What’s the hardest part of running a race with no end?
Most experienced endurance runners would have a bevy of answers ; shattering mental fatigue, blistered feet and sleep deprivation that leaves you with mild hallucinations and nausea.
But for athlete Jack Hanley, a never-ending race sounds like, “an absolute party”.
“The energy, the vibe, the people, it’s just so awesome,” he said. “The endurance in the legs, and also juggling the sleep deprivation, and also having the nutrition on point. It makes it an awesome challenge.”
On Saturday, Hanley – known as @the_crazy_running_man on Instagram – will strive to be the last one standing when he represents Team Australia in the Backyard Ultra race in Wollongong.
A deep dive into Reddit threads and a website called Yardlore, explains the Backyard Ultra is a form of ultra marathon where competitors must run 6.706 kilometres (referred to as a “yard”) each hour, on the hour repeatedly. The race can last several days, with runners dropping out the moment they fail to complete the distance in an hour. The winner is final runner still meeting the benchmark.
This is Hanley’s third Backyard Ultra. He previously competed in Sydney where he ran for 74 yards – that’s 74 hours or more than three days of consecutive running, and roughly 496km.
This year, he wants to go even further.
So, how on earth is the human body capable of running, almost non-stop, for more than three days?
Hanley explains that for every loop, the runners determine how quickly they want to run. As long as they complete the distance in under an hour, they stay in the race, and if they take less than an hour the remaining time is theirs to use as they want, resting and refuelling.
“Usually, I’ll come in at about 45 to 46 minutes per loop, and then I’ve got sort of 13 minutes just to rest. I’ll eat, I’ll sit in my chair, relax, and then I’ll be back on the start line to go again for the next hour,” he said.
“After 8pm, I’ll try and do sort of two loops where I try and run a bit quicker maybe 41 to 42 minutes, and then I’ll put my meditation on, lie down and take a power nap.
“I’ve got a set-up with my gazebo where I’ve got a blow-up mattress in there where I’ll lie down for anywhere between 12 and 15 minutes, and then my crew wakes me up, and I’ll have to go again.”
Even though a 12-minute power nap doesn’t exactly meet the requirements for a healthy’s night’s sleep, Hanley explains that it provides just enough to keep his body going and ensure his legs don’t give way.
In terms of food, Hanley has been working closely with a nutrition coach, and will have a day and night crew with him on Saturday to monitor his needs and assist with meals.
His race-day snacks will include rice cakes with honey, lollies, noodles, pizza pockets and jelly with custard.
For Hanley, the most challenging part of the race is running through the night when mental fatigue and doubt starts to creep in.
“Running through the night is obviously the toughest period. I do find that challenging, but you get to sunrise and it’s like you’re born again,” he said. “The energy levels go up and you’re ready to go again because there’s quite literally light at the end of the tunnel.”
Hanley became hooked on running in 2020 when the inability to see his family and friends during the pandemic affected his mental health. Since then, he’s built a following on Instagram, documenting his extraordinary running feats.
In 2023, at the age of 27, he ran 50km every day for 50 days, clocking up a total 2500 kilometres, while going through six pairs of shoes, 15 pairs of socks and several tubs of Vaseline. His extravaganza raised more than $50,000 for a mental health support group run out of his local football club.
A crucial part of preparation for a Backyard Ultra, is building mental strength.
When Hanley is running and feels like he can’t go on any longer, he looks at the words inscribed on the watch his girlfriend gave him.
“I’ve got a wristband that says ‘CRM’ – my Instagram nickname, Crazy Running Man – ‘you’re unstoppable’,” he said.
“I always just look at that when I draw on tough times; it just knows that she’s with me and I can get through anything.”
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