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What can the world's best backyard ultra runners teach you about your next race? The 2026 Backyard Ultra Team World Championships featured (it's still going at the time of this recording!!!) athletes pushing beyond 100 hours, running through multiple nights, and discovering just how far they could go. But you don't have to run 100 yards to learn from the best. This episode breaks down 10 lessons from the Backyard Ultra Team World Championships that you can apply to your own backyard ultra, whether you're chasing your first 24 hours, trying to break through a plateau, wanting to run 70 yards, or looking to push your personal best even further. You'll learn why you should: Get off your feet early and make recovery a habit from the very first lap.Close your eyes, even if you can't sleep, to give your brain a break from constant stimulation.Have a variety of fueling options to combat palate fatigue and keep eating when your favorite foods stop sounding appealing.Prepare your crew to reduce your mental load, solve problems, and help you execute your race plan.Run boring, repeatable laps instead of wasting energy trying to bank time early.Protect your buffer and manage your time between laps so the clock doesn't end your race.Expect to suffer and learn how to navigate the low moments without assuming your race is over.Plan beyond yard 24 instead of allowing the 24-hour mark to become an automatic stopping point.Give and accept help because you don't have to navigate every low alone.Recognize that your personal best isn't your ceiling. Your past performance is information, not a limit on what's possible next.The biggest takeaway? You don't need to be a world-class athlete to apply world-class principles. Small decisions around pacing, fueling, recovery, crew support, and mindset can make a meaningful difference in how far you go. Ready to build your backyard ultra strategy? Join Jaci's free workshop (recording available), You Know How to Run, But Do You Know How to Backyard? Learn how to approach pacing, fueling, mindset, crew, race-day logistics, and execution so you can prepare to go farther than ever before. Keep learning. Keep experimenting. And remember: you don't have to figure out the entire race right now. You just have to figure out the next hour. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

The World Backyard Ultra Team Championships kick off October 17, and Team USA is heading to Big’s Backyard in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, to take on the best backyard ultra runners in the world around the world. In this episode, Jaci breaks down five key factors she’ll be watching as the race unfolds, from pacing restraint and fueling decisions to sleep strategies, team dynamics, and the importance of depth over individual performances. With every yard contributing to the team’s overall result, the question isn’t just who can go the farthest, but how many athletes can keep going when the race gets hard. Can Team USA put multiple runners over 100 yards? Who will adapt when their plans fall apart? And how will teammates balance individual race strategies with the shared goal of helping the team go as far as possible? Jaci also explores why the strongest-looking runners early aren’t necessarily the ones who last, why patience is a competitive advantage, and what we can learn by watching the best backyard ultra athletes in the world tackle new challenges. Whether you're a backyard ultra runner, a fan of the sport, or following Team USA on the road to the World Championships, this episode will help you watch the race with a deeper understanding of the strategy, decision-making, and mental resilience that make backyard ultras so fascinating. 🎧 Catch up on The Road to Big’s, the special series featuring pre-race interviews with members of Team USA. 📺 Follow the Backyard Ultra World Championships live on YouTube starting October 17, and watch the lessons unfold one yard at a time. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

Welcome to The Road to Big’s, a special series from The One More Hour Podcast featuring the athletes representing Team USA at the 2026 Backyard Ultra World Team Championships. Jennifer Russo is heading back to Big’s for her sixth consecutive year. With more than a dozen backyard ultras under her belt, a resume packed with 100- and 200-mile races, and a 2023 performance that made her the first woman to run 300 miles in the backyard format, Jennifer has been a major part of the growth of women’s participation in the sport. In this episode, Jennifer and Jaci talk about: What keeps bringing her back to Big’s year after yearThe unique dynamic of a Team USA year and this year’s mix of veterans and newcomersWhy she’s especially excited to see three women on Team USAThe challenges of the Big’s course, especially the cold nights and the third dayHer strategy for conserving energy and hanging farther back this yearWhy she tries not to know what yard she’s onWhat she’s learned from 100- and 200-mile races and what the backyard has taught her in returnHer experience becoming the first woman to reach 300 miles in a backyard ultraThe importance of not comparing your race to what everyone else is doingWhat she hopes to learn about herself at this year’s Team ChampionshipsThe grit she believes she brings to Team USAWhy she wants to run with gratitude and give everything she hasJennifer also shares her prediction for Team USA and why she thinks it’s time for a woman to break 100 yards. The Satellite World Championships kick off October 17, 2026, with Team USA competing on the Big’s course in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. The Road to Big’s continues with more Team USA athlete interviews leading into race day, followed by post-race conversations after the clock stops. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

Welcome to The Road to Big’s, a special series from The One More Hour Podcast featuring the athletes representing Team USA at the 2026 Backyard Ultra World Team Championships. Jon Noll is heading back to Big’s for his sixth consecutive year, after setting the all-American record last year with 111 hours and 462.5 miles. In this episode, Jon and Jaci talk about: Why Big’s has been his primary racing focus for the past five yearsWhy he prefers the team years and the camaraderie they createWhat makes this Team USA squad so excitingHow his training and approach have evolved over the yearsHis biggest change in sleep strategy: stop stressing about sleep and rest whenever you canRunning through the night with Harvey Lewis and the power of having someone beside youWhat went wrong during night five last year and how that experience is shaping this year’s planHis “one hour at a time” approach to an event that could last 100+ hoursHam and cheese sandwiches, oatmeal, caffeine, and fueling late in the raceWhy knowing the Big’s course so well can be an advantageThe role he hopes to play in helping his teammates through the day loopsHis prediction for Team USA and why he thinks three or four Americans could reach 100 hoursAnd the one thing that matters most to Jon: pushing all the way to his limitFollow Jon: Strava Instagram @jonnoll Facebook The Satellite World Championships kick off October 17, 2026, with Team USA competing on the Big’s course in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. The Road to Big’s continues with more Team USA athlete interviews leading into race day, followed by post-race conversations after the clock stops. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

What actually happens in your brain when you're 20, 40, or 60 hours into a backyard ultra and suddenly everything feels harder than it should? In this episode of The One More Hour Podcast, I'm joined by Sarah Strong, aka The Trail Therapist, a licensed clinical social worker, certified ultrarunning coach, and ultrarunner who specializes in the mental side of performance. We talk about what happens when your brain starts telling you, "I can't do this anymore," and how to respond without automatically believing every thought that shows up. Sarah breaks down mindfulness, anxiety, fear, negative thoughts, nighttime hypervigilance, and the tendency to start negotiating with yourself deep into an ultra. We also talk about why trying to argue logically with yourself often doesn't work when you're highly activated and what you can do instead. You'll hear practical strategies for: Staying present instead of thinking 12 hours aheadRecognizing when your brain is spiralingShifting your attention out of your head and into your body or environmentHandling the heightened anxiety and fear that can come with running at nightPreparing for the "defense attorney" in your brain that starts building a case for why you should quitUsing visualization and mantras to make mental skills more automaticHelping your crew support you without trying to "fix" your thoughtsCreating a plan for the predictable mental challenges you're likely to faceProcessing a DNF without turning one race into a judgment about who you are as a runnerSarah also shares specific tools runners can practice in training, including body scans, mindful check-ins, chunking, environmental awareness, counting, breathing, visualization, and her "SNACK" approach to getting out of a spiral. One of my biggest takeaways from this conversation: the goal isn't to get rid of difficult thoughts or feelings. It's to notice them, create some space from them, regulate your body, and then decide what to do next. Because your brain is going to be there for every mile your legs are there for. It deserves some training, too. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

Welcome to The Road to Big’s, a special series from The One More Hour Podcast featuring the athletes representing Team USA at the 2026 Backyard Ultra World Team Championships. Scott Snell is no stranger to Big’s. He has competed at the event multiple times, including on Team USA, and this year he’s heading back with a mindset shaped by those past experiences and a renewed appreciation for what makes the team format so special. Scott and Jaci talk about:  What keeps bringing him back to Big’s year after year Why he actually prefers the team years to the individual World Championships  How his mindset changed between the 2022 and 2024 team events  The power of having teammates beside you when the race gets hard  The difference between racing for your own performance and running every yard as a point for Team USA  How he balances high hopes and big goals with realistic expectations  A memorable sleep-deprived moment from the 2024 race involving Scott, Cody, and some very enthusiastic “USA!” chants And the mindset Scott hopes to carry through four days and four nights: focus on the process, not the endingScott also shares his prediction for Team USA, and it's a big one. 👀 The Satellite World Championships kick off October 17, 2026, with Team USA competing on the Big’s course in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Follow Scott on Instagram: @beastcoasttrailrunning Use code SCOTT10 for 10% off at Mount Coast. The Road to Big’s continues with more Team USA athlete interviews leading into the World Championships, followed by post-race conversations after the clock stops. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

Welcome to The Road to Big's, a special series from The One More Hour Podcast featuring the athletes representing Team USA at the 2026 Backyard Ultra World Team Championships. In this episode, Jaci sits down with Scott Martin, an ultrarunner with more than 120 races on UltraSignup and a recent 78-yard backyard PR at Banana Slug, where he covered 325 miles. Scott earned a spot on Team USA two years ago but was unable to compete because of injury. Now he's back and heading to Big's with a much bigger question in mind: How far can he go? Scott and Jaci talk about:  What it means to finally get his shot at Big's after missing out two years ago  Representing Team USA and the unique dynamic of competing as part of a team  What he learned from his 78-yard performance at Banana Slug  Why he believes the key to a backyard is simply starting the next loop The mental challenge of watching other runners and assuming they're doing better than you  His goal of experiencing a fourth night of backyard running  Why the difficult parts of the race can actually become easier the longer he goes And what it would mean to Scott to truly find his limit, even if he isn't the last runner standing Scott also shares the fascinating story behind how his diagnosis with ankylosing spondylitis changed his relationship with running and ultimately helped shape the consistent, high-volume runner he is today. The Satellite World Championships kick off October 17, 2026, with Team USA competing on the Big's course in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Follow Scott: Instagram @cavemanrunmts Strava Facebook Scott's sponsers: Evolution Healthcare & Fitness Speedland Squirrel's Nut Butter Work Epic Follow The One More Hour Podcast for more The Road to Big's interviews with Team USA leading into the World Championships, followed by post-race conversations after the clock stops. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

🎉 The One More Hour Podcast is ONE! One year ago, I hit publish on an idea I'd been sitting on for more than a year. I was scared, overthinking the technical details, trying to figure everything out before I started, and ultimately learning that sometimes you just have to stop waiting until you're ready and take the next step. In this one-year anniversary episode, I'm looking back at Year One of The One More Hour Podcast: 54 episodes, 26 guests, and a whole lot of conversations about backyard ultras, ultrarunning, and the mindset of going one more. I'll highlight some of the most popular episodes and biggest topics we've covered, including nutrition, pacing, camp setup, crewing, foot care, goal setting, race strategy, mindset, and backyard simulations. Then we'll look ahead to Year Two, including exclusive pre- and post-race interviews with Team USA around the Backyard Ultra World Championships, conversations with sleep experts, physical therapists, sports psychology experts, and runners from around the world. Plus, I'm sharing details about the upcoming Backyard Battle Plan webinar and a one-year anniversary giveaway: a FREE 45-minute backyard ultra coaching consultation. 🎁Put your name in the hat for the giveaway here. Rules to win: Follow @theonemorehourpodcast on Instagram.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.Fill out the giveaway submission here.Thank you for listening, sharing, sending questions, coming up to me at races, and being part of this first year. Here's to another year of great guests, learning, stats, backyard ultra conversations, and going one more. I'll see you in the next hour. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

What if the hard part of your run isn't actually the problem? This episode of The One More Hour Podcast talks about one of the strangest contradictions in endurance sports: we spend months preparing ourselves for discomfort, and then act surprised when discomfort actually shows up. “This is supposed to be hard” doesn't mean you should ignore pain, injury, or warning signs. It means that difficult, uncomfortable, exhausting moments are a normal part of asking your body and mind to do something challenging. Hard doesn't automatically mean bad. Tired doesn't automatically mean unprepared. And struggling doesn't automatically mean you need to quit. Jaci breaks down the difference between a physical sensation and the story your brain creates around that sensation, drawing on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). When you're exhausted, “my legs are heavy” can quickly become “I'm cooked,” “my race is over,” or “I can't do this.” Learning to notice those thoughts without automatically obeying them can change the way you respond to difficult moments. You'll also hear why Jaci intentionally wants athletes to experience imperfect training, how to practice problem-solving before race day, why preparation doesn't eliminate uncertainty, and how to tell the difference between “I don't want to feel this anymore” and “I cannot continue.” Whether you're struggling through a long run, questioning your training, or sitting at 2 a.m. in the middle of a backyard ultra wondering why you ever signed up for this, this episode is a reminder that you don't have to make the discomfort disappear. You just have to decide what comes next. One step. One mile. One yard. One decision. This is hard, and I'm still here. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

You can have the mileage, the strength, the aerobic base, and the ultra experience, and still have a terrible backyard ultra if you pace it poorly. In this episode of The One More Hour Podcast, we’re talking all about backyard ultra pacing and why fitness alone isn’t enough. The goal of a backyard isn't to see how fast you can run 4.167 miles. It's to find an effort you can repeat over and over again for an unknown amount of time. We’ll talk about: Why the first few yards can be the most dangerous because they feel so easyWhy pace and effort are not the same thing, especially on trailsHow walking can help you conserve energy and go furtherWhy trying to bank extra time at camp can actually cost you laterHow to think about your time at camp without treating a specific number as a ruleWhy going from 10 minutes back at camp to 8 minutes doesn't automatically mean you're failingThe small pacing decisions that quietly add up: urging, hammering hills, bombing downhills, chasing other runners, and running faster because you're boredHow to use heart rate as information without letting your watch dictate your raceWhy your pacing strategy needs to account for the course, weather, terrain, fitness, crew, fueling, and your individual needsHow crew can remove friction and allow you to spend less energy on the courseWhy faster runners can actually make some of the biggest pacing mistakesHow to practice your pacing through backyard simulations and course-specific trainingWhat to do when your loop times start getting slowerWhy seven minutes back at camp is data, not a predictionHow to adjust your strategy without panicking when the race doesn't feel the way you expectedMost importantly, we'll talk about the difference between having the fitness to go far and actually knowing how to use that fitness. Your training plan can build the capacity. Pacing determines how much of that capacity you actually get to use. Don't pace for the yard you're running. Pace for the race you're trying to finish. One yard at a time. One hour at a time. One decision at a time. If you want help developing an individualized backyard ultra strategy, pacing plan, or race-day approach, reach out to Jaci about The Backyard Ultra Battle Plan or one-on-one coaching. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

Your expectations are not reality. Have you ever trained for a race, prepared for every possible detail, and then found yourself struggling because race day didn't feel anything like you expected? This episode of The One More Hour Podcast explores the gap between expectations and reality, and why that gap can derail runners faster than physical discomfort itself. From 50Ks to backyard ultras, we spend months preparing our bodies, practicing nutrition, planning pacing, and imagining how race day will unfold. But expectations are predictions, not promises. When reality doesn't match the picture in our heads, disappointment can quickly turn into doubt, panic, or the decision to quit. This episode breaks down how to recognize when you're arguing with reality instead of responding to it, how to separate disappointment from danger, and why problem-solving is one of the most valuable skills an endurance athlete can develop. You'll learn why managing expectations doesn't mean lowering your goals, how to build flexibility into your race strategy, and how to shift from emotionally driven questions to useful ones that keep you moving forward. The race you imagined before the starting line was a prediction. The race you're experiencing now is information. Sometimes, the most important thing you can do is stop trying to make reality match your expectations and start working with what's actually in front of you. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

Your brain doesn't usually tell you to quit. It tells you to be reasonable. After hours of running, fatigue, discomfort, uncertainty, and doubt can cause your mind to start building a convincing case for why stopping is the logical thing to do. You've already exceeded your goal. You have work Monday. You're worried about getting injured. You can always come back next year. Suddenly, quitting doesn't feel like quitting anymore. It feels like the smart decision. In this episode of The One More Hour Podcast, we takes a deeper look at the backyard ultra exit narrative. Aka the moment your brain starts looking for an out, and the psychology behind why these thoughts can become so believable during an ultra. You'll learn: Why your brain starts searching for relief when faced with prolonged discomfort and uncertaintyThe difference between having a thought and treating that thought like a factHow cognitive fusion can cause runners to become hooked by thoughts like "I can't do this" or "I need to quit"Practical cognitive defusion techniques, including "I'm having the thought that..." and "Thanks, brain"How to recognize and name your recurring exit narratives before they take overStories from her first backyard ultra and how she unknowingly built a logical case for her own exitThe coyote story from her second backyard and what it taught her about the brain's ability to create an outThe identity trap: when success becomes permission to stopHow to establish predetermined stopping criteria so you aren't making important decisions in your most fatigued stateWhy your crew can either help you stay grounded or accidentally add evidence to the lawyer's caseHow to practice cognitive defusion and psychological flexibility in everyday life and during trainingThe goal isn't to eliminate negative thoughts, fear, doubt, or discomfort. Those things are part of being human and part of ultra running. The goal is to create enough space between you and your thoughts that you can choose your response instead of automatically obeying the story your brain is telling you. Because your thoughts aren't commands. They're thoughts. And sometimes, all you need to do is recognize the Lawyer, say "Thanks, brain," and decide what to do next. One more yard. One more hour. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

What does it take to keep going when the race stops being about miles and becomes a battle between your mind and your body? Levi Yoder knows a thing or two about that. Levi went from starting his running journey in 2019 to completing his first 100-miler in 2022 and then winning his first backyard ultra and earning a spot at Big’s Backyard Ultra. Since then, he has competed at Big’s three times, including the 2022 World Team Championship, the 2023 Individual Championship, and the 2024 World Team Championship, where he reached an incredible 75 yards and more than 312 miles. In this episode, Levi takes us inside those three world stage experiences and shares how his approach has evolved, from being completely underprepared for his first backyard to learning how to pace himself, manage the mental highs and lows, fuel, sleep, communicate with his crew, and conserve energy for the long haul. We talk about: How Levi went from a new runner to a 300+ mile backyard ultra athleteThe biggest lessons he learned from his first backyardHow his experiences at Big’s Backyard Ultra changed from 2022 to 2024Why confidence can sometimes become a liability in a backyardLearning to expect the low points and knowing they will passHis strategy for caffeine, naps, and sleep during multi-day racesWhy remaining emotionally neutral can be such a powerful skillHow he uses discomfort in everyday life to prepare mentally for the backyardThe importance of having a crew who knows you and can make decisions when you're exhaustedWhy his wife and crew are such an important part of his successHis 2024 Big’s experience and what ultimately took him out at 75 yardsHow he balances pushing his limits with knowing when it's time to stopWhy he believes there may always be another level to reachAnd perhaps most importantly, Levi shares what he believes now that he didn't believe when he started running backyards: You might be capable of far more than you think you are. Whether you're training for your first backyard ultra or wondering what it takes to go 100, 200, or 300+ miles, there are plenty of lessons in this conversation you can take into your next race. Find Levi on Instagram at @way_co_ultra_runner and on Facebook and Strava as Levi Yoder. 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

What does it actually take to crew a Backyard Ultra? Your runner has spent months preparing for the race. But what about the people sitting at camp? A great backyard ultra crew doesn't just hand out bottles and cheer when their runner comes through. They're the runner's second brain: managing logistics, protecting their energy, thinking ahead, solving problems, and helping them make good decisions when fatigue starts to take over. This episode is a complete Backyard Ultra Crewing 101 guide, created specifically for runners to send to their crew before race day. We start with the basics: what a backyard ultra is, how the format works, what the runner can and can't do during the hour, and why pacing and camp time matter. From there, we get into what makes a great crew and how to create an organized, calm camp where your runner can reset every hour. You'll learn about:  Camp organization and why everything needs a home  Why your crew is your second brain What your runner needs to communicate to the crew before race day  Understanding your runner's minimum, realistic, and stretch goals  Nutrition, hydration, electrolytes, and sticking to the plan  Creating contingency plans when your runner stops wanting their usual food  Shoes, socks, blisters, chafing, clothing, and preventative care  How to communicate with a tired runner without creating more decision fatigue  Why "How are you feeling?" may not be the best question to ask  How to give your runner simple choices and reduce the number of decisions they have to make  Why you shouldn't let your runner make a major decision while sitting in the chair  How to prepare for the next yard before your runner even gets back to camp  What changes when the race goes from hours into multiple nights  How to adapt when weather, nutrition, sleep, feet, or fatigue don't go according to plan  Problem-solving instead of panicking  Why your crew's emotional state can affect your runner  Why crew members need to eat, hydrate, rest, and take care of themselves, too  How the crew's role changes when the goal is 10 yards versus 50, 100, 200+ miles And perhaps most importantly, we talk about the relationship between the runner and the crew: the runner is responsible for running 4.167 miles every hour and the crew runs the camp. The goal isn't for the crew to take control of the race. It's to remove as much unnecessary physical and mental work from the runner as possible so they can focus on the only thing they need to do: One more yard. One more hour. If you're running your first backyard ultra, send this episode to your crew. Then sit down together and talk through your goals, pacing, nutrition, gear, communication, and what you need from each other before race day. And if you're the person who has been asked to crew a backyard ultra for the first time, thank you. Your runner chose you because they trust you! You don't have to know everything about ultrarunning, you just need to care enough to prepare, because in a backyard ultra, one more hour is almost never earned alone. It's a team sport. You can't go far alone! 👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website

What does it take to go from a 27-yard backyard ultra runner to consistently running 60+ yards and still believe you have more to learn? In this episode of the One More Hour Podcast, I’m joined by Dave Kwiatkowski, one of the most intriguing young athletes in the backyard ultra world. Dave has built his success through a process of experimentation, problem-solving, and learning from every race. We talk about how his approach has evolved since his first backyard ultra, the mistakes that have shaped his training, and why he believes every runner is an “experiment of one.” Dave shares how he trains his quads and glutes, why uphill hiking and stair repeats have become staples, and how he balances running by feel with the data he does pay attention to. We also get into the less glamorous, and often overlooked parts of going deep in a backyard: electrolyte balance, bathroom breaks, sleep deprivation, caffeine, and what happens when your brain starts seeing basketballs and treehouses that aren't actually there. Dave also shares his philosophy on crew, including why he believes the crew camp should be designed primarily for the crew, and how running with other athletes has helped him push through those moments when he wants to quit. And we talk about Big's Backyard Ultra, what makes Laz's backyard so special, where Dave thinks the backyard format could go in the future, and his new project, Yard Lore, a backyard-ultra data hub designed to bring athlete and race history together in one place. If you're fascinated by the process of getting better, not just the final result, this episode is for you. Show links: Dave's website and blog Dave's Instagram @davekwiatkowski Yardlore Andy's Backyard on October 24, 2026 (Dave's dad's race) Big's Backyard Ultra In this episode: Dave's unconventional introduction to ultra runningThe story behind his first 27-yard backyardHow he's progressed to multiple 60+ yard performancesLearning from failure and turning every race into an experimentTraining for the physical demands of multi-day backyardsSleep, caffeine, and hallucinationsElectrolytes and the surprisingly important problem of bathroom breaksBuilding an effective crew campWhy running with other athletes can be the difference between quitting and continuingDave's experiences at Big's Backyard UltraThe future of backyard ultrasThe story behind Yardlore and its unique “Lore Score”👉 Don’t miss the next yard. Hit Follow on The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset. ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a quick review. It helps more runners find the show and keep going when they want to stop. 📲 Connect with me on Instagram → @onemorehourpodcast 📩 Got a story about going one more? I’d love to hear it. Email me at → [email protected] 🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website