KHC 216 - Mark Dowdle

Mark Dowdle - American ultramarathon runner and endurance athlete from the Minnesota area. He played football and lacrosse at the University of St. Thomas before taking up running after college. Mark has become particularly known for backyard ultras, in which runners complete a 4.167-mile loop every hour until only one runner remains. In 2026, he won the Arrowhead 135, the Wausaultra Backyard Ultra, and the Last Soul Ultra in Germany, where he completed 94 loops - about 395 miles over 94 hours. He also won the 306-mile BPN Go One More (G1M) Ultramarathon earlier in 2026. His Last Soul performance has put him on the 2027 Big Dog's Backyard Ultra Individual World Championship roster, where he currently holds a 94-loop qualifying performance. Follow Mark: https://www.instagram.com/mark.dowdle/ Follow along: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cameronrhanes Twitter: https://twitter.com/cameronhanes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camhanes/ Website: https://www.cameronhanes.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Mark’s Backyard Ultra Race 00:09:43 – The Spirit of Competition: How to Get an Edge 00:13:44 – What if Ello was Courtney Dauwalter? 00:20:35 – Preparation & a Mental Edge 00:27:16 – Mind Games During the Backyard Ultra Race 00:31:26 – Rivals: Self Discovery 00:33:27 – Mindset Shift: Dark Moments Are Only Temporary 00:40:57 – Why a Good Crew is Important 00:46:40 – Disbelief, Struggle, & Being Honest with Yourself in Races 00:59:37 – 24 Hour Backyard Simulation & Strength from Others 01:05:02 – Rewards: Earning, Chasing, & Suffering 01:12:38 – Using Pain to Foster Beauty in Life 01:21:10 – Building a Dream on Faith & Hard Work 01:28:27 – Working with BPN 01:31:10 – rappid. Sponsorship and Speedland Shoes 01:34:37 – Taking 159 Souls: Backyard Ultra 01:36:47 – Publicity & Limits in Competition 01:46:30 – Howling in Races: Where it Started 01:48:23 – The Average of the Last 5 Years of Races 01:50:04 – Inspiration from Mike Egan 01:53:36 – Negatives in the Ultra Running Space 01:59:00 – F**k, Marry, Kill: Backyard Ultras, Lacrosse, or the Calendar Club 02:02:11 – Living and Navigating a Life of High Standards 02:05:46 – Hunger to Reach High Goals 02:09:27 – What Mark Wants to Instil in His Future Children 02:11:22 – Final Thoughts Thank you to our sponsors: Ketone IQ: Visit https://www.ketone.com/Cam and use code CAM for 30% off your subscription order PLUS receive a free gift with your second shipment - or find Ketone-IQ at CVS stores nationwide and get $5 off your first 6-pack for a limited time! Hoyt: http://bit.ly/3Zdamyv use code CAM for 10% off LMNT: Visit https://drinklmnt.com/cam for a free sample pack with any purchase Grizzly Coolers: https://www.grizzlycoolers.com/ use code KEEPHAMMERING for 15% off ALP: https://alppouch.com/ use code CAM for 10% off your first order Black Rifle Coffee: https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/ Use code KEEPHAMMERING for 10% your order