6 June 2026 · Coffs Harbour, NSW · By Annie
What a fantastic weekend at the Coffs Backyard Ultra! For anyone new to the format, runners set off on a 6.7 km loop every hour, on the hour, until just one person remains. It’s a unique endurance challenge, mentally and physically, but there’s room for everyone to set their own goal and enjoy the experience.
A huge congratulations to the athletes I coach who got out there and gave it a crack. From a single yard to a whole day of running, there was so much to celebrate.
Every yard counts
Janie Mahoney — 5 yards. Janie arrived with a few concerning niggles, so it was wonderful to see her legs hold up and to see her run further than expected. She spent plenty of time chatting with other runners and enjoying the atmosphere. That’s what this event is all about!
Michelle Lamb — 6 yards. Michelle was thrilled to reach six yards. Unfortunately, a fall brought her day to an earlier finish than she’d planned. Disappointing, of course, but she’s already talking about coming back next year.
Kate Bevitt — 1 yard. Kate came along with her friend Alex Bruggisser and, as always, brought plenty of energy and enthusiasm. With bigger goals later in the year, including Rumble 100 km, the decision was to play it safe and enjoy being part of the event. A worthwhile day doesn’t have to be a long one.
David Hessey — 5 yards. David used Backyard as part of his preparation for the Byron Bay Rainforest Run a few weeks later. The plan was four yards, but he felt so good that he headed back out for a fifth. Well done, Dave!
Andrew Ferguson — 2 yards, plus extras. Andrew added some running before the event and completed a couple of yards to enjoy the Backyard atmosphere. With Rumble 100 km later in the year as his main focus, this was a chance to have fun, spend time with the running community and get some extra training in.
Kate Marsden — 6 yards. An outstanding effort from Kate. Her legs were feeling niggly and the day proved tougher than expected, but she dug deep and got the job done. She then headed straight off for a well-earned beach holiday in Tahiti!
Pim Heaney — 8 yards. A new distance PB for Pim! She worked through discomfort, kept moving forward and discovered she was capable of more than she’d thought. Something tells me this won’t be her last ultra. Watch this space.
Elize Strydom — 11 yards. A huge distance PB for Elize. She stayed mentally strong even as her ITBs started to protest, using a smart walk–run strategy and easing her pace when needed. She kept going and learned a lot about her limits on the day.
Brendon and Richard — 100 miles in a day
Brendon Dean — 25 yards (around 167 km). What an incredible performance! Brendon smashed his distance PB with remarkably consistent running and no major leg issues for much of the event. I had the privilege of crewing him and Richard through the night, and it was inspiring to watch.
Richard Pring — 24 yards. A special mention to Richard, who reached a goal he’d been building towards for years. He and Brendon ran together for much of the closing stretch. It genuinely felt like a team effort.
What does it take to run 100 miles in one day?
For Brendon and Richard, it took consistency, adaptability, teamwork and plenty of laughs along the way. The backyard format gave them the chance to find out whether their 100-mile goal was possible.
The early yards were smooth and controlled. Brendon was completing the daytime loops in around 45 minutes, while Richard was coming in closer to 50. That time between starts mattered: they could refuel, hydrate, put their feet up for a few minutes and get ready to go again. Camp felt positive and relaxed, and both men looked strong.
As the night wore on, we had a few things to manage. Brendon developed toe blisters, which we addressed early. He was also struggling with the amount of carbohydrate we’d originally planned, so we adjusted: reducing intake, switching to gels and ginger, monitoring caffeine and making good use of the toilets halfway around the course. The difficult stretch around yards 17 to 20 called for patience, and he stayed mentally strong.
From yards 19 to 24, Brendon eased back and ran alongside Richard. That became one of my favourite parts of the event. In earlier backyard attempts, Richard had reached this point without enough time to recover between laps. This time he stayed strong, matched Brendon’s pace and kept moving efficiently through the night.
There was plenty of fun among the hard work, too. Richard set a new backyard PB, and both men embraced Yard 22 by frocking up in their “22” outfits before heading out once more.
Before long, the sun came up and they’d done what they set out to do: 100 miles in 24 hours. Richard achieved a long-held goal. Brendon reached the same milestone and decided to head out for one more yard, simply because he still had more to give.
A 100-mile day isn’t about everything going perfectly. It’s about making decisions, adapting when plans change, supporting the people around you and continuing to put one foot in front of the other. Brendon and Richard did all of that brilliantly.
My run — 8 yards, then on to crewing
I completed eight yards myself, likely my longest long run before my debut 100-mile trail race at Ultra Adelaide about five weeks later. My legs felt strong, and I loved chatting with everyone and changing my pace to run with different people each hour.
It was a quick turnaround afterwards: home to walk the dog, then back for overnight crew duties. All good fatigue training for what was ahead! My watch recorded a grand total of 1 hour and 27 minutes of sleep that night.
More than a distance PB
I’m so proud of everyone who stepped up to the start line. Every athlete achieved something worthwhile, whether that was a new distance PB, testing nutrition, managing niggles, gaining confidence or simply being part of an incredible community event. A huge thank you to the volunteers, crews and supporters who helped make the weekend what it was.
Annie