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/nealpalles/

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

📩 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