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 → theonemorehourpodcast@gmail.com

🎁 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 year
• The unique dynamic of a Team USA year and this year’s mix of veterans and newcomers
• Why she’s especially excited to see three women on Team USA
• The challenges of the Big’s course, especially the cold nights and the third day
• Her strategy for conserving energy and hanging farther back this year
• Why she tries not to know what yard she’s on
• What she’s learned from 100- and 200-mile races and what the backyard has taught her in return
• Her experience becoming the first woman to reach 300 miles in a backyard ultra
• The importance of not comparing your race to what everyone else is doing
• What she hopes to learn about herself at this year’s Team Championships
• The grit she believes she brings to Team USA
• Why she wants to run with gratitude and give everything she has

Jennifer 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 → theonemorehourpodcast@gmail.com

🎁 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 years
• Why he prefers the team years and the camaraderie they create
• What makes this Team USA squad so exciting
• How his training and approach have evolved over the years
• His biggest change in sleep strategy: stop stressing about sleep and rest whenever you can
• Running through the night with Harvey Lewis and the power of having someone beside you
• What went wrong during night five last year and how that experience is shaping this year’s plan
• His “one hour at a time” approach to an event that could last 100+ hours
• Ham and cheese sandwiches, oatmeal, caffeine, and fueling late in the race
• Why knowing the Big’s course so well can be an advantage
• The role he hopes to play in helping his teammates through the day loops
• His prediction for Team USA and why he thinks three or four Americans could reach 100 hours
• And the one thing that matters most to Jon: pushing all the way to his limit

Follow 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 → theonemorehourpodcast@gmail.com

🎁 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 ahead
• Recognizing when your brain is spiraling
• Shifting your attention out of your head and into your body or environment
• Handling the heightened anxiety and fear that can come with running at night
• Preparing for the "defense attorney" in your brain that starts building a case for why you should quit
• Using visualization and mantras to make mental skills more automatic
• Helping your crew support you without trying to "fix" your thoughts
• Creating a plan for the predictable mental challenges you're likely to face
• Processing a DNF without turning one race into a judgment about who you are as a runner

Sarah 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 → theonemorehourpodcast@gmail.com

🎁 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 ending

Scott 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 → theonemorehourpodcast@gmail.com

🎁 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 → theonemorehourpodcast@gmail.com

🎁 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:

1. Follow @theonemorehourpodcast on Instagram.
2. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
3. 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 → theonemorehourpodcast@gmail.com

🎁 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 → theonemorehourpodcast@gmail.com

🎁 Freebie → 5 Mental Traps Backyard Runners Fall Into (and How to Fix Them)

⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website