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