March 13, 2025
For all runners new to a BYU the concept is simple. It’s a 6.7km loop (which means at 24 hours you get 100 miles, 48 hours 200 miles etc.) which you have to complete on the hour every hour, until there is only one runner left. He , or she, then does one more lap to take out the event. I’ve been assist to Phil Gore twice (the assist is the second to last finisher) and even won the Adelaide No time to die BYU in 2022, as well as numerous top 10 finishes but no lap 48.
The concept suits me as it’s not about outright speed , it’s more endurance turned up to 11 ( you watch Spinal Tap right?) . Mental strength is more important in a BYU compared to running cardio fitness , the normal limiting factor when racing. To complete a lap you could run/walk at an average of just over 8min/k , which equates to a lot of walking. Thus lap pacing strategies can make a massive difference, get it right, with the right amount of nutrition and hydration, add in a ‘can of hard’ and ‘some suck it up pills’ (Thanks David Goggin’s) and you can go on forever… maybe.
My post on 2021 is attached here, worth a read, you get the picture.. https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/04/04/herdys-backyard-ultra-probably-the-run-of-my-life-so-far/
2022, COVID hit me hard during the event, not pretty https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/03/27/herdys-frontyard-ultra-2022/ albeit still managed to sneak into the thirties before timing out, exhausted. Tested positive the next day funnily enough.
2023, 28 laps. https://www.runbkrun.com/2023/03/23/herdys-frontyard-ultra-2023/ and finally last year , 24 laps and out. https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/03/31/herdys-frontyard-ultra-2024/
So how do I reverse this downward spiral ? I feel I need to adjust my mental preparation and lap pacing . I know I can run 48 laps but how bad do I want to run 48 laps , that is the question ? The last few years I’ve convinced myself that I don’t really need to run 48 laps and have given myself various ‘out’s’ which I have grabbed with both hands. This year will be different. Also I have learnt during the last few BYU events that slow and steady can take you a lot further in a backyard ultra. Finishing in over fifty minutes can get you many more laps , compared to finishing in the forty minute’s and eventually breaking down physically. A BYU is the one event when finishing last, but making the start line continually , can keep you in the event for many hours. I know Harvey Lewis has used this tactic to run over 100 laps, just coming in with a few minutes to spare, sitting down in the corral and grabbing his nutrition and hydration to take out onto the lap. I tried this in my last backyard ultra and managed another eight hours where as previously I would have timed out by trying to maintain forty minutes laps.
To aid in my quest I’ve enlisted my good mate Simon Bennet who I’ve persuaded to join me. We then race Delirious West 200 miler together a few weeks post Herdy’s. We are two peas in a pod and both are very excited about Herdy’s and Delirious, we both just ‘get it’. The image below is from the True Blue 100k Ultra in January where we both managed top five finishes. Si went deep last year and finished one lap after me on 25 laps for a top ten finish. He is confident he can go deeper, a lot deeper, we are both ready.
With a starting field of over 500 runners, which I’m sure is another World Record, I’m sure we’ll have company which is important late in the event as this race is all about helping your fellow competitor go further to keep the event alive. It’s a whole different approach to racing , a ‘more the merrier ‘ approach to ultra running, and remember the runner who finished last wins, simple.
So what happens next. I have 8 days till kick off so will start a small taper probably aiming for 60-80k between now and the start, with a few pilates classes added to work on core and strength training. I’ll then spend hundreds of dollars the day before the event on food I won’t eat, this is an ultra tradition, and then end up surviving on icy poles for a day! I have enough drugs (legal , mostly) and fisocrem as well as two massage guns (just in case one fails, again I’ll probably not use these in anger?) I’ll start a list of things I need and miss off the most important items, again an ultra runners traditional thing to do, albeit I live about four kilometres from Herdsman Lake so my Wife will be waiting for the many phone calls calling for all sorts of random items. As this is BYU number twelve there shouldn’t be that many surprises, it’s all about me ‘hardening up‘ and getting it done, one lap at a time. Simples.
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Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
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’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
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