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

This episode takes you inside Elm Creek Backyard Ultra, not just as a race, but as an experience shaped entirely around the athletes who show up to test their limits.
Race director, Nick Oswald, shares what makes Elm Creek different from other endurance events: an intentional, athlete-first approach where every decision, from logistics to volunteers, is designed to help runners go further than they thought possible.
At its core, Elm Creek feels less like a traditional race and more like a family picnic that just happens to last for days. Crews set up camp, volunteers settle in around bonfires, and runners return to the same start/finish area every hour, creating a space where spectators, families, and athletes are all part of the same shared experience. It’s accessible, welcoming, and uniquely social, whether you’re running one loop or pushing past 100 miles.
Nick gives a behind-the-scenes look at how much care goes into creating that environment. From managing timing and tracking runners for those following from afar, to ensuring aid station flow and volunteer support, the race team is constantly focused on one thing: making sure every athlete feels supported, seen, and set up to succeed.
From his vantage point at the start/finish line, Nick has witnessed the full spectrum of the backyard experience. He’s seen first-time runners fight to complete their very first loop, and seasoned athletes battle through the night chasing distances they’ve never reached before. He’s watched crews anxiously scan the darkness for their runner’s headlamp, and seen complete strangers come together to support uncrewed athletes, offering food, gear, and encouragement as the race goes on.
As the hours pass, something shifts. What starts as an individual challenge becomes a collective effort. Runners, crews, and volunteers begin working together, pulling each other forward, especially as milestones like 50K, 100K, and 100 miles approach. Some of the most powerful moments come when runners hit their limits, only to be turned back out for “one more loop” by the people around them.
Elm Creek isn’t just about distance. It’s about discovering what you’re capable of in an environment where everyone is invested in your success.
And according to Nick, that’s the magic of the backyard format: you come for the miles but you stay for the people, the persistence, and the possibility of going further than you ever planned.
Follow Elm Creek on Facebook and Instagram.
Elm Creek 2027 registration opens up on Labor Day - it sells out within 2-3 weeks so don't sit on the decision!
👉 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

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,” why he believes most runners quit before their true limit, and how small decisions, like reacting to competitors, can make or break a performance late in the race.
But this conversation goes far beyond the runner.
Samantha gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually means to crew a backyard ultra, from tracking every carb and decision, to anticipating needs before they’re spoken, to managing the emotional rollercoaster of watching someone you love push to their absolute edge. She shares how crewing has shaped her as a runner, why communication (or lack of it) matters, and what most people don’t realize about the role crew plays in these races.
Together, they explore:
Why pacing is one of the hardest (and most important) lessons in backyards 
The balance between trusting your runner and stepping in when it matters 
How fueling, gut issues, and decision-making evolve over 50+ hours 
The mental battle of choosing to start “one more loop” 
Why the backyard format exposes both your strengths and your blind spots 
Stormy also shares his creative “Pledge to the Park” fundraiser, where every completed loop turned into a donation, raising nearly $5,000 for local trails and adding an extra layer of purpose to every step.
Whether you’re a runner, a crew member, or someone curious about the backyard format, this episode gives you a raw, honest look at what it actually takes to keep going and why you might be capable of more than you think.
Follow Stormy on Instagram @stormyhild
Follow Samantha on Instagram @samanthahild_
Stormy's Queeny blog post
Work Hard Company
 
Key Takeaways
Most runners don’t hit their true limit, they stop when their mind gets loud 
If you are looking to go far, the first 12–24 hours of a backyard are just the “buy-in” 
Crewing is proactive, not reactive. It’s about anticipating needs before they happen 
Small mistakes compound late in the race (fueling, foot care, mindset) 
You can’t control other runners but focusing on them can still cost you 
The backyard ultra is as much about decision-making as it is about fitness
👉 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

In this episode of The One More Hour Podcast, Jaci sits down with Jeff Walker. Teacher, father, husband, and newly crowned silver ticket winner to unpack the race (Queeny Backyard Ultra) that is sending him to Big’s Backyard Ultra.
Jeff shares his journey from a post-college fitness reset to running over 200 miles in a backyard format, and what finally clicked at Queeny to produce his breakthrough performance.
Jeff was drawn to backyard ultras not for distance but for the challenge of pushing past the moment he wanted to quit. He believes most backyard finishes aren't physical - they're mental. He's never felt like he truly reached his physical ceiling. The limiter is often what your brain convinces you is enough.
This conversation dives deep into the mental, strategic, and human side of backyard ultras, from pacing and sleep to self-talk and community.
Key takeaways:
Protect the early hours
Expect problems. Ultra running is problem solving.
Simple training done consistently
Most backyard ultra finishes are mental, not physical
Community is a performance enhancer
A plan changes everything
Stop projecting. Stay in the hour.
Follow Jeff on Instagram @jcpwalker
👉 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

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 easy
How small pacing mistakes compound into big problems later
The subtle ways adrenaline shows up early
How ego influences decisions (even when you think it’s not)
What proper early pacing should actually feel like
A simple framework to set yourself up for a strong, long race
If you’ve ever blown up at 18–24 hours and couldn’t figure out why, this episode will help you connect the dots.
 
What You’ll Learn
Why backyard races are lost early, not late
The difference between running the clock vs running the day
How adrenaline quietly drains your energy
Why “this feels too easy” is a warning sign
What true patience looks like in a backyard ultra
How to pace with longevity in mind
The compounding cost of small early mistakes
 
Key Takeaways
The goal of the first 10 yards is preservation, not performance
If it doesn’t feel almost boring, you’re likely going too hard
Finishing faster early ≠ better — it often costs you later
Ego shows up in subtle ways (and it can end your race)
The runners who go far are often the most restrained early
 
Practical Framework for Your Next Backyard
Cap your effort, not your pace
Walk earlier than you think you need to
Enter camp smoothly — don’t rush in
Sit less than your ego wants to
Detach from what everyone else is doing
And most importantly: Don’t make emotional decisions early. There’s nothing to solve yet.
 
Final Thought
The first 10 yards aren’t about proving you belong. They’re about proving you can wait. Master that and you give yourself a real shot at going 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

In this episode of the One More Hour Podcast, Jaci sits down with ultra runner TJ Harms-Synkiew, who took on one of the most unusual endurance challenges in running: Burrito League.
For the entire month of January, runners gathered in Tempe, Arizona (and many other Burrito League locations) to repeat the same 0.2-mile Strava segment (segments varied based on location) as many times as possible.
TJ ended the month with 1,070 miles, earning second place while navigating sleep deprivation, pavement fatigue, injury, and the mental grind of doing the same loop thousands of times.
For runners familiar with backyard ultras (he's got experience in backyard ultras as well), the mindset might feel familiar.
Just like backyard racing, Burrito League became a constant question: Can you go one more?
In this conversation, TJ shares:
What it’s like to move 12–14 hours a day for nearly a month
How he managed the mental lows of repetitive endurance
Why community became the biggest factor in finishing
The physical consequences of jumping from low mileage to 300-mile weeks
Lessons about pain, persistence, and perspective
TJ also talks about the emotional comedown after the challenge ended. The sudden loss of routine, community, and movement that had defined his life for 26 days.
If you’ve ever wondered how far your mind can take you when your body wants to stop, this episode explores exactly that.
Because sometimes endurance isn’t about speed.
It’s about deciding to take one more step.

Follow TJ on Instagram
TJ's Substack
TJ's website https://coachcrewpace.com/

Key Takeaways
Break the challenge down. When the full distance becomes overwhelming, shrink the goal.
Community Changes Everything. Even though the challenge was individual, TJ says the biggest reason he kept going was the people around him.
Perspective Makes Hard Things Manageable. One of TJ’s most powerful coping strategies was perspective.
The Body Can Do More Than We Expect. TJ believed his legs were finished around 300 miles, then ran over 700 more miles.
The Aftermath Is Part of the Experience. One of the hardest parts came after Burrito League ended.
👉 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