Backyard Ultra Simulation

Workout - Backyard Ultra Simulation

• 12min @ 8'30''/km
• 3 lots of:
  • 6.7km @ 7'00''/km
  • 12min rest
• 8min @ 8'30''/km

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Intro Quick rundown of God’s Own Backyard Ultra! What is a Backyard Ultra? Crewing a Runner. Backyard Ultra in Leeds from Nicola Runs. Below are the essentials so you can set one up. Watch the full video for the breakdown.

Key points

• A Backyard Ultra runs on a 6,706-meter (around 4.2 mi) loop, once per hour. Finish before the hourly bell, then wait at the start line for the next hour.
• The loop distance comes from 100 miles divided by 24 hours (average around 4.2 mi/h). Speed doesn’t matter, just beat the bell.
• Whistles at 3, 2, and 1 minute remaining, then the bell. Most runners have about 11 minutes from one bell to the next.
• The race ends when one runner finishes a lap and the rest don’t. Everyone else gets a DNF.
• Leeds uses two courses: a wooded trail during the day (Bramley Fall woods) and a canal path at night along the Leeds‑Liverpool route, both 4.2-mile circuits.

Workout example

1. Warm‑up: 10 min easy jog.
2. Backyard Ultra loop: cover 6,706 m (around 4.2 mi) within the hourly window (around 11 min for most runners). Try a 4 min/mi pace, or slower based on your fitness.
3. Rest: walk or sit after the finish. Drink, refuel, reset before the next bell.
4. Continue laps until you drop out or miss the cutoff. Use the Pacing app to record each lap.

Tips

• Wear a watch or timer set to the hourly bell. The warning whistles count down.
• Fuel and hydration: bring warm food (the video highlights chips and hot water bottles) for cold nights.
• Think in hourly chunks. Treat each lap as its own challenge.
• Stay visible and warm: headlamp, well-lit sections, layers for swings in temperature.

Closing note Try a Backyard Ultra. Adapt the distance and hour length to your speed in the Pacing app and see how far you get.

References

• God’s Own Backyard Ultra! What is a Backyard Ultra? Crewing a Runner. Backyard Ultra in Leeds. - YouTube (YouTube Video)