GRP Runner, Ben Feinson, raced for 37 hours at Bubba’s Backyard Ultra in Center Conway, NH on October 1st, finishing in 4th place. We sat down with Ben to learn about his experience running through the night and dealing with sleep deprivation.

Ben during Bubba’s Backyard Ultra, followed by JP Krol, a 2022 Craftsbury Running Camp coach.

First of all, what’s the deal with Bubba’s? What’s a Last Runner Standing?

The Last Runner Standing event, or looped courses in general (like the 24-hour race), are a great way to introduce night running safely. At “Backyard Ultras” like Bubba’s, hosted by Run the Whites, runners run a loop every hour - in this case 3.5 miles - and return to the same central aid station where their crew can offer support. All runners must be ready to begin the same course again, at the start of the next hour. There is no significant advantage to running the course extremely fast, aside from a bit more time to rest before the next hour. Racers who fail to complete the loop within the hour, or who fail to start a loop with everyone else on the hour, are eliminated until one remains. This year, 4-time champion Ed Clifford won the event in 42 hours! In this format, many runners find they can cover distances beyond what they have ever covered before, into the night and beyond.

Back in the crew station to get ready for another lap at Bubba’s

What other experience do you have running all through the night?

B: My first all-nighter was the 50-mile “Hut Traverse” in the White Mountains, which I began in the afternoon and finished the following day. This hike was my introduction to ultra running in general, in 2018. It was a bit scary to hear small mammals rustling around on the Crawford path at night, but once I adjusted to the new circumstance, I found it quite peaceful. Hiking the high peaks in the mist at night was challenging, and required good focus, navigation, and self-care. Since then, I have had a few 100-mile events that run through the night, as well as my Long Trail record in 2021 (video) which included a great deal of night hiking, and most recently, Bubba’s Backyard Ultra, where I ran for 37 hours.

Lots of night hiking during the Long Trail FKT

Is it dangerous to be sleep deprived when I’m out running? How can I keep myself safe?

B: It is a good idea to choose an event with consistent support and safety nets when you first face sleep deprivation. Knowing where you will have aid stations and what they will offer, and knowing the course by heart before going out is always good practice, but even more important if you know you could be fuzzy-headed at 4:00am. Additionally, you should make a solid nutrition plan and stick to it. If you fail to take in enough food during the night, you will be more likely to lose mental focus or to drop in body temperature. Eat consistently (I often take in 250-350 calories per hour) and always, always bring an extra layer! My emergency kit for ultra running includes a space blanket, an extra light, and a small whistle. These three items are absolutely fundamental to staying safe at night.

Preparing to start the 9th hour at Bubba’s

Is there any way that I can train for sleep deprivation in races?

B: I don’t necessarily recommend that ultra-runners spend time running sleep deprived to train, but it’s fair to say that we want to expose ourselves to as many challenging variables as possible which might be faced on race day. If you have an all-nighter coming up, just one ‘night practice’ event can do a lot to prepare yourself mentally. Try getting up and starting your long run when your circadian rhythm is most eager to keep you asleep – 2 to 4:00am for many of us. And definitely practice your layering and lighting systems in the dark, so this won’t catch you by surprise on race day.

Remember, it is paramount to get consistent, healthy sleep when you are preparing for a race! I believe it is better to take a ‘leap of faith’ with sleep deprivation than to sacrifice your health during peak training. In this vein, many ultrarunners know that experimenting with longer distances can be a leap outside their comfort zone. Our long run might be only 25 miles before a 50-mile race, for example. Taking on too many long hard efforts during training can introduce a lot of risk and fatigue. Yet over long periods of time (think, multiple training seasons) we recover from these big jumps and our bodies become more resilient. Sleep deprivation can be seen in a similar way – the first few long nights will be jarring at first, but we build more resilience over time.

Have you ever hallucinated during a run, or fallen asleep running? Can I avoid this?

Hallucinations happen for some of us - one of the runners at Bubba’s Backyard Ultra this year described seeing a full brass band playing in the forest! In my experience, little shadows and patterns in nature can take on a little shimmer or wobble, or start to look like things I expect to see such as small mammals or signs. I hallucinate rarely, but had some of these experiences on my second night at Bubba’s this year, as well as on my last night hiking the Long Trail (night 4) last year. Everybody reacts differently to sleep deprivation. If you feel like your vision or mind are unfaithful or you are running unsafely, taking just a 15-20 minute nap is often enough to reset your mind and your energy to a place where you can run safely. If you are falling asleep standing up, it’s time to nap! Many longer races allow for a pacer or ‘safety runner,’ which can be fundamental if your decision-making capacity is starting to suffer. The pacer can keep you safe and on schedule during your short nap.

Thanks Ben for sharing your thoughts with us and best of luck in your adventures ahead! And to those of you out there interested in pursuing big adventure goals that may require minimal sleep - plan well, have fun, and stay safe.

Ben, Bubba's, and Sleep Deprivation