The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Races, and the Ultrarunning Mindset

What happens when an experienced ultrarunner steps into a completely new race format? In this episode of The One More Hour Podcast, I sit down with fellow Minnesota runner and coach, Wendy Krause, to talk about her first-ever Backyard Ultra at Blacks Grove Backyard Ultra. Although Wendy has years of experience racing trail ultras and 100-milers, the Backyard format challenged her in entirely new ways. From pacing and self-crewing to fueling, staying present, and embracing the unknown, Wendy w...

How far should your longest long run be before a backyard ultra? It’s one of the most common questions runners ask, and in this episode, I explain why it might be the wrong question. Backyard ultras aren’t won because you survived one massive training run. They’re won because you practiced the skills that allow you to keep showing up every hour: pacing, fueling, problem-solving, sleep management, mental resilience, efficiency, and adaptability. In this episode, I break down 11 different types...

In Part 2 of this two-part series, we explore what happens after the race when the dust settles and a familiar thought starts to creep in: “I think I still had one more loop in me.” If you've ever finished a backyard ultra, timed event, or endurance race and wondered whether you could have gone farther, this episode is for you. We discuss: why so many runners realize after the race that they may have had more leftthe difference between reaching your physical limit and reaching your willingnes...

Are you ACTUALLY ready for your backyard ultra? This episode dives into the often overlooked mental, logistical, and emotional readiness required for backyard ultras and timed events. We discuss the importance of process goals versus only having outcome goals, mental resilience, decision making and handling emotional low points, and strategic preparation to succeed in ultra-distance running. What questions do you need to ask yourself before training begins to ensure your goals align with your...

Backyard ultras aren’t won with big moments, flashy workouts, or hype. They’re built on the things no one talks about and the things most runners try to avoid. In this episode, we break down the “unsexy skills” that actually determine how long you last in a backyard ultra or timed event. The quiet, repetitive, often overlooked habits that become everything when the race stretches into hours 18… 24… 30… and beyond. Because the truth is, backyard ultras don’t reward excitement. They reward cons...

What do you do when life keeps telling you “no”? For Parker Stinnett, the answer is simple: find another way forward. In this episode of The One More Hour Podcast, Parker shares his unconventional path, from being a backup college football kicker, to failing out of BUD/S prep, to becoming an officer in the Navy flying both helicopters and the Osprey, and how that same mindset carried him into ultrarunning. In just two years, Parker has gone from his first brutal 50K to winning his first backy...

At some point in every backyard ultra or timed event, you’ll hit it: 2:00 a.m. The moment where everything suddenly feels heavier, harder, and a little bit hopeless. In this episode, we break down the psychological shift that happens in the middle of the night and why your brain becomes a completely unreliable narrator when fatigue, darkness, and sleep deprivation collide. Because here’s the truth: Most runners don’t quit because their body is done. They quit because they believe the story th...

A 55-yard backyard ultra doesn’t happen by accident—and it definitely doesn’t happen alone. In this episode of the One More Hour Podcast, Jaci sits down with Stormy and Samantha Hild to break down Stormy’s massive 55-yard performance at Queeny Backyard Ultra from both sides of the chair. Stormy shares how he’s evolved from going out too fast and learning the hard way to developing a steady, repeatable approach that carried him over 200 miles. He dives into his mindset of “buying into the race...

Most runners think backyard ultras fall apart in the middle of the night. They don’t. They fall apart in the first 10 yards. In this episode of The One More Hour Podcast, we break down the most common mistake runners make early in backyard ultras: letting pacing, ego, and adrenaline take control. Because the reality is: You’re not going too fast in an obvious way… You’re going too fast in ways you don’t feel yet. This episode walks through: Why the first 10 yards feel deceptively easyHow smal...

In this powerful and vulnerable conversation, Jaci sits down with Jon Fischer, founder of Phase One, to explore what it really means to “stand the line” in racing and in life. From surviving military training and near-death experiences to battling suicidal ideation and rebuilding his life through faith, fatherhood, and daily discipline, Jon shares the raw journey behind his evolution from performance-chasing ultrarunner to values-driven man. Together, they unpack: Why consistency matters more...

Walking isn’t a failure in a backyard ultra. It’s a skill. In this episode, Jaci breaks down why hiking and intentional walking are essential for going further in the backyard format and why most runners underestimate how much speed and efficiency they can gain by improving their slowest miles. You’ll learn: Why trail pace should never be compared to road paceWhy walking the hills early conserves energy and delays fatigueHow improving hiking speed often giv...

Packing for a backyard ultra can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first one. In this episode of The One More Hour Podcast, I break down what gear actually matters, what runners tend to overthink, and how being organized and practiced can make or break your race. Backyard ultras reward preparation, not perfection. You don’t need everything. You need the right things, practiced systems, and the ability to move efficiently between loops as fatigue sets in. Whether you’re running self-s...

If you’ve ever felt confused about bronze tickets, silver tickets, gold tickets, or how runners actually qualify for Big’s Backyard Ultra, this episode breaks it all down in a clear, no-fluff way. In this short episode, we walk through how the backyard ultra qualification system works, what each “ticket” really means, and how runners progress from local backyard races all the way to the World Championships at Big Dog’s Backyard in Tennessee. This episode is designed to help you understand the...