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.
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Follow Mark on Instagram @mark.dowdle
Timestamps:
00:00:00 – Mark’s Backyard Ultra Race
00:07:26 – The Spirit of Competition: How to Get an Edge
00:11:27 – What if Ello was Courtney Dauwalter?
00:18:18 – Preparation & a Mental Edge
00:24:58 – Mind Games During the Backyard Ultra Race
00:27:25 – Rivals: Self Discovery
00:29:25 – Mindset Shift: Dark Moments Are Only Temporary
00:39:11 – Why a Good Crew is Important
00:44:54 – Disbelief, Struggle, & Being Honest with Yourself in Races
00:57:52 – 24 Hour Backyard Simulation & Strength from Others
01:03:16 – Rewards: Earning, Chasing, & Suffering
01:09:17 – Using Pain to Foster Beauty in Life
01:17:49 – Building a Dream on Faith & Hard Work
01:25:06 – Working with BPN
01:27:50 – rappid. Sponsorship and Speedland Shoes
01:31:16 – Taking 159 Souls: Backyard Ultra
01:33:26 – Publicity & Limits in Competition
01:43:09 – Howling in Races: Where it Started
01:45:02 – The Average of the Last 5 Years of Races
01:46:43 – Inspiration from Mike Egan
01:50:15 – Negatives in the Ultra Running Space
01:55:39 – F**k, Marry, Kill: Backyard Ultras, Lacrosse, or the Calendar Club
01:58:50 – Living and Navigating a Life of High Standards
02:02:25 – Hunger to Reach High Goals
02:06:06 – What Mark Wants to Instil in His Future Children
02:08:01 – Final Thoughts
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