Home / Blog / 20 Yards, 132km and the “Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done”: Ollie’s First Backyard Ultra

Event News

20 Yards, 132km and the “Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done”: Ollie’s First Backyard Ultra

Last updated: 8 May, 2026

RunDais ambassador Ollie Maharaj, recently lined up for his first ever Backyard Ultra on the Gold Coast.

For the uninitiated, a Backyard Ultra is a last man standing event:

You run a 6.7km loop every hour, on the hour.
Finish early, you rest.
Miss the start, you’re out.
Repeat until only one person remains.

Here’s Ollie’s story.

What made you sign up for a Backyard Ultra?

Honestly? I was slightly coerced by a friend, but it didn’t take much convincing!

I’ve completed 100km & 100 mile distances in the past. However, this felt like a new challenge. A different format, and something totally unknown. I was excited to see how I’d handle it.

Take us through the early hours. What did it feel like?

The first yard felt easy. I ran with a crew I knew, the vibes were high, and it honestly just felt like a social run. But the next few loops felt harder than they should have. I think it was because I was forcing myself to slow down to maximise rest time.

Eventually I found my rhythm, settling into a pace around 5:15 to 5:30 per km, averaging about 42 minutes per loop. It was comfortable and controlled. At that stage, it almost tricks you into thinking it’s not that hard…

When did things start to get hard?

The 19th and 20th loops.

By the 19th, I was cooked. Sore, mentally drained and sleep deprived. It all hit at once. I genuinely felt like I was done. But before the race, I made a promise to myself. I wanted to reach that point, that “just go one more” moment. This was it.

Talk us through your fuelling strategy.

I kept things super simple, and consistent, aiming to never fall behind. I aimed to consume:

A sandwich every hour.
One to two gels per hour.
Baby food & jelly as often as possible

At times it probably felt like too much, but I never hit that point of being empty. My body (generally) performs really well on simple carbs and a steady intake.

What kept you going mentally through the dark hours?

A promise. I told myself I wanted to find my limit. Not just physically, but mentally. Even medically if it came to it. I needed to know where that line was. In the past, marathons haven’t taken me to that place. A Backyard Ultra forces you into levels of fatigue and into conversations with yourself that you just don’t reach in other race formats.

Describe the final loop.

Incredibly painful, long and emotional.

I started my 20th loop not even knowing if I’d finish. I gave myself an out halfway through. If I needed to stop, I would. But when I hit that halfway mark, something shifted. I dug deep and gave it one final push.

I cried, twice. And I’m proud of that.

It was one of those rare moments where you feel everything at once; pain, exhaustion, yet also pride.

How did you feel when it was over?

Honestly, disappointed as I didn’t hit the goal I had set for myself.

But at the same time, I knew I had left everything out there. I had no regrets and that’s something I can stand on.

What did this experience teach you?

That mindset is everything. You can nail the nutrition, the pacing, the preparation. But the mental side is where a Backyard Ultra lives. That’s where it breaks you or builds you.

Any advice for someone thinking about entering one?

It’s harder than a continuous run. Stopping and starting again every hour is a mental battle.

Pack more nutrition than you think you need.
Have a solid crew, and brief them on your plan.
Plan your shoe changes so your rest time is actually effective.

In a back yard ultra, every minute counts, and a supportive crew is integral for going deeper into this race. I was lucky to have incredible friends support me through – shout out to Lucy, Cheran and Bella.