Backyard Ultra on the Erg: How to Train and Compete

What Is a Backyard Ultra?

The Backyard Ultra is the most psychologically brutal endurance format ever invented. Created by Lazarus Lake (Gary Cantrell) in 2011 at Big's Backyard Ultra in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, the concept is deceptively simple: run a 6.706 km (4.167 mile) loop every hour, on the hour. The last person standing wins. Everyone else — no matter how far they ran — receives a DNF.

The distance is not random. It is calculated so that completing 24 loops equals exactly 100 miles (160.9 km). But the race has no finish line. There is no set distance, no set time. The race continues until only one runner completes a loop. The current world record stands at 119 laps — approximately 798 km — set by Phil Gore of Australia in June 2025.

What makes the Backyard Ultra uniquely cruel is the combination of physical endurance and psychological warfare. You are not racing against a clock or a distance. You are racing against other humans. Every hour, you must decide: do I go again? The format strips away every external motivator and leaves you with the purest question in endurance sport — how much do you want this?

Backyard Ultra at a Glance

6.706

km per yard

min per loop

100

miles in 24h

119

world record laps

From Trail to Erg: The Adaptation

The Backyard Ultra format translates perfectly to indoor ergometers. The core mechanic — complete a fixed distance within a fixed time window, repeat until you cannot — works on any machine that measures distance and time. And no machines do that better than Concept2® ergometers with the PM5 monitor.

On a trail, external variables affect every loop: terrain, weather, elevation, footing. On an erg, the playing field is perfectly level. Every athlete faces the same air resistance, the same flywheel physics, the same PM5 data. This makes the erg version arguably purer than the original — it removes luck and terrain advantage, leaving only fitness, pacing, and mental toughness.

The erg adaptation also solves one of the biggest barriers to Backyard Ultra participation: accessibility. There are only a few hundred sanctioned Backyard Ultra running events worldwide, most requiring travel and accommodation. An erg Backyard Ultra can happen in your garage, your gym, or your living room — and you can compete against athletes on the other side of the planet in real time.

This is exactly why ErgUltra was built. The idea came from a simple realization: the Backyard Ultra format is perfect for ergometers, but no app, no platform, and no PM5 feature existed to make it happen. Until now.

The Last Erg Ultra Format

The Last Erg Ultra is ErgUltra's adaptation of the Backyard Ultra format for Concept2® ergometers. The rules follow the spirit of the original while adapting for the unique characteristics of indoor erging:

Last Erg Ultra Rules

Complete the required distance on your erg within 60 minutes. This is one "yard".

A new yard starts every 60 minutes, on the clock. You must be erging when the next yard begins.

Time between completing your distance and the next yard start is your rest time. Use it for nutrition, hydration, and recovery.

If you fail to complete the distance within the hour, or choose not to start a new yard, you are out.

The last athlete standing wins. Everyone else receives a DNF — regardless of how many yards they completed.

All data is tracked via PM5 Bluetooth connection through ErgUltra. No manual entry. No honor system.

The PM5 verification is what makes the Last Erg Ultra legitimate. Every stroke, every meter, every split is captured in real time via Bluetooth. There is no way to fake a yard. The data is transparent, comparable, and permanent — exactly as it should be in a competition format.

Yard Distances for Each Erg

The yard distance varies by ergometer to account for the different physiological demands and energy systems of each machine. The goal is to create an equivalent effort level across all three Concept2® ergs, so that a yard on the RowErg® feels comparably challenging to a yard on the SkiErg® or BikeErg®.

Ergometer	Yard Distance	Target Pace	Est. Time	Rest Window
RowErg®	6,700 m	2:10–2:20 /500m	~29–31 min	~29–31 min
SkiErg®	5,500 m	2:20–2:35 /500m	~26–28 min	~32–34 min
BikeErg®	15,000 m	~28–32 km/h	~28–32 min	~28–32 min

The RowErg® distance of 6,700 m closely mirrors the original running distance of 6,706 m. The SkiErg® and BikeErg® distances are calibrated using proprietary algorithms that account for the unique physiological demands of each machine, ensuring equivalent effort across all three erg types.

These distances are calibrated so that a moderately fit athlete completes each yard in approximately 28–32 minutes, leaving a similar rest window of 28–32 minutes. The pacing sweet spot is completing each yard in about half the available time — fast enough to stay comfortable, slow enough to sustain for dozens of hours.

Multi-Erg Backyard Ultra

One of the most exciting variations of the Last Erg Ultra is the multi-erg format. Instead of staying on a single machine for the entire event, athletes rotate between RowErg®, SkiErg®, and BikeErg® — either by choice or by a predetermined rotation schedule.

The multi-erg format offers several advantages for ultra-distance events. Different muscle groups get active recovery while you work on a different machine. The RowErg® is full-body with emphasis on legs and back. The SkiErg® shifts load to shoulders, lats, and core. The BikeErg® isolates the legs with minimal upper-body involvement. By rotating, you distribute fatigue across your entire body rather than destroying a single muscle group.

Rotation Options

Fixed Rotation

Row → Ski → Bike → Row → Ski → Bike... Predictable, fair, tests all-round fitness.

Athlete's Choice

Each yard, you choose your erg. Strategic — save your strongest erg for when fatigue hits.

Single Erg

Classic format. One machine, one athlete, until the end. Pure and unforgiving.

ErgUltra tracks which erg you use for each yard, so your complete multi-erg journey is documented. The app manages the yard timer, distance targets, and PM5 connections for each machine — you just focus on the work.

Pacing Strategy: The Art of Sustainable Effort

Pacing in a Backyard Ultra is fundamentally different from any other endurance event. In a marathon, you push to your limit over a fixed distance. In a Backyard Ultra, you must find a pace you can sustain indefinitely — because you do not know when the race will end.

The golden rule: maximize your rest time, not your speed. Every minute you save by going faster is a minute you gain for recovery. But going too fast accumulates fatigue that compounds over hours. The optimal strategy is to complete each yard at the lowest effort level that still gives you a meaningful rest window.

Pacing Zones for RowErg® Backyard Ultra

Conservative (Hours 1–12)

2:15–2:20 /500m • ~30 min per yard • ~30 min rest

Moderate (Hours 12–24)

2:20–2:30 /500m • ~32 min per yard • ~28 min rest

Survival (Hours 24+)

2:30–2:45 /500m • ~35 min per yard • ~25 min rest

The rest window is everything. In the early hours, use rest time for light stretching, eating, and hydrating. As the event progresses, you may need to use rest time for brief naps (10–15 minutes). The athletes who manage their rest time best are the ones who last longest.

Watch your PM5 metrics for early warning signs of unsustainable pacing. ErgUltra uses proprietary algorithms to analyze your performance data across yards, automatically detecting fatigue patterns and alerting you before they become problems.

Training Plan: 8 Weeks to Your First Erg Ultra

Preparing for a Backyard Ultra on the erg requires a different approach than training for a 2K test or a marathon row. The key training adaptations are: sustained low-intensity capacity, fatigue resistance, nutrition practice, and mental endurance. Here is an 8-week plan to prepare for your first Last Erg Ultra.

1-2

Weeks 1–2: Base Building

Build aerobic foundation and practice sustained effort

Mon/Wed/Fri: 45–60 min steady state at 2:15–2:25 /500m (RowErg). Heart rate Zone 2.

Tue/Thu: 30 min easy SkiErg or BikeErg (active recovery).

Sat: 90 min long session at conversational pace. Practice eating/drinking during brief pauses.

Sun: Rest.

3-4

Weeks 3–4: Yard Simulation

Practice the actual format with timed yards

Mon/Wed/Fri: 4–6 simulated yards (6,700m in under 35 min, rest until the hour mark, repeat).

Tue/Thu: 30 min cross-erg work (SkiErg or BikeErg) at moderate intensity.

Sat: 8 simulated yards (8 hours total). Practice nutrition plan.

Sun: Rest or light walk.

5-6

Weeks 5–6: Endurance Extension

Push the duration and test multi-erg rotation

Mon/Wed: 5 yards at target pace. Focus on consistency — every yard within 30 seconds of the same time.

Tue/Thu: Threshold intervals: 5 × 2,000m at 2:00–2:05 /500m with 3 min rest. Builds speed reserve.

Sat: 12 simulated yards (12 hours). Multi-erg rotation if competing in that format.

Sun: Complete rest.

7-8

Weeks 7–8: Taper and Race Prep

Reduce volume, sharpen pacing, finalize race plan

Week 7: Reduce total volume by 30%. 3–4 yard simulations on Wednesday. Easy sessions otherwise.

Week 8: Reduce volume by 50%. 2 yard simulations on Monday at race pace. Rest Tuesday–Friday. Race on Saturday.

Pre-race: Finalize nutrition plan, prepare erg setup, test PM5 Bluetooth connection with ErgUltra.

Nutrition and Hydration During an Erg Ultra

Nutrition is the fourth discipline of ultra-endurance events. You can have the fitness of an Olympic rower, but if your nutrition strategy fails at hour 18, you are done. The erg Backyard Ultra has one major advantage over running: your stomach is not bouncing with every step, making it easier to eat and drink during rest periods.

Nutrition Timeline

0–6h

Early Phase

200–300 cal/hour. Mix of solid foods (bananas, rice cakes, PB sandwiches) and sports drink. 500ml water per hour.

6–18h

Middle Phase

250–350 cal/hour. Shift toward easily digestible foods (gels, broth, boiled potatoes). Add electrolytes. Caffeine from hour 12.

18h+

Survival Phase

Whatever stays down. Liquid calories (Ensure, smoothies), flat cola, broth. Small frequent sips. Electrolyte tabs every 2 hours.

The number one rule: eat before you are hungry, drink before you are thirsty. By the time you feel hunger or thirst, you are already behind on calories and hydration. Set a reminder for every rest period: eat something, drink something, stretch something.

Practice your nutrition plan during training. Your 12-yard simulation in Week 5–6 is the perfect opportunity to test which foods work for you under fatigue. What tastes good at hour 2 may be revolting at hour 14. Have variety available.

The Mental Game: Surviving Hour After Hour

The Backyard Ultra is 30% physical and 70% mental. Your body can do far more than your mind believes. The psychological challenge of the format is unique: unlike a marathon where the finish line gets closer with every step, in a Backyard Ultra the finish line does not exist. You must find motivation in the absence of a goal.

Mental Strategies That Work

One Yard at a Time

Never think about how many yards remain. There is only this yard. Complete it. Then decide about the next one.

Process Goals

Focus on controllables: stroke rate, hydration, posture. Not on outcomes like "I want to last 24 hours."

Dark Patches Pass

Every ultra athlete hits low points. They always pass. The worst moment is never the last moment. Keep moving.

Community Power

Knowing other athletes are erging at the same time, seeing their yards tick up in ErgUltra — that shared suffering is fuel.

The erg adds a unique mental challenge that running does not have: monotony. On a trail, the scenery changes. On an erg, the view is the same at hour 1 and hour 30. Prepare for this. Music playlists, podcasts, audiobooks, and the ErgUltra live feed of other competitors are your weapons against the mental void.

How ErgUltra Makes It All Possible

The Last Erg Ultra format requires technology that did not exist before ErgUltra. No other app connects to the PM5 via Bluetooth, manages timed yards, tracks multi-erg rotation, and enables real-time virtual competition against athletes worldwide. Here is what ErgUltra provides:

Yard Timer and Management

Automatic yard tracking with countdown to next start. Visual and audio alerts when rest time is running low. No manual timekeeping required.

PM5 Bluetooth Verification

Every stroke captured in real time. Distance, pace, watts, stroke rate, heart rate — all verified by the PM5. No honor system, no manual entry.

Virtual Competition

Compete against athletes worldwide in real time. See who is still standing, who just completed a yard, and who dropped out. The social pressure of the Backyard Ultra — digitized.

Multi-Erg Support

Seamlessly switch between RowErg, SkiErg, and BikeErg between yards. ErgUltra manages the PM5 connection for each machine and adjusts yard distances automatically.

Strava Auto-Sync

Your entire ultra is automatically synced to Strava after the event. Every yard, every erg, every metric — visible to your Strava followers.

ErgUltra was built specifically because this format deserved to exist on Concept2® ergometers. The inspiration came from the Backyard Ultra running community — the realization that the format's genius lies not in the running, but in the psychological structure. And that structure works on any endurance machine. The erg just happens to be the perfect one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a typical erg Backyard Ultra last?

It depends entirely on the participants. Beginner events often see the last person standing at 8–12 hours. Competitive events can go 24+ hours. The format has no upper limit — it continues until only one athlete remains.

Can I do a Backyard Ultra solo?

Technically yes — you can use ErgUltra to track yards and see how many you can complete. But the magic of the format is the competition. Virtual events through ErgUltra let you compete against others from your home gym.

What if I need to use the bathroom?

Your rest window between yards is your time. Most athletes complete a yard in 28–32 minutes, leaving 28–32 minutes for rest, nutrition, bathroom breaks, and brief recovery. Plan accordingly.

Do I need all three Concept2 ergs for the multi-erg format?

No. You can compete in the single-erg format on whichever Concept2 machine you own. The multi-erg format is an option for athletes who have access to multiple machines.

Is there a minimum fitness level required?

If you can row 6,700m in under 40 minutes at a comfortable pace, you can participate. The beauty of the format is that pace does not matter — only endurance. Slower athletes often outlast faster ones.

When is the first Last Erg Ultra event?

ErgUltra is currently in early access. The first official Last Erg Ultra events will be announced when the app launches. Sign up for early access to be the first to know.