A Regina runner reveals the keys to his success in challenging backyard ultra marathons.
Preston Schaffer ran 235 kilometers over 35 hours to win the Grassroots Backyard Ultra in August, earning a spot on the Canadian national team. He will compete in the World Backyard Team Championships starting October 19 in Edmundston, N.B. (Vanessa Garrison Photography).
Schaffer, a 39-year-old massage therapist from Regina, didn’t start running until four years ago. Now, he participates in backyard ultra marathons, which can last for days. Unlike traditional races with a set distance, backyard ultras require runners to complete a 6.7-kilometer loop every hour, on the hour, until only one runner remains. These races are all about endurance and pacing, as pushing too hard early on can lead to burnout.
Preston ran his first half-marathon in 2022 before quickly transitioning to ultra marathons.
“It’s kind of funny to me because I joke that I’ve never actually run a real marathon,” he said.
A traditional marathon is about 42 kilometers, but in his first backyard ultra, Preston completed 21 laps, covering 140 kilometers.
“The next day, or the day after, I thought, ‘I could have gone further, I could have kept going,’” he said. “That’s why backyard ultras appeal to me—I always want to see how far I can push myself before I can’t go any further.”
