What happens when curiosity leads the way?

Mary Namestnik shares her journey from road racing to ultras, falling in love with the backyard ultra format, and most recently running 260+ miles at Across the Years, her first six-day timed event. Together, they unpack the mental and physical lessons that come from races without a fixed finish line, where patience, systems, and self-awareness matter more than pace or ego.

This conversation dives deep into mindset management, pain vs. injury decision-making, pacing mistakes, night loop strategies, crewing dynamics, and why women may actually be uniquely suited for the backyard format, yet underrepresented in it.

Whether you’re backyard-curious, training for a timed event, or simply interested in learning how runners push past perceived limits, this episode offers powerful insights into endurance, belief, and staying present one yard at a time.

Follow Mary on Instagram @maryrunsultras.

Mary's website

Bob's Big Tom's Backyard Ultra

The Bullshit Backyard Ultra

What We Cover in This Episode

• Mary’s path from marathon running to ultras and backyard events
• What running 260+ miles at Across the Years taught her about patience and recovery
• Why going too fast early is one of the biggest mistakes in both backyards and timed events
• How backyard ultras build skills that transfer to longer fixed-distance races
• The importance of systems over motivation in long endurance events
• Managing pain vs. identifying true injury red flags
• Why “keeping your feet moving” is often the most powerful strategy
• Night loop strategies, rest, and “pretending to sleep”
• The role of crew and how the right kind of push matters
• Overpacking vs. preparedness in backyard setups
• Why looser goals can lead to better outcomes
• The misunderstood nature of the backyard ultra format
• Why women are underrepresented in backyard ultras and why they may actually excel
• Reframing the DNF narrative and redefining success in last-person-standing races

Key Takeaways

• Curiosity can take you farther than rigid goals
• Decision fatigue ends races; systems extend them
• Pain is something to manage; injury is something to respect
• The hardest part is starting the next yard
• Backyard ultras aren’t about suffering early, they’re about patience
• Women belong in the backyard, and the format has the potential to unlock confidence in powerful ways

👉 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

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-supported or with a crew, this episode will help you simplify your setup, reduce decision fatigue, and focus your energy where it matters most: staying in the game.

What we cover in this episode:

• Gear to consider bringing
• What not to overthink
• How to think about organization
• Practicing everything in training
• Reducing decision fatigue

You don’t win a backyard ultra by having the most gear. You go farther by knowing what to bring, where it is, and how to use it without thinking. Preparation isn’t about control. It’s about conserving energy for the work that matters.

Related Episodes

• Episode 6: Mastering Footcare in Ultras with Trail Medic Natasha Swartley (aka Thor)
• Episode 8: Pacing for Backyard Ultras
• Episode 9: Crew vs. Self-Supported
• Episode 18: Preventing Foot Issues in Multi-Day Ultras with Dr. Tonya Olson

👉 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

In this episode of the One More Hour podcast, we welcome Dr. Tonya Olson, a board-certified doctor of physical therapy and co-author of the seventh edition of "Fixing Your Feet." The conversation centers around the critical importance of foot care for runners, especially those participating in endurance events like marathons and ultra marathons.

Dr. Tonya emphasizes that foot issues are often one of two leading cause of dropouts in ultramarathons (the other is GI problems), and she shares practical advice on how to prevent common problems such as blisters, hot spots, and toenail issues. She advocates for a proactive approach to foot care, encouraging runners to incorporate foot health into their training plans and to be mindful of their foot mechanics and shoe choices.

Dr. Tonya also discusses her extensive experience in foot care at events like Western States 100 (going on 17 years the Michigan Bluff Aid Station at mile 55) and highlights the need for runners to develop a foot care kit and routine. She stresses the importance of understanding the body's signals and being curious about one's own foot health. The episode is packed with insights on how to maintain foot health for longevity in running, making it a must-listen for anyone serious about their running journey.

Things every runner should have for foot care:
• Needle
• 72% alcohol hand sanitizer
• Liquid resin: Skin-Tac or Mastisol
• Pre-cut tape
• Alcohol swab
• Scissors

Dr. Tonya's links:
Website
Book
Instagram @tonyakolsondpt
YouTube (dozens of videos on taping your feet and on footcare products)
Heel raise protocol
Foot strengthening video

Takeaways
• Prevent maceration
• You don't have the luxury of not liking feet.
• Every runner should know how to tape toes and feet.
• Foot care is largely completely preventable.
• Calluses are information; they're telling you that you have a concentrated area of friction.
• Never in the history of a blister has one ever gotten better by ignoring it.
• Be curious about your foot health and why issues are occurring.
• You should have a foot care kit with the basics: resin, hand sanitizer, pre-cut tape and a needle.
• The best way to test your ankle mobility is the knee to wall test.
• Runners need to communicsate symptoms clearly to their crew.
• Understanding the mechanics of why things are getting injured is crucial.

👉 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