What became my favourite type of event a few years ago, Western Yards, run by Galway Trail Running became my favourite venue last year and this year again was better with support from IMRA. I don't claim to have done many Backyard Ultras but I've been obsessed with the format for quite a while. And I am biased being a member of GTR. The format, the strategy, the mind games (with yourself and others), the place where egos are no use. It's all internal and everyone levelled after every loop. Everyone in so much control of how they run their race, how fast they run their loops, what nutrition they use, how they use their rest, and yet still how many leave wondering how much further they could have gone. Obviously we all claim we are happy to reach certain milestones, but sometimes these milestones are obstacles built to convince us to stop. To save ourselves. Sometimes hours of internal mental discussion, sometimes an instant switch off and its over. Then the rationalising ...