How to Train for a Backyard Ultra
- Kayleigh Webster
- Jun 16
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 8
Practical Steps, Strategy and Lessons
Training for a backyard ultra isn’t about becoming the fastest. It’s about becoming relentlessly repeatable—loop after loop, hour after hour.
After recently launching Beecraigs Backyard Ultra, I thought it would be worthwhile pulling together a practical guide for runners training for a backyard ultra, whether your goal is 12 yards, 24 hours, or to push toward a win. I’ll walk you through the core training principles that worked for me in my build-up to winning Golspie Backyard Ultra—and how I plan to apply them again. I’ll also share what I learned from earlier efforts like Rasselbock Backyard Ultra in March 2024, and point you toward some of the top resources in the sport.
1. What Makes Backyard Ultra Training Different?
Backyard ultras are about managing effort, structure, and mindset. You have exactly one hour to complete each 4.167-mile loop. No more, no less. Too slow, and you time out. Too fast, and you reduce recovery. The challenge is how long you can maintain that hourly rhythm.
Key difference:
Other ultras = one long haul
Backyard ultra = dozens of short, structured intervals under fatigue
🧠 Train for repeatability, not peak pace.
2. Core Training Principles
✅ Prioritise Time on Feet
Backyard ultras are time-based, so train your capacity to move for long durations. That means building volume through:
Long walk/run back-to-backs
Midweek medium-long runs
Easy paced sessions (don’t race your training)
✅ Run-Walk Is a Strategy, Not a Compromise
Start training with deliberate walk breaks. Don’t just walk when tired—practise transitions, posture, and pace. Try some different ratios:
Run 5 mins / Walk 3 mins
Run 3 mins / Walk 2 min
Run 9 mins / Walk 1 min
Adjust based on terrain - hills are a good enforced walk break! But there may be courses that are pancake flat! And therefore you will need to be ready to find a pattern that you've practiced.
3. Simulation Runs: Test Everything Before Race Day
Your best training investment? A full or partial BYU simulation.
💡 I did a 12-yard simulation three weeks out from Golspie. It gave me a chance to:
Rehearse breaks: how much to eat, when to sit, toilet routine
Test kit changes, shoes, socks, layers
Practise “resetting” after each hour
Trust that you can get back in time, even when you slow down A LOT.
You don’t need to do 24+ loops to benefit. Even 6–8 yards teaches a lot.
Try This:
Pick a Saturday. Start at 6am. Aim for 6–12 hourly laps. Use your race kit. Eat like you would in the event. Don’t skip breaks. Stick to the format.
Not too confident with how you'll fair in the night hours? Get that training bagged before race day! Aim to do 4-6 loops through the early hours. Test out your headtorch and how your stomach handles food - spoiler alert: it probably won't won't!
Don't overdo it - one or two night simulations spaced a few weeks apart will ensure you don't sacrifice too much sleep (much needed for recovery!).
4. Conditioning for Durability
🦵 Why I Did 7 Marathons in 7 Days
Three weeks out from Golspie backyard ultra, I ran 7 marathons in 7 days using my run-walk plan. It wasn’t for fitness—it was to stress my tendons safely and build resilience.
I had experienced tendinitis after big efforts in the past. This time I trained into the flare—managed it—and let it settle. Sure enough, swelling and ache peaked on day 4 and was gone by day 6.
It worked. No tendon issues at Golspie.
One if these marathons was also many many many loops around a football pitch - if that doesn't build mental grit, I don't know what else will! Get creative! And have fun during training!
5. Nutrition: Practise During Training
What you eat between loops will make or break your race. Practise in training.
What worked for me:
🍌 Bananas (many)
🍬 Medjool dates stuffed with marzipan
🥨 Salted crisps
🧃 Tailwind between loops (electrolytes + carbs)
🍉 Satsumas & watermelon (perfect palate cleansers)
🔁 Rotate flavours and textures to avoid gut shutdown. Practise eating when you don’t feel like it—that’s what night hours demand.
At Rasselbock, I struggled to eat in the dark hours—just a banana and packet of Hula Hoops over 30 miles. I was aiming for 30+ yards… and stopped at 20. Since then, I’ve prioritised liquid nutrition for night loops. It’s been a game-changer.
6. Mindset: The Most Important Muscle
Many set themselves a target for backyard ultras. There's nothing wrong with that if that is all you want to achieve. But know that, as soon as you reach your target, your mind tells your body it's done it's job, and it can get ready for rest. It's such a common phenomenon. I can relate this to many of my ultra races, or even past experiences with half and full marathons. No matter the distance, the last 10% always feels so hard - things start to hurt, time seems to slow.
Lesson learned: don’t cap your own effort.
At Golspie, I approached it differently:
I said out loud that I was going for the win - to friends, family, even the event Facebook group!
I visualised it: the route, the night loops, the finish - holding the trophy. I saw it all.
I set no upper limit—just the aim to keep going until it was done
🧠 Mental prep tip: During training, imagine hitting your goal… and going beyond it. Train your belief system, not just your legs.
7. Learn From Those Who’ve Gone Further
While I won Golspie, I’m under no illusion that I’m one of the greats. My training worked and I felt strong—but stepping into 40+ yard territory is a whole new game.
There’s so much to learn from others in this sport.
🎧 The Backyard Ultra Podcast is a phenomenal resource for hearing strategies, mistakes, and mindset shifts from elite and everyday runners alike.
👣 I also want to mention Miles Together—Julie and Iain Bethune. They’ve been hugely successful in this format, and Iain currently holds the Scottish record of 51 yards. The one clear things about their race day strategy is their pacing. Consistent 52-55 minute loops. Slow and steady wins the race!
I'll cover race day strategies in a future blog! Keep your eyes peeled!
A Note on “Giving Away Secrets”
You might think I’m giving away my secrets here—but in a backyard ultra, the race only continues if someone is there to push you.
We need each other to go further.
That’s why most backyard runners aren’t just chasing a win. We’re chasing a personal best—and the only way to keep setting those is if our rivals get stronger too.
(And if you're in a Silver Ticket event, well—that's a slightly different story. More on that in a future blog.)
8. Summary: What to Focus on in Your Training
If you're prepping for your first (or next) backyard ultra, here’s where to start:
✅ Build a consistent weekly routine with long-duration efforts
✅ Train and refine your run-walk strategy
✅ Do at least one proper simulation day
✅ Practice night time nutrition (or just nutrition in general!)
✅ Visualise success—and speak your goals aloud
✅ Learn from others with bigger yardage experience
👣 What’s Next?
In the next blog—“How to Win a Backyard Ultra”—I’ll take you through race-day execution:
Crewing
Sleep strategies
Kit changes
Night loops
Keeping your mind in the game lap after lap
👟 Ready to Train Smarter for Your Backyard Ultra?
I coach runners aiming to go further in backyard ultras—whether that means 12 yards, 24 hours, or chasing a win. My coaching is personalised, strategic, and grounded in real-world experience.
If you want a plan built for your goals, your schedule, and your strengths, I’d love to help. Curious to know more? Book a FREE call with me and let's dive into your goals and how we could work together - no obligation, I just love to hear your stories!
📩 Enquire about coaching today - no commitment, just a chat.
💬 Or message me on Instagram to chat about what’s next for you
📰 And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next post: “How to Win a Backyard Ultra”—a deep dive into crewing, sleep strategies, kit changes, and keeping your head in the game.