Broken Anvil – an amazing run

2025 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report

09/20/2025 ~ West Point, Iowa ~ 10 hours/loops/yards ~ 41.6 total miles

It’s my fourth time at this event, and it’s become an addiction. I love the backyard ultra/last runner standing format, and I love pushing myself to new distance goals. Broken Anvil is a great event, and if you’re looking to find out how far you can go, this is an awesome way to do it.

My wife, Kari, decided to join me this year – not just crewing, but also running – the second time for her, and my fourth here at Broken Anvil. We arrived on Friday night and set up our tent in the same spot we were in last year. We also set up our collapsible canopy next to it, as the tent can get warm. We spent most of our time with our chairs under the canopy in between loops.

The day was forecast to have some rain, and there was a little bit at the start, but then it let up for a few hours. Most of the midday, afternoon, and early evening was spent running in a steady light rain, with the occasional bit of heavier rain thrown in. Honestly, it didn’t bother me at all. When I run, I sweat, and the rain didn’t make it any worse. The temperatures were also mild, which helped keep the day manageable.

I was using my typical two-minute run/two-minute walk pacing plan from the start, and found that I was bringing up the rear. Most of the pack was finishing ten minutes ahead of me, if not more. But my pace plan has worked well for me in the past, and I kept chugging along.

On the second loop, it is not yet raining.

I made the switch to Tailwind this year as my primary hydration/nutrition, and it was working great for me. Gels tend to give me a sugar rush and then a blood sugar crash. Tailwind eliminated that issue, and I felt great on each loop of the race. I supplemented every loop with snacks in camp – pretzels, grapes, chips, a yogurt, bananas, etc.

Our camp setup – we spent most of our few minutes in between loops in the canopy.

As the guy coming in with less than 10 minutes to spare before the hour was up, I found myself worrying about anyone who was behind me. Sometimes they would squeak in under the cutoff, but I knew when I didn’t see them on the last out and back portion of the course that their day was probably done.

The field getting ready for the top-of-the-hour start.

Kari went out for the fifth loop, and she had been ahead of me for most of the loops for the day. It wasn’t long until I passed her, and then I became worried that she might not make the hour cutoff. I made it back to the tent, grabbed a couple of sandwiches, some chips, and refilled my handheld water bottle, and heard the 1-minute warning whistle. It was time to head back to the start corral for the next loop. Kari hadn’t made it back yet.

Kari and the rest of the runners were ahead of me, as usual.

But as the seconds ticked down, the runners ahead of me started cheering, and I realized that they were cheering for Kari, making it across the line just as Loop 6 began. Others were encouraging her to “Do One More!” loop (a sort of motto for this type of race), but she had collapsed on the ground. Now I had some concerns. I offered to walk her back to the tent, but she was having none of that and encouraged me to continue on with the race, insisting that she would be fine. I’m not sure if she crawled back or was dragged back to the tent, but when I returned to the tent, she said that others had assisted her in getting back on her feet, both literally and figuratively. When I came back in from that loop, she had changed clothes and looked refreshed. An impressive 20.8 miles, a personal best distance for her.

Sometimes hilly, sometimes flat – a little grass, asphalt, dirt & concrete.

I swapped to my backup pair of shoes when it was clear the rain was going to be around for a while. The pain I have been having at the top of my left foot made an appearance around Loop 4, so I popped a couple of Ibuprofen pills to take the edge off. Other than that, I had really no issues with strains, pains, chafing, or other issues that are typical for me. I used a product called Salty Britches anti-chafing ointment, and it performed really well. I would also add some Squirrel’s Nut Butter occasionally, as it was less hassle to apply, and to keep any chafing at bay.

Whispering Pines Trail is mostly dirt, pine needles, and tree roots, but it offers a definite walk break opportunity.

On Loop 8, I was getting pretty tired of running and was thinking of pulling the plug on the day. Loop 8 is a popular drop point in this race format, as it gets you an ultra-distance finish of over 50K. But I pushed myself back out there to the starting line to “do one more” loop. While in the corral awaiting the start of Loop 9, I met Matthew, who was wondering if he could join me for the loop. He was attempting his first ultra and was hoping to reach 50 miles before dropping. I advised him of my pace plan, and he was cool with going along with me at that pace. We chatted, and for the first time in the race, I wasn’t running mostly by myself. It was a relief not just to be in my own head for the first time. There were a few runners in the field like Matthew, who were there learning as they went. I am eight events into this type of race, and I am still learning as well.

Matthew and I paced through Loops 9 and 10, and upon finishing Loop 10, I decided that I had had enough. Matthew continued on and got his 50 miles/12 loops done. Pretty impressive. Well done! Also impressive were the runners who made it past 100 miles. The winner was Nick S., with an impressive 33 total loops and 137.5 total miles. The assist went to Keely Y., 32 loops, 133.2 total miles.

Out of the running and sitting in our chairs, waiting for the rain to stop. It’s tough packing up after 41.6 miles of running.

Kari and I hung around in the tent for a couple of hours, waiting for the rain to stop before tearing our tent down and heading back to the hotel for well-earned showers and some solid sleep. Another great experience at the Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra, and I hope to be back again next year.

RESULTS: 2025 Broken Anvil Race Results

POST-RACE NOTES FROM THE RACE DIRECTOR

83% of the field completed the ultra-distance
60 % of the field completed 50 miles or more
100% of the field are badass humans
3 out of the top 10 (distance-wise) were females (just got goosebumps typing that)
We had an age gap of 53 years from the youngest to the oldest participant (16 – 69 years young)
A total of 5,000 miles were collectively run during the race – That’s like running across Iowa 17 times

NOTES FOR NEXT TIME

I am really fond of my 2-minute run/walk pace plan, but maybe I am a little too faithful to it. The goal is to get in before the hour, and I was doing that, but I was also not leaving myself much time to regroup for the next loop. I may play with a 3-minute run/1-minute walk, or maybe stick with 2 minutes of running and only 1 minute of walking. Lots of time to try it out.

Our tent is great, but it might be time to buy a 10’x10′ canopy for easier setup and takedown. It’s miserable having to try to get everything packed up after running 40+ miles.

Caffeine! I totally forgot about adding some caffeine into the mix. I had about 5 ounces or so of Coke at noon with my sandwiches, but that was it. I might have gotten an extra loop or two more done with some caffeine in me.

Photos by Austin Roe | Mile 90 Photography

PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT: Mile 90 Race Photos – 2025

Thanks for reading. See you next year at the Broken Anvil BYU in West Point, Iowa. I’m already signed up.

2024 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report

Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra / West Point, Iowa / September 21, 2024

10 Yards/Loops – 41.67 Total Miles – Tied for 31st place with 11 others

Results: 2024 Broken Anvil BYU Results

Well-run and fun events always strike a chord with me, and this race is one of those that I really enjoy doing. Endless loops of 4.16 miles every hour on the hour may not sound like a fun time, but race director Nic, the volunteers, and the other participants made for an excellent day of pushing the boundaries and testing our limits.

It appears that we had 89 “finishers” out of the 102 that had signed up, and that made for some crowded running on portions of the course. But since I was bringing up the rear it wasn’t an issue for me. My usual plan for this race is to run for two minutes and then walk for two minutes, and I had no problem following that plan. During the walk I made sure I was drinking water from my handheld bottle, downing 12 ounces every loop. A few of the hills were walked even if it called for running at the moment. My splits looked great until yard/loop nine when it was clear that I was starting to slow down : (1) 52:29, (2) 52:56, (3) 52:38, (4) 52:12, (5) 52:07, (6) 52:21, (7) 53:06, (8) 53:44, (9) 55:18, (10) 56:36. Yard/loop 9 took longer because I made a dash to the toilet while on course. On the 10th yard/loop the chafing started to get to me and the slowing was more to do with that issue than actually running out of gas.

My wife Kari was once again dialed in to keep me going. On every return back to the tent I was met with all of the things that I needed to refuel and rehydrate. I was eating a gel, something solid like a couple of cookies or some banana, electrolyte pills, and she was quick to swap something out for me if I requested. She also had a wet washcloth to clean up with and refresh myself with. I swapped out shirts and visors about three times and made one sock and shoe change after dealing with rain for some midday loops. The rain was somewhat welcome, cooling us down and keeping the sun hidden behind the clouds. When the sun was out, I felt the worst. Fortunately, the course has good shade for about 2/3s of it.

It seemed that yard/loop two was a struggle for some reason, but the rest felt great and pretty much on repeat – run/walk/drink/eat/rest/refuel – and be back in the corral at the one-minute warning. One change I made this year was to eat more, which included taking a GU liquid gel with me and eating it around the two-mile mark, and also eating more in camp. Sometimes it’s difficult to eat when you don’t want to, but I knew that it would make a difference. Plus, I spent $$$ for some good snackies this year!

Even with dealing with the chafing when I sensed that it was starting, it wasn’t going to change the outcome, and that is what really pushed me to decide to pull the plug. I had gotten past the 50K mark for another notch in the ol’ ultramarathon belt and I didn’t want to make my evening uncomfortable for myself. I lined up for the 11th yard/loop, started it, and then walked over to my tent. Other racers and participants don’t like to see another pull out, but it was time for me. 41.6 miles and 10 hours of running made for a pretty memorable day, and an easy way to get that last long-distance training run done for the Chicago Marathon in three weeks. That’s the A-race and should be the focus.

I walked over to the tracker table and told them I was pulling out, grabbed my loser keychain, and thanked everyone for an awesome day. Back in the tent, Kari started organizing and packing up things while I took a few minutes to let my body come down. We finally got our tent put away and decided to eat a bowl of chili that they had made for the participants and anyone else who might like a bowl. Once we got the tent down, we loaded up the car and made our way back to the hotel. It was a terrific day.

Thoughts and Observations on the Day

~ Run the tangents! – I don’t know if it is the road racer in me, but it seemed at times that I was the only one running the tangents and taking the shortest line. I would think that if you could reduce even a few steps throughout double-digit miles you would take advantage of that. I was also staying in the shade more than some of the others. Simple things to make it easier on myself that others could have benefited from.

~ My pacing method may not be for everyone, but I can’t help to think that others could be missing out on saving some intensity minutes by dialing it back and walking more. I don’t know if they prefer to have some extra rest time between loops, or if they are just younger and don’t feel like they are working that hard, but I am only running for 26 minutes of that 52-minute loop, and they are running for 45 minutes or so. That is almost 20 minutes more intensity time spent than what I am doing, and burning more calories while doing so.

~ I met some great people out there and had some good conversations. One older guy like me seemed to be really enjoying the day. He was bringing up the rear but always had an “attaboy” for anyone out there. I could tell that he was struggling in the latter part of the race, but you couldn’t tell it by his demeanor. He ended up missing the cut on the 7th or 8th loop and I saw him coming in as we were heading out and gave him a bro hug for his effort. He also needed some medical care, which I believe was due to heat exhaustion. He was looking good after a visit with some EMTs.

~ Heat exhaustion could be sneaky, and fortunately it didn’t affect me on the course. But after a shower and resting back at the hotel, I could feel how hot my core was when I was lying in bed trying to go to sleep. I made Kari feel my back and she agreed that I was warm to the touch. I should have taken some anti-inflammatories before bed.

~ Don’t judge a runner by their look. I was guilty of this as well, thinking some of these people would not last very long, but I was proven wrong time and again. One woman was consistently coming in with just a minute or two to spare, and I thought that she was cutting it close. But as the miles wore on I realized that she was executing her plan very well. There were several that far exceeded my expectation for them. Congrats to everyone!

~ I have the main pieces of the “go far” puzzle established. I was solid with my pace plan, Kari kept me on point with my nutrition/hydration, and although the training miles I had done might have been on the low side, I felt great muscle-wise and felt like I still had a lot of miles left in me. It’s the mental side of ultra running that I have continued to struggle with. When the going gets tough I tend to fold my cards so as not to destroy myself. Chafing is no fun, and it was only going to get worse. I have to figure that issue out for next time. And there will be a next time.

Event Photos Link: Mile 90 Photography – 2024 Broken Anvil

2023 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report

BROKEN ANVIL BACKYARD ULTRA RACE REPORT

WHEN: 09/23/2023

WHERE: WEST POINT, IOWA

RESULTS: 9 YARDS/LOOPS – 37.55 MILES.

THE DETAILS – Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra is a last runner standing format running event. 4.16 miles every hour starting at 7 a.m. and running until there is only one runner left to complete the loop. Make it back before the hour is up, or you are out. Not in the corral for the next lap, you are out. Decide to drop on your own and not start, that’s right – you are out. Most use this type of race to see how far they can go, often running their first ultra-distance run. The event was held in West Point, Iowa in the local park, with a mix of grass, gravel, paved road/path, and wooded trail. Lots of variety without being too technical. Lots of shade as well. This is a well-run event and a great place to experience this type of running. But in the words of Lazarus Lake: “It’s easy – until it’s not.”

~~~

Hey! You’re the guy… who wrote the race report I read. I heard that several times pre-race, at packet pick-up, at the hotel we stayed at, and on the morning of the race as we were all waiting for the 7 a.m. start time. Several of them mentioned that they were inspired to do the race because of it. Some even said they tried my 2-minute run / 2-minute walk pace plan and would utilize it during the race. I was beaming pretty good from hearing all the praise. I write my blog and these race reports so I have the memory for myself and my family, but when someone mentions that they got something out of it, I couldn’t be happier.

Kari and I sitting in our tent waiting for the start. (Mile90 photo)

Get on the bus, and head to the back… was the plan, and several joined me in that strategy. I told myself to be patient on the first yard and was glad that I executed that. No sense in going out strong on the first yard (4.16-mile loop) – which is a common mistake to make when race day adrenaline and feeling good early make you want to blast off. But this race format isn’t about how fast you can go, it’s about how far you can go. The bus should have had more, but the younger and more serious runners preferred to be ahead for some reason. I stayed in the back for all 9 of my completed yards.

Kari feeling good on the second yard. (Mile90 photo)

The sweeper… in runner parlance is someone bringing up the rear, and usually, someone who is keeping the bare minimum pace to make a cutoff. I was becoming the sweeper in this field. I was completing my yard in about 52 minutes, leaving just about 8 minutes to refill my empty handheld water bottle, take a cold wet towel and wipe myself down with it, and refuel with some food for the next yard. If I was ahead of anyone, I often wondered how close they would be to making it back in an hour. I think the others also knew that if I was overtaking them in the later stages of the yard, they might want to pick up their pace to make the hour cutoff.

I hear that you’re the guy… to beat, said another runner, which gave me a pretty good chuckle. It was early, and I was feeling good, but there was no way I was going to outlast most of this talented field. It brightened my mood, though.

Staying hydrated… was becoming difficult for some reason. Well, the reason was that the day was sneaky warm. It didn’t really feel hot, as there was a good breeze most of the day, and the clear skies would be replaced by general overcast conditions. But by the third loop or so, the heat was making itself known. Lots of clothes changes going on, as sweat-soaked singlets and hats were replaced with fresh ones. Plenty of shirtless runners ahead of me, as we made our way around the course. Dad bods were on full display.

Heavy sweating forced a clothing change.

The check engine light… came on around yard six or seven. I was drinking a full twelve ounces of water every yard, but I was draining it dry by the 45-minute mark. I was peeing nearly every time I came out of the trail at the port-o-let there, but the need to go stopped. I was still sweating somewhat, so that was a good sign, but I could tell I was getting dehydrated. Even with downing a Gatorade at my camp between yards, it wasn’t enough.

“You Got This”… shouted a kid, as he rode his bike past me in the closing half-mile of yard nine. “I got this? I don’t even want it!” was my response. The kid seemed a little confused. As I was running what would be my last yard, I had a Forrest Gump moment. I didn’t really want to run anymore. Not just running the event, but in general. I had already passed the 50K mark and I wasn’t sure that my dehydration issue was going to get better. I felt pretty good still, but I didn’t want to end in a crash and burn. It was then that I decided to call it a day. I just wanted to be done. 9 yards and 37.5 miles was a pretty good running day.

Kari and I finishing her last yard together. (Mile90 photo)

My wife Kari is… pretty awesome. Not only did she crew me once again, helping to set up the tent and make sure I had all of my junk, she also participated in her first backyarder, setting a personal distance record of 4 yards and 16.67 miles! Farthest she ever run in her life! And I think she might have enjoyed it, too.

Congrats to all… the others that I met. Many set personal bests as well. There was one guy named Drew, who had to be the most popular guy in the race. He had quite a cheer crew. I was watching him in the latter stages and he had slowed quite a bit, walking with his hands on his hips often. But he lasted a yard or two more than I did. The race director congratulated him and said that he had never run longer than seven miles before. Pretty impressive leap from seven to over 40. Congrats to Ben, Todd, Nathan, Brian, Allie, Clayton, and anyone that I met along the way. You all did fantastic.

Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report

BROKEN ANVIL BACKYARD ULTRA RACE REPORT

WHEN: 09/17/2022

WHERE: WEST POINT, IOWA

RACE FORMAT: BACKYARD ULTRA/LAST RUNNER STANDING

RESULTS: 2022 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Results

I had to juggle my 100-mile training plan for the Tunnel Hill 100 due to a planned 30th anniversary trip to Italy, and it was looking like I would have to sacrifice either the 50-kilometer run or the 50-mile run. I decided that the 50-miler was probably more important to the training than the 50K, so I started looking around and found the Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra that would work perfectly for me. Running an organized 50-mile race would be a lot easier than having to do it solo and provide my own support for twelve hours. So I signed up, told the wife (hint – always tell the wife after you sign up), got a hotel for the weekend, and then started thinking about how to run the course.

After doing some research into the event, it looked like a perfect opportunity to get in 50 miles without having to walk up really long hills, shimmy down rocky terrain, or duck under or climb over fallen trees (I’m looking at you Big Hill Bonk and WausaUltra!). Seeing that there wouldn’t be any hills to force me to walk, I decided that a run/walk plan of 2 minutes of running followed by 2 minutes of walking would probably do it. Just to make sure, I did a 4.2-mile run at home on Wednesday following that pace plan and finished right around 50 minutes. Perfect.

Friday night my wife Kari and I jumped in the truck and headed west on I-80 for a little under four hour trip to our hotel in Fort Madison. After arriving, we decided to drive the route to the event location to make sure there were no surprises Saturday morning. Upon getting there we found the super-cool race director Nic still there and a few of the other participants milling around. He allowed us to set up our tent so we didn’t have to worry about it on race day, and I grabbed my bib and the event sweatshirt.

At 7am on Saturday, 30 of the 36 registrants (there were six no-shows) got into the corral and were sent off on our way. The first loop, or yard as they are also called, went really well. I quickly came to realize though, that I was the only one doing a dedicated run/walk thing, as the others just jogged until they came upon one of the few small hills or when they needed a break before doing any walking. Most of the runners were finishing about five minutes or so ahead of me, and I was consistently finishing the 4.16-miles in 50 minutes. I was really dialed in and super consistent with my pace plan. Ten minutes after each loop is plenty of time to sit, rehydrate, refuel, make clothes changes, etc. My super-sherpa race crew wife Kari was also dialed in. All of my next lap drinks, food, electrolytes, and a cold washcloth/towel were ready for me without ever having to ask. I would make some requests for certain things here and there, but she was anticipating my every need.

Some pictures of the course, a mixture of grass, crushed gravel, pavement, and a short pine needle-covered dirt trail.

The loops went by quickly as usual. A couple of women dropped after one lap, but I think they were just there to experience some fun and support other racers. One guy was using the race to get his tempo miles in for an upcoming marathon and would quickly blast through the loop. But for the most part, we would all start each loop together and I would bring up the end. Seven runners dropped before the marathon distance of loop 7, which is a little surprising. However, it was loop 7 when the Iowa skies decided to open up and pour on us.

I wasn’t really worried about running in the rain. I had an extra pair of shoes, plenty of extra running clothes, and also a rain jacket that I decided might be beneficial to help keep me warm in case the rain made me chilly. The jacket actually just made me sweat more, and I didn’t wear it for more than a loop or two. However, the rain caused a problem that I hadn’t quite planned for – chafing. I had lubed up my inner thighs in the morning as is typical for me before a long run, but the rain and the running must have caused it to wear off. When I noticed the chafing I started applying Vaseline like crazy, but I think it was too little too late. I have never had chafing as bad as that. I kept applying Vaseline every loop, hoping that I could continue on.

Races always provide some sort of distraction, and I was trying to remember all that I could. There was a guy who was talking to his group ahead of me and said “Prince Charles is a DICK!” Not sure what that conversation was about, but it gave me a chuckle. Another runner was in the starting corral when he realized he didn’t have his watch, and after the loop starts you are not allowed to leave the course except for bathrooms, nor are you to receive any outside assistance. Another guy spoke up and said “Spoiler alert! It’ll take you an hour.” That got a good laugh out of the group as the bell rang and we were off. I think he got his watch just in time.

The course took us through Pollmiller Park, which included a small lake and a campsite. I joked with one camper and asked how he was enjoying “the dumbest parade ever.” He chuckled and said “See you in an hour.” He must have gotten used to our routine. Another group of campers included some kids and one teenager asked me “What are you running from?” I wasn’t sure what she meant and I replied that I wasn’t running from anything. I asked the guy next to me how was I supposed to answer that? He said that it was just a “smart ass kid being a smart ass.” But it gave me something to mull over for the rest of the loop and the next. She asked again on the next loop, and I said “I’m not running from anything, I’m running to something.” A higher purpose, maybe? I don’t know, I’m still searching.

I really didn’t have a problem with the course other than there was a steady stream of cars in and out of the park. They were generally cognizant of us and gave us plenty of room, except for one car that came right in front of me and cut me off from the course and stopped. I wasn’t sure really what she was doing, and I don’t think she knew that she was blocking the race route, but it wasn’t a place to park, and she was miffed that I raised my hands as if to say “what the hell are you doing?” She backed up and I carried on to the finish.

When I hit loop 8/50K I knew I had 50 miles in the bag. Aside from the chafing, I felt really fresh. My legs weren’t tired, I had plenty of energy, and I was really enjoying each loop. When I was on the twelfth loop I was telling myself that I would do one more, possibly two after that. I finished the 13th loop and decided that the goal of 50 miles was reached, plus one extra for a total of 54 was enough for the day. It was the furthest I had ever run. I lined up in the corral for loop fourteen, and when the loop was started, I walked over and rang the bell. I was taping out. Everyone was extremely happy for me and they were applauding my effort. I told the race director “Let the record show that I started loop 14 but did not finish it.” It doesn’t really matter, but it sounds better than stopping at 13 loops.

Ringing the bell – making it official that I was done.

It took a while for the results to get loaded up and when they were I was shocked to see what had happened. The results showed that there were two runners that finished with 66.7 miles, the top male and the top female. But in a backyard ultra, there can only be one finisher! What this means is that there was NO finisher! Everyone DNF’d this race! Kari and I were discussing this and we weren’t sure if they just didn’t know the rules, or if the weather turned worse and they decided to quit, or if they were both happy with being the top finisher in their gender. The other part of it for me was that I am sure that I could have run past 66.7 miles! That’s only three more loops!

In the end, I finished in 4th place, as there were two that did 66 miles, six that tied at 62 miles, and another runner did one more lap than me. But really I was the 10th out of 30 starters, which really pleased me.

The results of the race weren’t the only thing that surprised me. What really surprised me was how dialed in I was and how good I felt, minus the chafing of course. I could barely walk when we returned to the hotel, and the shower was extremely painful when it hit my sore groin. But overall, I had no tiredness or soreness in my legs or feet. I could have kept going. The hydration was spot on, as was the nutrition. It’s making me rethink my 4-minute run / 2-minute walk pace plan for the 100 miler in November. I might have to shorten that run time down to two minutes because it worked so well here at Broken Anvil.

Overall, I loved this event. It was super fun, and if I plan to do more backyarders in the future, this one will definitely remain on the list.