Race Report from our 2025 Winter Trails & Tarmac BYU

BYU 32 Mile Ultra medal winner and race report author Tim Lebbon

I’ve never been a particularly fast runner, so the first time my mate Mike mentioned a Backyard Ultra to me, it seemed to suit. It’s a 4.2 mile loop you have to run on the hour, every hour, until last person standing. It is a race, I guess … but it’s much more of a personal endurance challenge, where it’s more about strategic pacing than it is outright speed.

It’s also about cake. And Mike said the food was bloody brilliant, so that sealed the deal for me.*

(* I was guilty of spreading rumours about salted roast potatoes after Lap 4 which failed to materialise … it was only salted boiled spuds. Sorry everyone.)

Arriving at the race base for a ridiculously civilised 10am start, I was immediately intimidated by everyone there who displayed distinct signs that they knew what the bloody hell they were doing. There were gazebos, easy chairs, tables piled with food, bags filled with spare clothes and trainers, and support crews. I had a couple of rucksacks with random spare clothing, a camping chair, and a cheese sandwich. Trying not to worry, I set up in one of the organisers’ gazebos with Mike and my mate Gareth, greased up with anti-chafe cream, then it was soon time to hit the pen for Lap 1.

The route was nicely mixed (hence the name of the race). It started with a mile on tarmac pavement, then a single steep climb (the three stiles seemed to get taller with each lap) onto the trails, which lasted for a couple of miles (with a bit more road thrown in). Thankfully it hadn’t rained for a while, so there were only a couple of really muddy bits. Then another long stretch of pavement back to the race base. It was the first/last bits of pavement which I found hardest … I much prefer running on the trails.

Lap 1 was spent finding our pace, and we finished in 45 minutes. A bit quick that, as it meant 15 minutes grabbing a drink/snack/pee, and then hanging around getting cold before Lap 2. Finished this one in 50 minutes, which was a pretty consistent finish time for me throughout. 10 minutes is just right to eat/drink/pee/fuss someone’s dog/change kit/grab a cup of tea/not get too stressed about the next lap.

Weirdly Lap 3 was my toughest. I think my body was just settling into the effort, and I made the mistake of thinking ahead to the laps and miles to come. One foot in front of the other, that’s the way!

And what a great atmosphere. There were 111 people racing, and I must have chatted with 40 of them. As well as running with Mike, Gareth and Paul, I also ended up spending a mile or two on every lap chatting with other runners … and I soon came to realise this was a whole different community to my usual triathlon crowd. Fellow competitors casually threw in stories of their recent 50 mile run, or 100 mile run, and I was so impressed (daunted) by their casual skill. I’ve raced one ultra before, but this was really a whole new effort and mindset for me. The pace suited me (slow … yes please), and soon the laps were passing by quite comfortably.

By the end of Lap 7 it got pretty dark, and I used my head torch for the last rocky descent through the trails. Then came Lap 8, which had always been my target, taking me towards 33 miles run and that amazing tag of an Ultramarathon! It went well, but the cheap headtorch I’d bought to replace one I’d lost (it’s in the house somewhere, dammit!) was not up to the task, and halfway around I knew this would be my last lap. My legs were screaming at me by now (‘What the f*%k are you doing?’) and I can hardly blame them. Poor things.

So 33 miles it was. Job done. Sweaty, knackered, and bloody hungry, Gareth finished at the same time and we spent an hour chatting, eating, groaning when we sat down or stood up, and drinking sweet tea. Until at precisely the same moment our bodies realised it was over and we started some teeth-clacking shivering.

So I packed up and left, and then hit Waitrose. The photo below shows an entirely standard post-Ultramarathon food shop.

It was a superb event, brilliantly organised by Limitless Trails. Competitors were all friendly and encouraging and just plain lovely, and I’m still buzzing from finishing an ultramarathon. I’ll definitely be doing more. I might even train properly for the next one (a bad cold, stomach bug, Christmas and twisted knee hobbled proper training for this one, but I make no excuses).

An interesting observation … I think my mate Mike and I were among the oldest competitors. Which came as a shock, because I don’t consider myself old at all (although perhaps I feel it today). We still kept up with some of the young ‘uns, though! Mike hit 50 miles, and our mate Paul made it to 54. Awesome.

Some perspective … as I type this there are four people still running, on lap 29 and mile 121. Beasts.