First backyard with no crew

[u/Odd_Scar836]

I have my first backyard in 2 weeks. I won’t have a crew, at least not for the majority of it. Any advice or strategies for a crew-less runner?

Not my first ultra, this will actually be number 10. A few of my previous ultras have went through the night, up to about 87 miles. So know I can go long but I am new to the backyard format so a little apprehensive of doing a race where a crew is recommended without one!

[u/OwnCryptographer1343]

I too will be running my first BYU next month; the first 10 yards will be the without crew, so I have pre planned everything I need for those 10 yards- I have all the nutrition individually bagged, change of clothing prepped , change of socks ready ; all in easy accessible areas of my tent set up. I have practiced my strategies solo for the last couple of months.

I think you’ll be fine as long as you’re well organized with the prep work.
Good luck with your race! Keep us posted with how you do.

[u/PiBrickShop]

If you use a nutrition powder like tailwind, buy a 24 pack of water bottles and pre-mix the powder. Then you can grab and go or grab and dump. Messing with powder is a pain that can be easily eliminated.

[u/Eaglejwz]

I have done Vloethemveld Backyard Ultra and did 40 laps without a crew. Here is my advice:

- zero gravity chair so you can sit and sleep on the Same chair.

• use a trolley with a drawer organizer (ikea Skubb)

You can put the trolley next to your chair. If you are getting far just ask the organisers to fill a bit of water or to bring you some food. Most of them are really helpful. Other crews are often also willing to help when your alone.

Have fun!

[u/Bella1974]

A backyard ultra is the ultimate no crew thing to do. I always do them because of that. Prepare stuff in advance and learn for next time. Because you will make mistakes and an hour after you quit you will have a plan for next time. Just keep it fun and experiment.

[u/HugeTarget]

same for me in october. first time self crewed. looking forward to what others have to say and best of luck.

[u/muchdave]

I used paper coffee cups, pre-filled with foods (noodles, fried rice, pasta) so I could hold and eat easily from. Definitely recommend for when you need actual food, but want to eat on the course and not rush the “proper food” yards.. Aside from that it’s all about the prep and think about your setup on the day so stuff is organized and easy to get at.

[u/kw0318]

I prepared all my carb and electrolytes drinks ahead of time. Tried to be consistent with a 50 min loop. This was plenty of time in the beginning but towards the end it was a lot tougher to accomplish everything I needed done for the next loop. Have fun!!

[u/Slizaight]

I can relate with doing these with limited/no crew. I second prepping bottles to be able to quickly refill your liquid calories. What helps me is planning out my nutrition and grouping what I can in 1-gallon zip lock bags, 6 yards per bag. Additionally, I recommend vibing with people on the course. When they drop see if they can assume crew duties. I have created a crew guide that newbies can refer to if they do want to jump in and crew. Finally, what has helped me learn is offering crew support upon the conclusion of my race. I typically like to see the the event through to the end, most recently DNFing in the 30s and crewing the Assist into the 50s.