(Ep.34) Learning to Work With Your Brain During Backyard Ultras with Neal Palles, LCSW, CMPC

(Ep.38) How to Reflect on Your Backyard Ultra So You Go Further Next Time

Most runners finish a race and immediately focus on one thing: the result. How many yards did I get? How far did I go? Did I hit my goal? But what if the most valuable part of your backyard ultra isn't the result, but it's what the race is trying to teach you? In this episode of The One More Hour Podcast, I break down how to reflect on your Backyard Ultra in a way that actually helps you improve. We'll talk about why the thing that ended your race may not be the thing you think ended your race, how to identify the real limiting factors in your performance, and how to turn race-day lessons into smarter training. You'll learn: * Why Backyard Ultras are one of the best learning environments in endurance sports * The biggest mistakes runners make when reflecting on a race * How to identify the difference between symptoms and root causes * Why studying what worked is just as important as studying what failed * How to spot energy leaks that quietly sabotage performance * What the best runners do differently and how to learn from them * How to use your race reflections to build a better training plan Whether you ran 10 yards or 100, every Backyard Ultra leaves clues. The runners who improve the fastest aren't always the most talented. They're the ones willing to study those clues honestly. Your next breakthrough may already be hidden inside your last race. 🎙 Download the free Backyard Ultra Post-Race Reflection Worksheet and start uncovering the lessons from your own races. 👉 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 [https://instagram.com/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) [https://the-runner-s-toolbox-with-coach-jaci-wilson.kit.com/podcast]  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website [https://jaciwilsonruns.com/run-coaching/1-on-1-run-coaching/]

(Ep.37) Part 2: Why You Still Had One More Loop In You

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 left * the difference between reaching your physical limit and reaching your willingness to stay uncomfortable * why ultras are nonlinear and how quickly a low can turn around * how fear, uncertainty, sleep deprivation, and underfueling influence decision-making * why the urge to stop is not always trustworthy * how reflecting on your race can help you go farther next time Most runners don't stop when their body completely forces them to stop. They stop somewhere between "I absolutely can't" and "I don't want to anymore." Learning the difference is one of the most important skills in endurance racing. This episode is not about regret. It's about growth. Realizing you had one more loop in you isn't proof that you failed. It's proof that your limits may be farther away than you thought. Apply. Adapt. Reflect. Adjust. That's how one race becomes the foundation for the next breakthrough. 👉 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 [https://instagram.com/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) [https://the-runner-s-toolbox-with-coach-jaci-wilson.kit.com/podcast]  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website [https://jaciwilsonruns.com/run-coaching/1-on-1-run-coaching/]

(Ep.36) Part 1: You're NOT Done Yet. Why This Is NOT Your Last Yard

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we’re talking about the moments during an ultra when your brain starts trying to convince you that you’re done. Not necessarily physically done, but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually done. If you’ve ever sat in a chair during a backyard ultra convinced there was “no way” you could do another loop, this episode is for you. We dive into: * why your brain becomes so convincing during low moments * the difference between discomfort and true physical limitation * why runners often quit emotionally before they quit physically * how psychological flexibility helps runners stay in the race longer * practical strategies for handling doubt, fear, and overwhelm during ultras This episode is a reminder that you do not need to feel confident to keep moving forward, and that a temporary low should not always get to make a permanent decision. Because more often than you think… you’re not actually done yet. 👉 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 [https://instagram.com/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) [https://the-runner-s-toolbox-with-coach-jaci-wilson.kit.com/podcast]  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website [https://jaciwilsonruns.com/run-coaching/1-on-1-run-coaching/]

(Ep.35) Am I ACTUALLY Ready for My Backyard Ultra? Setting Process Goals for Your Next Backyard

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 season of life? We cover the thought process needed and how to understand your life support system and training capacity.   Resources: Episode 14: Goal Setting Backyard Ultra Preseason Checklist Process Buy-In Reflection Worksheet 👉 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 [https://instagram.com/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) [https://the-runner-s-toolbox-with-coach-jaci-wilson.kit.com/podcast]  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website [https://jaciwilsonruns.com/run-coaching/1-on-1-run-coaching/]

(Ep.34) Learning to Work With Your Brain During Backyard Ultras with Neal Palles, LCSW, CMPC

Backyard ultras require physical fitness, but they are really a test of the mind! Your brain is designed to keep you safe, not help you perform. You can show up to race day as the fittest runner out there, but your mental game can bring you down the fastest if you haven't practiced it or you've thought "I've got a good mind." In this episode, Jaci sits down with Neal Palles, a licensed clinical social worker, certified mental performance consultant, ultrarunning coach, and ultrarunner, to break down what’s actually happening in your mind during training and racing. We dive into the unique mental challenges of backyard ultras, where there’s no defined finish line and every hour presents a new choice: keep going… or stop. Neal shares how your brain is wired for safety (not performance), why your thoughts get louder when you’re fatigued, and how to work with your mind instead of fighting it. We also unpack: * Why you almost always have “one more loop”  * The benefits of experiential education * Mental flexibility in ultra runners * The truth about DNFs (and why they don’t mean what you think)  * How mental health directly impacts performance * Why self-compassion is a performance tool that is often overlooked (or more often pushed away) * Values and how to define them * How to stay present during races * A growth mindset versus fear * Why boredom, pain, and doubt aren’t problems to fix but experiences to navigate  * A simple mental framework you can train before race day to stay in the race longer  If you’ve ever felt like your body was capable, but something in your mind held you back, this episode will change how you approach both training and racing. Follow and learn more about Neal: https://www.instagram.com/the.trail.mindset/ [https://www.instagram.com/the.trail.mindset/] https://www.instagram.com/nealpalles/ [https://www.instagram.com/nealpalles/] https://coloradopsychotherapyandsport.com/ [https://coloradopsychotherapyandsport.com/] 👉 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 [https://instagram.com/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) [https://the-runner-s-toolbox-with-coach-jaci-wilson.kit.com/podcast]  ⭐️ Learn more about working with me on my website [https://jaciwilsonruns.com/run-coaching/1-on-1-run-coaching/]