HRR’s Nathan Roulson took on this immense challenge over the weekend. Here, he puts into words his experience.
My first proper bash at a Backyard: 4.1 miles an hour, on the hour, last person standing….it’s easy until it isn’t.
Frankly, it’s a different sport versus my typical ultra trail race. In the latter, you move at your own pace, stop at aid stations every couple of hours…maybe for five mins to fill a bottle…maybe for thirty mins to attend to your feet, change layers, rehydrate etc. And if you run fast, you move toward the finish line more quickly.
A Backyard is none of these things. As you enter night time, what started as leisurely ~twelve minute breaks start to feel like five as you to attempt to prepare for the next lap, figure out if there’s anything you fancy eating, then get annoyed that there isn’t, but know you have to keep taking on fuel. The whistle blows, counting down to the next lap….the sound of whistle hangs over you, pressurising you to make decisions in your sleep-deprived state.
I had something sharp in my sock at 4am, removed it, wet wiped my foot, applied Body Glide, new sock, different trainer…then had to start the next lap. I ran in one road shoe and one trail shoe(!) for four hours, because changing the second foot didn’t take priority over other issues during subsequent breaks.
Fuelling has become my achilles heel in twelve-hour plus events in recent years. I’m no longer able to glug Tailwind (carbs + electrolytes) combined with solid food. I’ve suffered with IBS issues since 2016 and been on a few unusual diets as directed by my Gastroenterologist and Nutritionist. My stomach is not great at the best of times, and it is incredibly frustrating to put so much effort into training (physically and training the gut) and be let down. I’m reading-up and getting advice and maybe one day I’ll be there. But I’m not alone – GI issues affect many ultra runners as the body diverts resources to limbs, cardiovascular system etc.
I got to fifteen hours before being sick for the first time and was only able to stomach a packet of crisps and half a litre of water in the next three hours…during which time energy levels plummeted (refer to the second paragraph – normally I could drop the pace and / or take a longer break…not in a Backyard!). I was in such a deep hole and in danger of getting timed out on a lap.
My good friend and long-time crew chief Matt Biggin got up at 0430 on a Sunday to meet me at 0700, and proceeded to bring me back to life, restarting my fuelling, washing my feet and changing shoes & socks, applying sun cream, pep talks…the works. I was sick again later, but by this time I’d made a decision to stop at 25 laps and make this my longest ever run…so running on empty for the last few laps didn’t matter much…apart from it being so flippin’ hot, I felt so drained.
I hadn’t trained specifically for the event – my training this year has been focused on mountain running (for Ultra-Trail Snowdonia three weeks ago) so lots of hill work, strength & conditioning in the gym, therefore sacrificing training volume. But my legs felt really good at the end, I don’t have a single blister although chafing was becoming uncomfortable.
One of the brilliant features of a Backyard is that you get to meet and spend quality time/miles with many of the other runners, unlike a traditional race. You might recall that I love a good chat while on the move (really?!), whether it’s favourite races, running history, family…whatever. The pace is slow, so conversation is easy, leading to an amazing sense of community and camaraderie, and a strong mutual desire for everyone to do their best. There’s no competition between runners until the last few runners remain – but that won’t be until day three or four!
I met some lovely people from all walks of life, some having done several Backyards but many other first timers, typically smashing their longest run distance by a factor of two or more! Such as Matt Barnes who had run his longest event (44 miles) just a few weeks ago, and clocked an incredible 104! And the lovely Mel Knight – also in the Automotive Industry – we talked technical stuff, travel, family etc over successive laps until she called it early as she had to catch a flight. The people made the event, and this was only possible because of the event format…that cruel format…the irony!
Huge thanks go to Lindley Chambers and his brill team of staff & volunteers. And my amazing wife Jo and her relentless positivity and encouragement while I undertake this sometimes-selfish sport and she has to look after the kids & house much than I. being close to home, it was lovely to share some of the event with Jo, Evelyn and Lois who were there for four hours on Saturday and joined me to run across the line on lap 25. I just about held it together in my highly emotional, sleep-deprived state!
Lovely to see George Allen who popped by to cheer me on!
I shall be keeping a close eye on the race as it develops over the coming days – the field is stacked: Claire Bannwarth, winner of this year’s 268 mile Winter Spine Race, John Stocker, previous Backyard world record holder (337 miles in 2021), previous Suffolk Backyard winner Andy Smith, Hungarian and Belgian Backyard champion Szilard Fodor, Spanish Backyard champion Oriol Anatoli Sarrau and Hendrik Boury, the current German backyard champion.
Would I run another Backyard? There are so many epic runs on my bucket list that it’s not likely in the near term, but never say never…
