When running a backyard ultra (BYU), there is always plenty of time to let the mind wander. One question that often crops up in my head is whether training for and competing in a BYU is harder or easier than a ‘typical ultra’? By ‘typical ultra’ I am referring to a fixed-distance event. Two o’clock in the morning in a pitch dark forest is quite probably not the most objective moment to consider all this, so I’m now taking a step back to try and look at it objectively in the cold light of day.
Lets look at how the various aspects of preparing for and executing these two types of events compare.
Training
The majority of training needed for both events is very similar in nature. There is a need to log high training mileage to build up the requisite endurance capabilities that both events demand. The volume of hill training is determined by the individual course rather than the event type.
The big difference is that a BYU demands good pace discipline and growing accustomed to a tight turnaround each and every hour. A typical ultra, although demanding overall, is more forgiving where pacing and rest periods are concerned. Runners can adjust and adapt as they progress through the event.
Whilst it’s possible for someone new to the backyard format to turn up at a BYU event without having practiced any of this, it’s not to be recommended. The relatively slow pace of a BYU loop often comes as a shock to runners new to the format and takes some acclimatisation, no matter their level of fitness. Some dress rehearsals of the format are important precursors to race day. They don’t need to replicate the race goal in terms of loop count but should aim to hit at least 50% of that goal.
Pre-Race
As race day approaches, a competitor in a typical ultra knows exactly what is to be demanded of them. Maybe it’s “I will need to run 100km with 2000m of elevation. The cutoff time is 20 hours”. They can approach the start line with that locked in their mind and their total focus is on that goal.
For the BYU competitor things are a lot less certain. Do they approach the race with a mindset of taking it one loop at a time and seeing how deep they can go, or they start off with a goal of say 24 hours in mind? There are pros and cons to both approaches, but a BYU demands a lot more of the runner in terms of goal setting and mindset focus on that goal.
Race Strategy
Both event types demand a high degree of pre-race planning to maximise the chance of success.
For a BYU, the runner should know what their optimal loop pace is for the earlier part of the race, and to be prepared to see some natural and manageable upward drift in the loop times as their race gets into its latter stages. Determining these paces is also influenced by the elevation of the course. Some small deviation from the race plan is possible and to be expected, but the BYU does not provide much in the way of wiggle room for any significant deviation.
Whilst a participant in a conventional ultra needs a clear race approach in mind, they can choose to go ‘off piste’ from time to time without jeopardising their chances of continuing.
Fuelling and Hydration
A BYU provides the runner with a rigid timetable of opportunities to keep their fuel and fluids topped up. Ten minutes or so every hour. This takes some of thinking away and makes it relatively easy to monitor hourly intake. Returning to base every hour also removes the need for the runner to carry supplies with them while out on the course.
A typical ultra provides a much less structured format. Yes aid stations provide heaven-sent opportunities to refuel and should be made the most of. But these stations are often not spaced out equidistantly, often with less early on in the race and a cluster towards the end. The runner has to determine their own fuelling needs between stations and also must enforce a high degree of self-discipline to make that fuelling happen.
Rest/Recovery
BYUs serve up an hourly rest and recovery window whether the runner feels they need it or not. Having that structure has its advantages, but this period is always timeboxed, the runner has no opportunity to take an extended break, even if it would be beneficial.
Conventional ultras, however, can be more forgiving when the unexpected occurs and the runner requires extended time to attend to e.g. foot problems medical issues. Taking a 30-minute pause is not helpful to the finish time, but it can make a difference between a runner being able to continue or DNFing.
Let’s also consider the impact of crew. The presence of an organised and well-informed BYU crew can be a reassuring presence and help make these breaks as smooth as possible, akin to a formula one tyre change. The crew are fixed in location, avoiding the uncertainties and organisational challenges on a point-to-point ultra.
Mental Challenge
Setting out on any foot journey that is longer than a marathon requires a high degree of mental resolve.
A typical ultra at least provides the mind with a fixed journey to a fixed finish point. Easier to handle mentally perhaps than the step into the unknown of a BYU, where the decision to either stay in one’s chair or start the next loop has to made multiple times over. A BYU can become relentless in its demands of repeating the same task again and again, with, seemingly, the rest periods shrinking and the 3-minute whistle sounding earlier each hour.
And the Answer is….
Whilst there both similarities and differences between the two race formats, neither format is inherently harder than the other. Distance, terrain, weather and the runner’s ambitions determine the challenge as much as anything.
A key difference is how each format asks you to manage it. A runner who enjoys a clear target and continuous movement may opt for the conventional point-to-point ultra format, whereas those who enjoy routine and open-ended challenges may well find that the BYU format ticks all the boxes for them.
If this hasn’t put you off running a BYU for the first time or maybe improving on what you have achieved already in the BYU arena, please contact me if you want to know more about how coaching can help your backyard performance.