Ep. 85: A Last Man Standing Wedding - Becca Jones

The Ultramarathon Mindset: Trail Talk

What happens when you mix a "last man standing" race with a wedding? You get the kickoff to Tennessee's first "Murder Mile" race. This is the nickname for the course. It sounds simple. Run a mile every 20 minutes. There's only 300 feet of elevation gain and loss. If you aren't at the start line every 20 minutes, you DNF. The race lasts until there is only one runner left.

Becca Jones came up with the Mid-State mile in 2020. Tennessee limited people gathering except for funerals and weddings. Two friends stepped up and said, we can have our wedding and the race will be our reception party. With the legal hurdles out of the way, Becca and her family outlined the race course and sent out invitations.

The race was a huge success. It is a brutal course, with all of the elevation in one hill that's a 20% grade. This race and the Tennessee mile, a timed race, will soon be one of the bucket list races for serious ultra runners.

Becca is also an ultra runner and running coach. She shares great stories and her perspective on training and running far.