Backyard Ultra Planner – Plan Your Race, Know Your Limits

Backyard Ultra is one of the most brutal and fascinating formats in ultra running: you run a loop of approximately 6.706 km every hour, on the hour, until only one person remains. No fixed distance. No fixed time. Just you, the loop, and the clock.

Surviving a Backyard Ultra isn’t just about fitness – it’s about pacing strategy, recovery management, and knowing your numbers before the race even starts. That’s exactly what the Backyard Ultra Planner is built for.

The Problem with Backyard Ultra Planning

Most runners go into a Backyard Ultra with a vague plan: “I’ll try to finish each loop in 45 minutes and rest 15.” But as the hours and days stack up, small miscalculations compound. You end up sleeping less than planned, arriving at the start line already exhausted, or burning through energy reserves too early.

A good race plan needs to account for:

• Varying loop types (flat, hilly, night loops with slower pace)
• Moving time vs. rest time per loop and per day
• Cumulative fatigue across multiple days
• Pacing targets per loop type

What the App Does

Configure Your Loops

The planner lets you define different loop profiles based on terrain and time of day. Each profile has its own expected pace. You can mix and match profiles across the timeline of your race – for example, slowing down your night loops and pushing harder in the morning.

Time Breakdown Per Day

For every 24-hour block, the app calculates exactly how much time you spend moving and how much time you have available for recovery (eating, sleeping, gear changes). This makes it immediately obvious whether your planned pace leaves enough time to sleep.

Full Event Overview

Across the entire event, you get a cumulative summary:

• Total distance covered
• Total moving time
• Total recovery time available
• Average pace per loop

Generate a PDF Race Plan

Once you’re happy with your configuration, the app generates a clean, printable PDF race plan that you can hand to your crew or tape to your drop bag. It shows every planned loop, expected finish time, and rest window at a glance.

Technology

The app is built with Vue.js and Vuetify, and runs entirely in the browser – no account needed, no data sent anywhere. PDF generation happens client-side.

Who Is This For?

Whether you’re attempting your first Backyard Ultra or chasing a personal record, the planner gives you the clarity to make deliberate decisions before the race – not desperate ones in the middle of the night at hour 36.

👉 backyardplanner.app – start planning your race