To Sprint or Not to Sprint? Is Speed Work Necessary for Backyard Ultra Training?
When constructing a Backyard ultra training plan,, runners often wonder about intensity. We know Backyard Ultras reward relentless endurance and consistent pacing (Backyard ultra pacing strategy,), but does traditional speed work – the intervals, tempo runs, and track sessions common in marathon or 5k training – have a place? Is speed work backyard ultra necessary, or is it an unnecessary risk?
This guide explores the role, if any, of higher intensity training within a BYU preparation framework. We’ll define speed work, analyze the specific demands of the BYU format, weigh the potential pros against the significant cons, and offer practical recommendations.
What Do We Mean by “Speed Work”?
Typically, speed work refers to running sessions performed at intensities significantly higher than your easy, conversational pace. This includes:
- Interval Training: Short bursts of fast running (e.g., 400m, 800m, 1km repeats) at high intensity, separated by recovery periods (jogging or rest). Often done on a track. Aims to improve VO2 max and speed.
- Tempo Runs: Sustained periods (e.g., 20-40 minutes) run at a “comfortably hard” pace (lactate threshold pace). Aims to improve the body’s ability to sustain faster speeds for longer.
- Hill Repeats: Intense uphill running bursts, focusing on building power and strength.
The primary goal of these workouts in traditional race training is to make the runner faster over a set distance.
The Unique Demand of the Backyard Ultra
Contrast speed work’s goals with the core demand of the BYU:
- Sustainable Endurance: The ability to maintain a relatively low intensity pace for an extremely long, potentially multi-day, duration.
- Consistency: Repeating loops within a narrow time window, hour after hour.
- Efficiency: Minimizing energy expenditure at that sustainable pace.
- Fatigue Resistance: Continuing to perform despite accumulating physical and mental exhaustion.
Top-end speed is simply not a limiting factor in determining who becomes the Last Person Standing.
The Case Against Extensive Speed Work for BYU Training
For most runners preparing for a BYU, incorporating significant traditional speed work is generally not recommended for several key reasons:
- Lack of Specificity: Running fast intervals doesn’t directly prepare you for running easy for 48+ hours. The energy systems, muscle recruitment patterns, and mental demands are vastly different. Your time is better spent on workouts that do mimic the race: long runs and simulation runs (Long run training specific backyard ultra format,, Backyard ultra simulation run,).
- Increased Injury Risk: High-intensity running places significantly more stress on muscles, tendons, and bones than easy running. Incorporating intense speed work increases the risk of strains, tears, and stress fractures (Preventing common backyard ultra injuries,), potentially jeopardizing the consistency required for high-volume BYU training. Staying healthy enough to consistently Building mileage safely backyard ultra, is paramount.
- Recovery Cost: Intense workouts demand more recovery time (Backyard ultra recovery process,). This can detract from your ability to perform quality long runs or simulation runs, or necessitate lower overall training volume – ultimately hindering your endurance development, which is the primary goal.
- Minimal Direct Performance Benefit: Improving your mile time won’t directly translate to being able to complete the 70th loop of a BYU. Success hinges on aerobic efficiency, fat metabolism, mental toughness, and durability at low intensities, none of which are primary adaptations from traditional speed work.
Potential Minor Benefits of Some Faster Running (Use With Caution!)
While traditional speed work isn’t core to BYU prep, incorporating very small amounts of controlled, faster running might offer subtle benefits for some experienced runners:
- Improved Running Economy: Becoming slightly more efficient biomechanically, even at faster paces, could theoretically make the easier BYU pace feel less taxing and require fractionally less energy per stride (Improve running economy,). This is the main argument for including any faster running.
- Variety & Mental Break: For runners doing very high mileage, occasionally incorporating a different stimulus like strides can break the monotony.
- Maintaining Neuromuscular Pathways: Keeps the neuromuscular connections for faster running “active,” which might feel good for some runners.
Practical Recommendations: Is Speed Work Necessary?
- For Beginners & Most Intermediate Runners: No. Focus 100% on building your aerobic base with easy mileage, mastering long runs and simulation runs, incorporating strength training, and prioritizing recovery. Adding speed work introduces unnecessary risk for minimal specific benefit. Master how to train for first backyard ultra, focusing on endurance.
- For Advanced/Experienced Runners (Optional & Minimalist Approach): If considering faster running, it should be:
- Low Priority: Never sacrifice essential long runs, simulations, or recovery for speed work.
- Low Volume: A tiny fraction of weekly training (e.g., strides once or twice a week, maybe one short tempo run every 1-2 weeks in specific training phases).
- Focus on Economy, Not Speed: The goal isn’t to get faster overall, but potentially slightly more efficient.
- Strides: After an easy run, do 4-6 repetitions of ~100m accelerations up to a fast-but-relaxed speed, focusing on good form, followed by full recovery walks.
- Short Tempos: Perhaps 15-25 minutes at a pace that feels “comfortably hard” (around lactate threshold), maybe once every 1-2 weeks if recovery allows and it doesn’t detract from key workouts.
- Listen Intently: If faster running leads to excessive fatigue, soreness impacting other runs, or any niggles, eliminate it immediately.
Conclusion: Focus on Endurance, Not Speed
While crucial for shorter distance races, traditional speed work backyard ultra necessary, is not for BYU success. The format rewards relentless aerobic endurance, consistency, efficiency at low intensity, and mental fortitude – qualities best developed through consistent easy mileage, specific long runs, targeted simulation runs, smart recovery, and supportive strength training. While minimal amounts of faster running might offer marginal economy benefits for advanced runners, the risks of injury and compromised recovery often outweigh the potential gains. For the vast majority aiming to conquer the backyard loop, the path to success lies in mastering the art of sustainable, easy endurance, not chasing irrelevant speed. Focus on building your capacity to comfortably Increase endurance for backyard ultra distance, – that’s where BYU glory lies.