How to Crew a Backyard Ultra: The Complete Guide
- Kayleigh Webster
- Jan 20
- 7 min read
With the inaugural Beecraigs Backyard Ultra now just a few months away (25th April 2026!), I've had loads of questions from runners about what makes a good crew member. So whether you've been roped into supporting a loved one or you've volunteered for what you're now realising is an unpaid 48-hour shift, this guide is for you.
What Actually Is Crewing at a Backyard Ultra?
If you're new to the format, here's the quick version: runners complete a 6.7km (4.167 mile) loop every hour, on the hour. Miss the start? You're out. The race continues until only one runner remains standing.
Your job as crew is to make everything between loops as easy, efficient, and stress-free as possible. You're the pit crew. The chef. The psychologist. The alarm clock. And occasionally, the voice of reason when your runner decides lap 27 is a good time to rethink their entire life.
The beauty of a backyard ultra is that you see your runner every single hour. Unlike traditional ultras where you might spend hours driving between checkpoints, you're right there in the thick of it. Which is both a privilege and utterly exhausting.
Before Race Day: The Preparation That Matters
Know Your Runner
This sounds obvious, but it's often overlooked. Before the event, sit down with your runner and have an honest conversation about what they actually need from you.
Some runners want calm efficiency. Others need high energy. Some want you to push them hard when things get tough; others need gentle encouragement. And some will want you to tell them to stop if they're genuinely falling apart. Get this agreed in advance. When your runner is 30 hours in with no sleep, that's not the time for a philosophical discussion about their limits.
Ask them specific questions. What foods do they want available? What's their plan for sock changes? Do they want you to track their lap times? How should you wake them if they sleep? What phrases motivate them? What phrases make them want to quit?
Camp Setup Is Everything
At Beecraigs, you'll have access to a camping area with space for a tent or gazebo. Use it wisely. An organised camp can save minutes between loops, and when you're working with maybe 5-10 minutes of rest time, every second counts.
Here's what I recommend:
Essentials:
A folding table at a comfortable height (no bending!)
A comfortable chair your runner can collapse into - bonus if it reclines!
A second chair for you (you'll be here a while)
Clear containers or boxes for different categories of kit
A hanging organiser for snacks and supplies
Foot care and chafe kit laid out
Good lighting that won't blind your runner
A phone charging station
Spare batteries and head torches
Layout tip: Create a flow. Your runner arrives, sits, you hand them food and drink, deal with any issues, get them ready for the next loop. Don't make them dig through bags or move around camp looking for things. Everything should be within arm's reach of their chair.
The Hourly Routine: What to Do Every Single Lap
This is where consistency becomes your superpower. Create a checklist and stick to it. Experienced crew members suggest using the final few minutes of your runner's loop (while they're still out on course) to prepare everything they'll need.
The Two-Minute Prep (Before They Arrive)
Fresh bottle or flask filled with their preferred drink
Their chosen snack unwrapped and ready
Wet wipes or towel if needed
Any kit changes they've requested
Note anything you need to discuss with them
When They Arrive
First 30 seconds: Let them sit. Hand them their drink. Don't bombard them with questions.
Next 2-3 minutes: Offer food. Ask one or two essential questions: "How are you feeling?" and "What do you need?" Let them lead the conversation.
Middle section: Deal with any issues. This might be a sock change, applying lube, adjusting kit, or just sitting quietly together.
Final minutes: Give them a gentle time check. Make sure they have everything for the next lap. Get them standing and moving toward the corral.
What to Track
Keep a simple log of each lap. Note:
Arrival time and lap duration
What they ate and drank
Any issues mentioned
Their general mood/state
Any changes made
This becomes invaluable when trying to spot patterns. If your runner's lap times suddenly slow, you can cross-reference with what they've been eating. If they seem irritable, you might notice they've skipped several meals.
Fuelling: The Make-or-Break Factor
Nutrition is where races are won and lost. Gastrointestinal distress is one of the leading causes of DNF in ultra running, and the hourly structure of a backyard ultra makes managing nutrition both easier and more critical.
The Basics
Your runner needs around 200-300 calories per hour minimum. That sounds manageable, but try eating consistently when you're exhausted, nauseous, and your taste buds have gone on strike.
Stock a variety:
Savoury: Sandwiches, wraps, cheese, crackers, crisps, pot noodles, soup, boiled egg (works for some people!)
Sweet: Flapjacks, fruit, sweets, energy gels, malt loaf, rice pudding, custard
Comfort food: Pizza slices, pasta, rice (prepared in advance)
Palate cleansers: Satsumas, melon, watermelon
Liquids: Sports drink, flat cola, broth, tea (peppermint tea is good for a nauseous tum!)
The key is variety. What sounds delicious at noon will be revolting at 3am. Have options ready.
Night Hours Are Different
In my experience, stomachs become more sensitive overnight. Liquid nutrition (Tailwind, Maurten, or homemade drinks) often works better than solid food in the small hours. Have warm options ready too — broth, tea, or warm squash can be comforting when temperatures drop.
Track what they're consuming. If you notice they've only managed a banana and some crisps over six hours, that's a problem brewing. Gently encourage more intake or switch to liquid calories.
Managing Sleep
If your runner is aiming for 24+ yards, sleep becomes essential. There's a lot of power from even a 2 minute nap (trust me!). The strategy here varies wildly between runners, but there are some guiding tips.
The Sleep Set-Up
Have a sleeping space ready that's:
Dark (eye mask helps)
Quiet (earplugs if needed)
Accessible (they shouldn't have to climb over things)
Close to you (so you can wake them reliably)
Waking Them Up
This is possibly the hardest part of crewing. You might need to wake someone from deep sleep multiple times a night. Be ready to physically shake them, remove blankets, or whatever it takes. Many runners have missed loops because an alarm didn't work or they slept through it.
The Post-Sleep Slump
The first lap after even a short sleep is often brutal. Your runner will be groggy, stiff, and questioning every life choice that led to this moment. This is normal. Have warm drink ready. Keep conversation minimal. Get them moving.
The Mental Game: When Things Get Hard
Did you know that very few people DNF from a backyard ultra because they physically can't continue. Most people quit because their mind gives up before their body does.
Your role as crew is to help them navigate this.
Reading Your Runner
Learn to spot the warning signs:
Increased negativity in their language
Talk of "just getting to X distance" rather than staying open-ended
Becoming fixated on time or other runners
Withdrawal from conversation
Making excuses to stay in camp longer
What Helps
Milestone reminders. Work with your runner beforehand to create a list of milestones. Distance markers (50 miles, 100km), time markers (sunrise, 24 hours), personal bests. When they're struggling, remind them how close they are to the next milestone.
Short-term focus. Don't talk about how many hours are left. Talk about the next lap. Just this one. Then the next one.
Distraction. Sometimes a silly story, a update from home, or a terrible joke is exactly what's needed. Other times, silence is golden. Read the room.
Firm kindness. There's a balance between being supportive and letting your runner talk themselves out of the race. If they're having a dark moment but you know they've got more in them, sometimes you need to say: "I hear you. This is hard. You're doing the next lap. We'll reassess after."
What Doesn't Help
Toxic positivity ("You've got this! You're amazing!") when they clearly don't feel amazing
Comparing them to other runners
Pointing out how far they still have to go
Making decisions for them about when to stop
Getting emotional yourself (save that for later)
When Your Runner Wants to Quit
This will happen. Maybe multiple times. Your response depends on what you agreed beforehand.
If they've asked you to push them, this is the moment. Remind them why they're here. Remind them of their goals. Get them to the corral.
But also: know when it's genuinely over. If they're injured, hypothermic, or mentally broken, sometimes the kindest thing is to support their decision to stop. A good crew member knows the difference between "I want to quit" and "I need to quit."
Crewing Through the Night
Night hours are different. The camp gets quieter. Temperatures drop. Everything feels harder.
For Your Runner
Have warm layers ready
Switch to easier-to-digest foods
Be prepared for hallucinations or disorientation (it's more common than you'd think)
Extra head torches and batteries
Be calm and steady — your energy affects theirs
For You
Here's the bit nobody mentions: crewing is exhausting. You need to look after yourself too.
Nap when you can (between loops if there's time, or in shifts if you have multiple crew)
Eat properly — you're no use if you're running on fumes
Stay warm and dry
Bring entertainment for the quiet hours
If you're solo crewing, accept that you probably won't sleep much. Micro-naps between loops can help, but set an alarm. Missing a loop because you fell asleep is not a good look.
Final Thoughts: Being Part of Something Special
Crewing a backyard ultra is unlike any other support role in endurance sport. You're not standing at a checkpoint for an hour then driving to the next one. You're embedded in this strange, beautiful, brutal experience alongside your runner for however long it takes.
You'll see them at their worst. You'll see them dig deeper than they thought possible. You might cry. They'll definitely cry. And when it's finally over — whether they won, hit their goal, or stopped at lap 8 — you'll have shared something that's hard to explain to anyone who wasn't there.
It's exhausting. It's often cold and wet and boring. And it's absolutely worth it.
Read next: How to Train for a Backyard Ultra — if you're the runner, this one's for you.
Event info: Beecraigs Backyard Ultra — 25th April 2026, West Lothian, Scotland. Entries open now.
Want to chat about your race or crewing strategy? Get in touch or join the Beecraigs Backyard Ultra Facebook Group.
Kayleigh Webster is a UESCA-certified ultra running coach and race director based in West Lothian, Scotland. She coaches runners who want to go further — and understand why they sometimes don't.
Comments