A winter London based Backyard Ultra.
The concept is simple, you start on the hour every hour and have to run and complete a 4.167 mile route (Yard) in that time.
The concept may be simple, the rules are simple, But It’s only easy till it isn’t!
You must run the loop and be back ready to start the next loop or you are out, the race continues until there is only one person who can complete a loop that nobody else completes within the hour.
They are the then Winner of the Redbridge Back Yard Ultra, everybody else is a DNF.
The winners gets £250 as a prize, a great incentive to keep going when we are down to a few last warriors.
The Winner and Assist will also get a free entry to our Summer SBYU.
This format is hugely successful all over the world and originated in the USA.
See the Backyard Website for more info on the format.
Dates
2024 – November 16th – 2pm Start – It finishes when it finishes.
Entries for 2024 now open!
Timings
12:00 Arrival and registration for runners
13:30 Race Briefing
14:00 Start
Finish…Sometime after the start.
Location
Click the address below for Google Map Link for directions.
Redbridge Cycle Centre, Forest Rd, Ilford, Romford IG6 3HP
Transport links are good with a Tube station nearby and bus route passing by, ample parking onsite.
Route
The route is 4.167 miles on undulating tarmac cycle track, it will be signed with arrows and barrier tape. The 4.167 miles to make up a “Yard” will consist of 1 short half lap and 3 full laps of the 2km Cycle Track. You will do the short loop first.
There will be a route file and map here shortly.
Course video
We will add a video of the course soon.
Checkpoints
At the start/finish area there will be the following facilities provided free of charge for runners.
Please note depending on what’s available we may not have everything we list below and they will only be basic brands and we won’t have gels/tailwind etc.
- Indoor space for chairs and tables for runners without crews to place items and sit, please bring your own chair and small table as we can not supply them. Space is limited.
- Water, hot and cold, and coke and squash for runners. Self service from bottles, jugs, urns and plastic containers.
- Tea, coffee and hot chocolate for runners, self service and only basic brands of teabags and instant coffee.
- Various cold foods such as sweets, biscuits, cake, fruits and bars. Various basic brands.
- Foods that only require only hot water to eat such as Pot noodles, Pasta and cup soups.
- Please note that for the 1st 24 hours you will be limited to a small space indoors in one of the rooms and 2 crew maximum.
PLEASE NOTE (CREWS)
These items are for Runners and crews may come and make stuff for their runner from these supplies BUT the water (hot or cold) and supplies are not for crews to use. Crews must fill their own containers from the taps and bring their own food. We can not supply 150 runners AND hundreds of crews also each loop. Please respect this as in the past we have had crews filling hot water for personal drinks between laps and taking hot food which has left us short for runners that loop.
Facilities / General Info
Toilets, inside the building and changing rooms
Basic foods in the food tents outside.
Free Hot and cold drinks and basic cold food during the event, see checkpoint info below.
Free parking on-site for volunteers, crews and runners. Note the car park is 250m from the main building.
Runners/Crews Parking
There is ample space in the main car park, only event team and staff cars allowed through the barrier and near the building.
Arriving/Setting up
Runners can arrive to register from 12pm on the Saturday, please no earlier as other track users will still be onsite and there will be space to set up a small table, chair and bag of stuff in the small gym and café rooms around the outside walls. Space is very tight for 150 people so we will have staff allocating space and you must accept the place we allocate to you. As runners drop out and leave we will have more space available. There will be NO pitching of tents or gazebo’s outside along the trackside.
Please be aware you cant park campervans or caravans on the site near the building, all vehicles must stay in the car parks.
Dogs are not allowed at the event with runners or with crew, unless a registered guide dog.
There is limited electricity or power of on site. Please bring power banks or charge devices in vehicles. You will not be able to use any random socket in the building.
No BBQ’s or generators allowed, any cooking or boiling of water. No solid fuel burners either.
No spectators/Supporters on course allowed during the event. No support of any kind either physical or emotional is allowed on the loop. Only runners and race team will be allowed onto the track. Spectating only from the start/finish area and the area just before the finish area.
Timing/Tracking
Chip Timing for RBYU by the fantastic Timing Monkey
Live Link results posted below and live before race day
Kit List
There is no specific kit list, the only item that is compulsory during hours of darkness in a headtorch of at least 100 lumens. We will ask for this from 8pm onwards until 6am.
However please wear appropriate clothing for the weather conditions, if we think you are unsafe we will address this with you.
No poles or other similar walking/running supports allowed.
Entry
You Must be 18 or over on race day to enter this event.
To register for the 2024 Redbridge Back Yard Ultra, please click the button below.
Entry Limit 150 – This is the maximum number of entries we can accept – We will have a waiting list if we reach that-
Closing date November 1st 2024 if the event is not filled before that.
The cost of entry is £120 and includes DNF/Event memento Dogtags and all services and facilities.
Merchandise such as a Technical T-Shirt will be an optional extra purchased on entry.
(There are also admin charges for processing the payment on the entry system imposed by transaction costs from our banking/payment systems)
Pricing is as follows:
Up to Jan 31st – £100 per person
Feb 1st until entries close £120.
We understand it can be expensive to pay a large entry fee in one go and on our new entry system we offer monthly payment options over 6 months.
Please note there NO REFUNDS once you have entered. You are advised to take out the insurance option.
You will be able to purchase an additional insurance policy for your entry at the time of entry for a 10% surcharge. This will cover injury and illness or circumstances where a close relative is ill preventing you running. See terms on policy.
If you can’t run for any reason you may be able to claim the insurance, transfer to another of our events including the next year of the same event (an admin fee of £10 will apply) or transfer your entry to another person you arrange. We will not facilitate any refunds direct from us. See our policies for more detail.
After the closing date, usually 2 weeks before the race you can no longer transfer or defer but you may still claim on the insurance up to and including race day.
Elite Backyard Runners
We want the race to be as competitive as possible and this will help us push for new records and get the best race results we can for everyone. So we offer discounts to those who have proven past performances.
If you have a performance greater than 35 yards in the last 2 years anywhere in the world we want you at our event. We want you to help us push the race towards 100 yards!
If you have done 35 yards or more we will offer you a 50% discount on your entry fee.
If you have done 40 yards or more we will offer a 75% discount.
If you have done 45 yards or more we will give you a free entry.
Please email with evidence of your previous results to claim these discounts.
FAQ’s
Can I use walking/running poles?
No, poles or any other physical aids are not allowed.
Can I have support out along the course?
No the only assistance you can have is between loops at the race HQ
Can we bring a BBQ or light a fire on the site?
No, we will provide hot water for heating basic food but there can be no cooking onsite especially indoor spaces .
Can we bring a generator for powering phones etc?
No, power banks or similar are the only option but we will try to have 1 or two extension leads in each room for charging of items but please do not rely on these.
How far from the car park to the race building?
About 250m
Will there be space for those without crew to sit close to the start corral?
Yes we will have a few small gazebos set up with chairs under them but space will be limited and we recommend you bring a chair and small table if possible, this space is best suited to travellers from abroad who may not be able to bring a tables and chairs. We can not reserve a seat or space here.
Rules
Nobody likes rules but we have to have some, here are the basic rules for this event.
- You must be at the start on time to start the event, if you are late you are DNS.
- There is a start corral that will be marked and you must be standing inside it when the lap starts, if you are not you will be DNF. There will be a whistle blown at 3,2 and 1 minute before the start of your wave so no excuses for not being there on time.
- You must complete each loop before the clock reaches the next hour, for example 9:59:59 is ok 10:00:00 is DNF
- You must start each loop land cross the line within 30 seconds if the start whistle or you are DNF
- You can not visit your table/chair or be assisted in anyway after you start a loop or you will be DQ’d This includes handed or handing off bottles or food or kit.
- To be the Winner you must start and finish a solo loop that no-one else completes. If someone refuses to start a final loop you must do one clear solo loop to win. If 2 of you are out on a loop and one is timed out then you win without doing an extra one.
- Only loops completed within the time limit count for distance or time.
- The decision of the Race Director, Lindley is Final.
- Getting stuff from your table/space, having a wee or eating are all out of your time and the event continues no matter what. If you are not at the start on time you are out.
- No support on the course of any kind, physical or emotional. If your crew or supporters go out onto the course at any point to support you or spectate then you risk DQ.
- You are responsible for counting your laps to complete each “Yard”, if you count wrong and do too few or try to do too many you will be timed out by the system and a DNF.
Simple Rules Simple Race
Prizes/Medals/T-Shirts
All runners get an event memento in the shape of a Dogtag.
All runners except the winner gets the DNF Dogtag.
The Man or Woman who wins outright gets a trophy and no DNF Memento (they did not DNF)
The winner gets £250.
There may be Prizes for furthest Male and Female runners from our event sponsors
www.myfenix.co.uk Who are Supplying 2x headtorches as prizes
If you use the code “CR15” in their online store you will get 15% off.
For all those that DNF you will get a memento of your run and your failure to be the last one standing at the Redbridge Back Yard. Only one person will not get a dog tag.
The dog tag can be worn to remind you, hang it like a medal or make into a keyring if you like.
Results
https://www.timingmonkey.co.uk/results/SBYU/
https://www.timingmonkey.co.uk/results/SBYU21/
https://www.timingmonkey.co.uk/results/SBYU23/
Media
We will aim to livestream the finish line during the event, the link will be shared on our fb page during the event https://www.facebook.com/ChallengeRunning
See the trailer for the record breaking race below, the movie can be rented from Vimeo direct.
Winner of the 2022 Sheffield Adventure Film Festival