The Suffolk Backyard Ultra June 5th 2021
So we are a week out from the next challenge the Back yard ultra. For those unfamiliar with this, then I'll explain. The Back yard ultra is a 4.167 mile loop, and every hour on the hour you have to complete the loop till there is only one person left. There is literally only 1 person to complete the race and everyone else is issued with a DNF. So this quite probably could be my first DNF.
This event next weekend though is one of the official qualifiers for the UK, which means the winner gets a Golden coin which gains them entry into the Bigs Back yard Ultra in America, which brings all the other winners together for one epic race. It will also bring out some of the best Ultra endurance athletes as well, the likes of Courtney Daulwater, Maggie Guterl and the current reigning Champion Karel Sabbe who completed 72 loops 👊👊
A couple of weeks ago Northern Ireland held there official event and after an absolute awesome battle between the last 4, Keith Russell won with 63 loops setting a new UK and Ireland and European record. Then literally last week there was an event in America and the winner won after completing only 27 loops. So you really don't know how long it's going to go on, which makes the planning a lot harder.
So how am I feeling about it?
Well let's be honest the prep beforehand hasn't been the best, we are only 4 weeks after my FKT, in which I've spent 3 weeks recovering and then a week ill. Only just managed to get out for my first run in a few days today. But I'm not one for excuses. It either happens the way you want it to, or you weren't good enough and then you need to work out why, and get training so next time round you're better.
Obviously me being me, I'm going all out. Yes I want to win and Yes I want to go to America in October and race against all the big boys and girls. But with an event like this there's so many unknowns. I don't know the overall amount of loops im going to have to do, I don't know how my body is going to react after 2 or 3 days without any sleep, and most importantly I don't know any of the runners. There will be lots of people like myself, who are nobody's in the running world, all looking to make a name for themselves so it really is anybodys game. I'll give it all I have and I'll Embrace the suck and we will see what happens.
I've got an amazing pit crew lined up, and they have been given specific instructions that unless I'm actually dead then they make sure I'm on that start line for the next loop. One thing I will not ept is me quitting, that is not an option. So the only options left are me winning, or me getting timed out on a loop.
I'm mega excited now that my little illness has buggered off and I can't wait to get out there and see what happens. Saturday 12pm it's all or nothing, me Vs 141 other runners, some sponsored athletes. But I don't have to run faster than them, I just have to run further.
Let's have it 🙌🙌🙌
Smevs 👌