Majel Wells: Beyond 129 Miles

Running 129 miles is difficult enough. Doing it while balancing family, a full-time career, and everything else life throws your way? That’s another challenge entirely.

For ultrarunner Majel Wells, the journey to 129.177 miles at Prairie on Fire wasn’t simply about becoming a stronger runner. It was about discovering what matters beyond the finish line.

On this episode of Beyond The Finish Line, host Joe Hardin talks with Majel about backyard ultras, the mental challenges of endurance racing, and the community that keeps her coming back.

From a First 5K to 129 Miles

A Running Journey That Started Small

Majel didn’t grow up dreaming about running ultramarathons. She played basketball, experimented with mountain biking, and eventually found herself running on a treadmill at the YMCA.

Someone suggested a 5K. She gave it a shot. That first race helped launch a journey that eventually included multiple Boston Marathon finishes, 100-mile ultramarathons, and becoming the race director of the Hawthorne Half Day.

In 2026, she discovered backyard ultras, a format that challenges athletes to complete repeated loops until only one runner remains.

At Prairie on Fire, Majel covered 129.177 miles. But the distance is only part of her story.

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The Hardest Miles Aren’t Always Physical

Family, Responsibility, and Mental Strength

When Joe asks Majel about the toughest mental battle she faces during ultramarathons, her answer isn’t about sore legs or exhaustion.

It’s about wanting to go home to her children. She describes running through the woods at two or three in the morning, knowing her family is home sleeping while she continues pursuing her goals.

That emotional pull can be stronger than physical discomfort.

It’s a reminder that endurance athletes don’t stop being parents, partners, or employees when they step onto a racecourse.

Balance Makes Better Runners

More Training Isn’t Always the Answer

One of Majel’s most valuable lessons has been learning that running cannot consume every part of her life.

She explains how prioritizing nutrition, sleep, family, and recovery has improved her performance without simply adding more training miles.

Her running journey has also reinforced the importance of community, especially after her experience at the 2013 Boston Marathon helped lead her toward ultrarunning and greater involvement with local runners.

For Majel, success isn’t just reaching the finish line.

It’s being able to enjoy everything waiting on the other side.

Listen to Majel Wells on Beyond The Finish Line, part of the Everyday Athlete Podcast Network, and discover why sometimes the biggest endurance lessons have nothing to do with distance.

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