act with his own design. Chris is a very talented artist but maybe not so talented at T-shirt design, or at least colours. It’s an acquired taste I suppose. The three of us certainly stood out ? Add in the red shorts and we are making a statement, not sure what we’re saying but we’re making a statement. Funnily enough I lost my BK shirt at this event last year ?

The event starts at 10am and with perfect conditions there wasn’t much of an attrition rate early on with most of the runners making the first sunset, which was stunning as the images above and below show. I have said this a few times already on this post but we really were blessed with perfect conditions. Again the following week , post Birdy’s, the heavens opened and half the course was underwater so it would have been a return to the slower, mud dominant course, I’m not sure how Shaun does it but he seems to have made a pact with the devil ? As the sun set the whole course lit up and my photos do not do it justice of course, damn you iphone 11. Of course the price you pay for this wonderous lap is then eleven hours of darkness as day gives way to night.

Running through the night has its advantages and disadvantages, the main disadvantage is the cold, it really does get very cold very quickly. Not so much when you’re running but when you sit down each lap you certainly feel the cold as your body, covered in sweat, cools very quickly. Double blankets help but eventually you have to leave your cocoon and make your way to the start, for one more lap. I always find the first couple of kilometres can be testing but after that I was never worried about the temperature, truth be told it wasn’t as cold as the first year and this was probably down to the cloud cover. Another challenge can be running over the middle section of the course from the bridge , through the meadow to the swamp. This becomes more technical in the dark and also add in fatigue and you have the recipe for a good fall. This year I avoided a fall but there were a couple of near misses on the second night. This also adds to your lap time as you need to tread more carefully and are also tired and thus you have less time resting, fatigue then builds and voila , you’re out.

Another reason we lose a lot of runners through the night is we hit certain milestones that encourage runners to quit. The first one is 100km at 15 hours, which is early morning, around 2am. This is the start of the witching or DNF hours as I call them , between 2am and 5am. These three hours you are at your weakest because your body expects sleep. Add in a milestone and all of a sudden it’s ok to ring the bell. If only these runners lasted a few more hours they would run through the dawn and the sun boosts every runners resolve and I reckon you’re good for another 5-6 hours minimum. That then puts you around the 21 hour mark with the 100 mile goal in view. This is how you go deep in a backyard ultra, milestone after milestone , after milestone. Similar to what I described with breaking down the lap into three separate sections, to go deep in a backyard ultra you give yourself a reachable goal, reach it , reset and then repeat, simple really.

Come the evening the team at UltraSeries WA really excelled and put on the bright lights, literally. It was a magical time with a Xmas like feel as the image below shows. The first night was also notable for the hundreds of head torches crawling their way around the course, I just wish I took a photo to show you the effect, it really was very cool. The second night is the complete opposite with a handful of head torches and you find yourself alone with your thoughts deep into the lap, which is fine as I always have my shokz headphones turned on ( https://shokz.com/ ) and either Taylor Swift or a best of the seventies compilation serenading me forward. Note I did try and listen to David Goggins but he is an acquired taste and in the end I gave up and put Taylor Swift back on, a lot more palatable.

Early into Friday evening, xmas has come early.

Most backyard ultras are the same for me . I enjoy the first ten or so laps when you can comfortable cruise into your chair with fifteen minutes plus to spare. I struggle between ten and high teens when it becomes harder and normally you’re running though the night. Once I get out of the teens I can comfortably make my way to 24 hours and after that running in the daylight is easier up to sunset. It’s the second night where I can struggle, funny that, and I have made the middle thirties three times now without breaking through to the forty hours plus. I need to work on this as if I can get to the second morning I know I can get to 48 laps and this is my holy grail of backyard targets.

The 24 hour , 100 mile club. 10am Saturday morning.

I have ran six backyard ultras now and managed 24 hours minimum each time, I will keep this tradition going as long as possible. Each backyard ultra more runners are joining me in this club and soon 24 hours will become the goal for so many more, the 3 hour time for marathon runners equivalent.

Spending time with the legend that is Phil Gore, a backyard ultra in Australia is a format when all runners continue for as long as they can and then Phil runs one more lap and wins. He set a new Australian record at Birdy’s finishing 55 laps which only stood for less than two weeks before Ryan Crawford ran 59 laps at Clint Eastwood backyard ultra. Phil and Ryan will meet at the Satellite Championships in October so am expecting the 60 lap ceiling to be destroyed. Phil is probably the nicest runner you will ever meet, so humble but so talented, a powerful combination.

Down to the final 9 , late afternoon Saturday.

At lap 36 I knew this would be my last lap. It was 9pm and I’d finish at 10pm , 36 hours after I started but more importantly I’d get into the 36 hour club for my third backyard ultra event. As I mentioned at the start of this post this was not an A race and 36 hours was always the end goal. Could I have made it through the night ? Not sure, I knew there was a storm coming , and it did big time, and laying in the back of my Prado , after I had DNF’d while the storm raged, was the right decision. A course PB to add to my 24 and 28 hours previous attempts and it bodes well for next year when maybe I can finally get to 48 hours at this event ?

I had ran with Carl Douglas on this lap and he was sufferings with a calf issue and also decided to pull the pin after lap 36, thus we were both 4th male equal or 5th overall. Both of us had ran a course PB and both of us have our eyes on bigger goals in the near future, Carl is chasing a Big’s backyard Ultra World Championship entry ( https://www.bigsbackyardultra.com/ ) while I still covert 48 laps , just not sure when?

Pretty proud of this image, beats the Friday night version by a country mile I reckon. Can’t wait to get my iphone 14 , when it comes out , and my photographs should get even better. Taken from the bridge looking onto the sunset. When the sunsets and rises you could literally spend the whole lap taking photos, so beautiful.

Things starting to get very lonely on Saturday night.

Carl and I collecting our DNF spoons after not starting lap 37.

So that’s Birdy’s 2022, mission accomplished, I think ? . 36 laps is a course PB by eight hours and although I could have probably ground out a few more I wouldn’t have made it through the night and sometimes you need to pick your battles. 2022 has been a very busy year so far , after a very busy 2021, so I need to sacrifice some races. As I have stated before I am happy to run more races but not give them my all, compared to targeting a smaller number of events. I live for the racing and to this end am happy just being out there with a bib on my chest rather than chasing goals, albeit if a course PB or time does come into view I’ll do all I can to snare it, it is racing after all and I’m still a competitive little bugger !

Right next event is five weeks away, another frontyard ultra in Adelaide, ‘No time to Die’ ( https://nttdfrontyard.com.au/ ). This should be a flat and fast course and depending on weather conditions could be one to go long on ? A lot will depend how I pull up after Birdys but with the humantecar compression bandages I was running three days after the event. (see details below). These compression bandages are magic and I used them after Unreasonable East 200 miler and was running the day after the event, at a good pace., I’m a big fan. If you have an ultra coming up or are currently doing long training runs you need the bandages and spray, great product. ( https://athleticus.com.au/ )

As always I would like to highlight products that helped me through the race and should be in your armory for backyard ultras… fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.

Fisiocrem is a must have in your 200 miler box of tricks.

As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.

In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.

In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.

BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!

BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

and facebook https://www.facebook.com/runbkrunoz

General day to day ramblings

Backyard Ultras, the new marathon.

01 August bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

This Friday I’m taking on my sixth backyard ultra, the race with no end, runner against themselves in the truest test of mental and physical strength.

The concept of Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra is simple: Runners have an hour to complete a 4.167-mile loop at the race organizer’s home. Then they do it again, and again, and again—breaking for food and rest only in the spare time before they start the next loop. Hundreds of miles and a whole lot of pain later, the last competitor still running wins

Backyard Ultras are so popular and becoming more so daily. Just check out the home website for all the possible locations to run one https://backyardultra.com/races/ The list is growing so quickly. For those who are new to the concept read this article https://www.si.com/more-sports/2019/12/04/big-dogs-backyard-ultra-marathon , you’ll get the idea.

I’m running Birdys backyard Ultra this week for the third time. ( https://birdysbackyardultra.com.au/race-information/ ) and this was my introduction to the event in 2020. That year I was allowed to run 24 hours and then had to leave and get home to look after the kids as no1 Wife was going out. Halfway through the event my Wife rang and let me know I could carry on but I had 24 laps set in my mind at that point and so focused on that goal. A pity because I finished lap 24 sub forty minutes and felt fantastic, with so much more left in the tank. I wonder whether that was because I knew I was finishing after working very hard getting through the night or I just left way too early. Either way it sums up what this race is about, it’s so much more mental than most running races, in these events a mentally storing runner will normally out last a more physically prepared runner but one who is mentally weaker. You don’t find that in most races but because this race has no set end time, it continues until there is one runner left, its a mental as well as a physical battle. After all you only have to run 6.7km (4.1miles) in an hour, that’s about 8min/k pace average, a slow jog really.

Mission accomplished. 24 laps done and dusted. Birdy’s 2020.

In 2021 I was preparing for the Delirious West 200 miler in October and , at that time, had never completed a 200 miler. ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) I wasn’t prepared to risk myself at Birdy’s and as such set a goal of a top ten finish, I achieved this on lap 28 albeit truth be told the course was far more difficult than the pervious year due to a course change due to excessive rainfall the weeks preceding the race. This made the course harder and thus recovery time was limited , every time you sat down the two minute warning seemed to start, fatigue built up over time and I was getting closer and closer to missing cut off. The course change made a huge difference as they had taken out the best running bits of the old course and added more technical single trail with mud. Over time the mud just sucked the life out of you.

Saturday morning and it’s still fecking cold 2021.

As well as Birdy’s backyard Ultra I have ran Herdy’s Frontyard ultra twice ( https://herdysfrontyard.com.au/ ) and the inaugural South Australian version , Hysterical Carnage. ( https://hystericalcarnage.com.au/ ) I’ve managed assists in both of these races, the last runner bar the winner, beaten both times by Australia’s premier backyard ultra runner Phil ‘one more lap‘ Gore. As I said earlier I love the format, it really is you against yourself where you can see how far you are prepared to go albeit everybody bar Phil of course because he always wins.

Last few runners , probably around lap 30.

This year I’m taking on the four backyard ultra offered by the Ultra Series, ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) adding No time to die ( https://nttdfrontyard.com.au/ ) to Hysterical, Birdys and Herdy’s. I’ve already ran Herdy’s in March this year finishing in the top 10 timing out at 35 hours. This wasn’t the result I was hoping for and I never felt great during the event and this was probably explained by a positive COVID result a few days post event. Well that’s what I’m putting it down to, we’ll find out on Friday I suppose.

So what makes me so passionate about this format.? I’m not going to sugar coat the event , it hurts and I mean it really hurts. Each runner needs to decide how much pain they are willing to put up with. Very few runners actually time out, very few. In my previous five races I’ve only timed out once. The other four times I had a valid reason to pull the pin before taking on another lap. Were they valid reasons though ? My Wife had given me a carry on card the first time I ran Birdy’s but I decided to stick to the original plan. For my next race at Herdy’s I did run 47 laps and must admit although I didn’t time out I was mentally done, albeit I was still lapping in the low fifty minutes so probably had a few more laps in me? For Hysterical Carnage in November last year I got to 37 laps with just me and Phil feeling relatively good but had my daughter with me and the plan was to spend some time in Adelaide with her. When you are left with Phil you either pull the pin early an get an assist or run for ten hours extra or longer and get an assist, the end result is the same. Remember a backyard ultra in Australia is everyone runs until there is one runner left and then Phil runs one more lap and wins. This year at Herdy’s I did time out on lap 35 but looking back could I have made the cut off, typing this months later yep, at three in the morning after running for over thirty five hours , no. That sums it up, before the event and after it you will second guess yourselves , asking yourself did you give your all ? That is what makes the event so special, it gives you the opportunity but it so difficult to take it, few do.

The image below shows Adam and I early on at Herdy’s this year, it was so humid and we were both absolutely buggered, as I said this format gives you the opportunity to really push yourself to places other races won’t allow you to go. It was brutal this year albeit I still citing COVID as the reason I pulled the pin earlier than planned. As I mentioned earlier in this post everybody has a good reason why they didn’t win, bar Phil Gore being unbeatable.

Sometimes backing up from a 200 miler isn’t such a good idea after all. Adam and I absolutely buggered.

I’ve added an article Ryne Anderson, CTS Ultrarunning Expert Coach, below, worth a read..

How a Backyard Ultra Can Boost Your Ultramarathon Training

Backyard Ultra Events exploded in popularity over the last few years thanks, in part, to their straightforward setup. The objective is to complete successive 4.167-mile loops, each in under one hour, for as long as you can. A little more than 4 miles in an hour sounds easy, and for the first few hours it is. Many hours later, it’s not so easy. Backyard Ultras are not only great challenges themselves, but they can also help runners solve failure points that plague them in start-to-finish races.

Backyard Ultras are “last person running” events, rather than a set start-to-finish distance (100 miles) or duration (24 hours). If you do not complete the loop and make it back to the finish line/starting corral by the top of the hour, your day(s) is finished. The repetitive nature of the laps encourages rote execution, the same process over and over. This creates a very controlled environment (or as controlled as you’re going to get in an ultra) that allows runners to find their limits and reach new distance milestones. Is every runner going to eventually run 354 miles over the course of 85 hours like Harvey Lewis’s record-breaking performance at Big’s Backyard Ultra in October? Probably not, but a runner can use the simple setup of a Backyard Ultra to solve failure points that have troubled them in past races and have a breakthrough performance.

Crewing

An effective crew can streamline time spent at aid stations, keep the runner mentally engaged, and solve problems before an issue derails your race. The beauty of a Backyard Ultra is that the runner sees their crew every hour. Backyard Ultras have basic aid station fare available to everyone, but each runner is allowed their own personal aid station tent. Within that area, the runner can have anything and everything they want. You can have a cot and sleeping bag for a quick nap, a camp stove to cook your favorite food, a wardrobe of extra shoes and clothes, and all your preferred nutrition and hydration products.

Four miles between aid stations and a set time to leave and get back out on course is the most accessible aid station setup of any ultrarunning event. There is no overthinking and overpacking drop bags that are scattered across successive aid stations on the course. Your crew is not frantically navigating sketchy forest roads and stressfully racing to the next aid station. The “hurry up and wait” mentality is replaced with “relax and wait.” The crew has more than enough time to prepare the aid station for the runner’s return. This encourages a stress-free environment to consume calories and address problems. You have time to make gear and clothing changes when necessary, and prepare optimally for the next lap.

CTS ATHLETE CHRIS MURPHY’S SETUP AT BIG’S BACKYARD ULTRA

Testing Nutrition and Hydration

Nausea and/or vomiting was cited as the second highest problem for finishers and the highest problem for non-finishers in Marty Hoffman and Kevin Fogard’s 2009 study that explored the issues that affected runners at the 2009 Western States and Vermont 100-mile races . Multiple factors contribute to stomach issues to stomach issues during an ultra. Among those are inadequate training, poor pacing during high temperatures, failure to stick to a plan, and not properly hydrating.

In a typical ultra, runners map out their nutrition and hydration plan before the race or set a reminder on their watch to remind them to eat and drink. Sometimes, however, a runner miscalculates the time between aid stations and runs out of food and water. Maybe the day was hotter than expected and the runner should have carried a third bottle. Or the runner simply lost their sense of time and frequency for how much they should eat and drink. Race at high elevation also affect some runners’ ability to consume calories.

Backyard Ultras reduce the guesswork of estimating time between aid stations and tracking energy and fluid consumption. Although the weather will change throughout the day and night, temperature should ebb and flow within reasonably predictable range because you’re staying within such a small geographical area.

Nutrition Goals

Nutrition goals can be as simple as eating a sports nutrition product on each loop, drinking one bottle of water, and eating some type of real food upon returning to the aid station. The crew member can easily keep track of how many calories the runner has consumed, what food options are working, and adjust hydration and electrolyte goals as the temperature changes throughout the day and night. For runners who successfully execute nutrition and hydration plans for 50k events but struggle beyond the 6- to 8-hour timeframe, the simplicity and standardization of a Backyard Ultra can be great for testing out different strategies.

Pacing

“I went out too fast,” is a common talking point in reviewing any ultrarunning performance. It’s completely understandable to go out too fast due to the palpable energy at the start line and feeling fresh a few weeks of tapering. But going out too hot can come back to bite you. You gain little to no advantage in “racing” each loop at a Backyard Ultra.

There is some strategy involved, at times. For instance, a faster loop means returning to your aid station with a little extra time to take a quick nap or make a gear change. But runners are generally better served by keeping their pacing steady throughout. Keep in mind, runners may have different goals, too. Some may be out to complete a personally relevant distance and then stop. Other runners are competing and attempting to be the runner standing.

A Backyard Ultra is not the format to chase a time PR at a certain distance. There is little utility in completing a loop in 40 minutes versus 55 minutes. Steady pacing encourages consistent energy expenditure and fueling habits.

Camaraderie

Between spectators, crews, and fellow runners, you will not be alone during a Backyard Ultra. In a standard ultra, runners spread out and may run solo for hours. Running by yourself can be advantageous because you’re likely to stick to your own personal race strategy. It can also be a hindrance if you lose focus, struggle with negative thoughts, and subsequently slow down. Running with company may lower perceived exertion, provide access to more encouragement, and create a memorable race experience.

Runners also develop a strong bond with one another throughout a Backyard Ultra. There is a competitive element, in that they want to be the last one standing, but there’s also camaraderie that leads runners to push and support one another. Harvey Lewis, Chris Roberts, and Terumichi Morishita would no doubt credit each other in each runner’s ability to crest the 72-hour mark and go beyond 300 miles at Big’s Backyard Ultra.

Put It Altogether

The simple and standardized nature of Backyard Ultras allows every runner to fine tune critical ultrarunning skills. A Backyard Ultra may not be your idea of an A-race, but you can use a Backyard Ultra to better learn about yourself as a runner, solve and correct issues that have plagued you in past races, and reach distances that have previously eluded you.

References:

Hoffman MD, Fogard K. Factors related to successful completion of a 161-km ultramarathon. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2011 Mar;6(1):25-37. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.6.1.25. PMID: 21487147.

What is humanly possible at a backyard ultra , how far can the boundaries be pushed ? This format is relatively new and as such the record for the most number of laps is growing almost monthly. As of today, August 2022, the record is 85 laps.

The most laps completed in a backyard ultramarathon is 85, achieved by Harvey Lewis (USA) at Big’s Backyard Ultra in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, USA, on 16 –19 October 2021. Backyard ultramarathons challenge competitors to complete a run of 4.167 miles (100 miles divided by 24) every hour until only one runner remains. Harvey Lewis won the 2021 Big’s Backyard Ultra after completing 85 “yards” – a total distance of 354.16 miles (569 kilometres). The race began at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning and finished at 9 p.m. on the Tuesday, with competitors running a trail by day and road at night. Lewis bested the previous backyard ultra record of 81, set by John Stocker at the 2021 Suffolk Backyard Ultra.

If you believe David Goggins ( https://davidgoggins.com/ ) we only ever tap into about 40% of our potential, there’s another 60% available but only a few can get access to it. This event certainly gives you the opportunity to find your extra 60% . The record stands at 85 laps and I’m calling it here , it will be over a 100 hours by 2024, the only limiting factor will eventually be sleep. Mental and physical conditioning will get you there but you need sleep, without sleep of course you fail or die; whichever comes first. At the moment this type of event is on the outer of the running world, mention a backyard ultra to most non-runners around the drink fountain and most have no idea what you are talking about. A marathon is well ingrained in the non runners vocabulary and these days and even ultra marathons adventures are met with a knowing sigh and roll of the eyes by non-runners , no longer the kudos of days gone past. Backyard ultras will gain traction around the water fountain in time but for the moment they are seen as quirky and hard to relate to, this will change but most ‘proper runners’ concentrate on the more traditional distances, for the moment.

I wonder if Goggins would ever stop..ever, at a backyard ultra ?

So will backyard ultras become the new marathon ? Not in the short term but they are a unique way to run a race and every hour , on the hour, you’re at the front of the pack, leading the race albeit briefly. The camaraderie of the event is special and unique where you see your fellow competitors hourly rather than for a brief ‘g’day’ at the start and then that’s it until the finish. Add in the down time when you can actually sit down and eat and you have the recipe for a great event. They will become more and more popular , similar to the park run sensation sweeping the world currently. It’s a more relaxed way to race and takes away some of the time pressure, it really is you against yourself. This is why I think the concept will take off.

For a race report on my first attempt at Herdys’ follow this link on the backyard ultra webpage https://backyardultra.com/herdys-backyard-ultra-probably-the-run-of-my-life-so-far/

Camaraderie, summed up in this image, pre-Lap1. Birdy’s 2021.

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