Explore every episode of the podcast Performance Running Gym Podcast

Every year runners spend countless hours training, recovering, and mentally and physically preparing for one event, the marathon. What many don’t know is just how much the event you select has an impact on the outcome and experience you can expect to have on race day. Every year, many hundreds, perhaps thousands, of marathons occur in the USA alone. Selecting the right one for you can mean the difference between a personal best, and an underwhelming capstone to your dedication and hard work. 

In this episode we bring back a former guest, Dr. Michael Rodriguez, the Owner of Endurance Sports Physical Therapy and Performance, to discuss how to choose your ideal marathon. Dr. Michael is a former D1 collegiate runner with a personal best of 2:34 in the marathon and 1:12 in the half. Dr. Michael also coaches runners and has gained a reputation for helping athletes knock down time barriers and achieve breakthroughs in the marathon.

On this episode we welcome Kari Gibbons, the champion and fourth woman ever to complete the Iditerod Trail Invitational 1000 mile footrace!

Kari is one of our Team PRG sponsored athletes and is an absolute legend in Minnesota Ultra Distance athletics. Kari has been in the ultra endurance game since 2014, and is known as the local queen of winter ultras. In this episode, we take a deep dive with Kari into her race at the Iditerod 1000, including how she trained, how the event itself played out, and lessons that you can take from Kari and apply to your own training and racing.

Coach Landon Tourville from our coaching team right here at Performance Running Gym. Landon has a B.S. in Kinesiology with a minor in Sports Coaching, is a NASM Certified Trainer, and a RunDNA certified Gait Analyst and is the head of our gait analysis program here at PRG. Landon specializes in working with runners to develop custom strength and run training programs to help them run stronger, injury free, and achieve their running and fitness goals. On today’s episode we’re going to dive into Cross Training for Runners. We’ll cover why runners should consider cross training, the benefits and considerations with different types of cross training, weight training and why every runners should be hitting the weights to strengthen their stride and stay injury free, and how you can personally incorporate cross training into your plan to optimize your fitness and results on the road, track or trail.

John Storkamp is the Owner and Director of Rocksteady Running, the organization that directs some of the biggest trail races in the midwest, including the Superior Fall Trail Races, Afton Trail Races, Zumbro Trail Races, and the Endless Summer series. John himself is an amazing athlete with an incredible athletic resume. John has over 140 finishes at races of the marathon distance or beyond, including 27 wins at races like the Arrowhead 135, The Death Valley Trail Marathon, Chester Woods 50k, Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon, Zumbro 100 miler, Door County Fall 50 and more.

Under John’s leadership, many of the events he and his wife, Cheri, direct have gained national and even international recognition for their beauty, challenge, and above all else, the exceptional race experience and unmatched community vibe. Personally, I’ve run races all over the country, and I’ve never found an organization or community that has come close to matching the class act that is Rocksteady Running.

In this episode we take a peek under the hood at RSR and learn more about the history of the events that John and Cheri direct, as well as hear the stories of some of the challenges, triumphs, and adventures that will give us a window into the world of heading up the premier race organization in the upper midwest.

On this episode we discuss some of the most popular diet plans and nutritional approaches for athletes, the common mistakes that hold athletes back from real progress, and Josh's four pillars to address to optimize your nutrition and fueling strategies to improve your running, energy, and overall health.

Josh is the most recent addition to our coaching team at PRG and begins working with athletes 1-1 this November! Josh, a competitive road runner himself with an impressive resume.

Professionally, Josh helps athletes master their nutrition habits for both health and performance, improve their fueling and recovery strategies to help them increase mileage and maximize their performance potential, and to overcome mental roadblocks, navigate the complex web of diet related information, and ultimately find the program that works the best for their body, lifestyle, and sports performance goals.

In this episode, we discuss the mental and physical side of training for your best marathon, from finding your why and shoring up your mental game, to the specifics of what makes for a great training block.

Jeff Miller is a lifetime endurance athlete, running coach, and a friend to many in the Midwest trail and ultrarunning community. He holds four grandmasters titles at the rugged and relentless Fall Superior 100, won the Firetower 100k and Duluth’s Last Runner Standing in 2023, and has dozens of top 10 and podium finishes to his name over the last decade. In addition to being an amazing athlete, Jeff works full time as a running coach with his company, Northwoods Running. Today we’ve invited Jeff on to talk about longevity in running and his secrets to being a podium level athlete as he approaches his 60th birthday, including tips on how you can improve your longevity in the sport and continue to reach your full potential into your next decade and beyond.

Landon has a B.S. in Kinesiology with a minor in Sports Coaching, is a NASM Certified Trainer, and a RunDNA certified Gait Analyst and is the head of our gait analysis program at Performance Running in St. Louis Park, MN.

Landon specializes in working with runners to develop custom strength and run training programs to help them run stronger, injury free, and achieve their running and fitness goals.

Today we’re going to touch on a topic that is right in Landon’s wheelhouse, Strength Training for Runners. While the topic is well covered and frequently talked about, there is still a lot of misunderstanding about the specifics of how, why and when runners should do strength training, and how to make the most of their time in the weight room. Today we’re going to ask Landon the tough questions about why strength training is so important, what areas and types of strength training runners should focus on for best results, how to incorporate strength into the busy life of an athlete with the demands of a full time job and/or a family, and lastly we’ll talk about how to get started today with a strength plan that is right for you.

Dr. Kailee Carlson is a licenced acupuncturist and a RN with a doctorate in Chinese Medicine with a Sports Emphasis. She has her practice onsite at Performance Running Gym and has helped many in our community in reaching their sports performance goals. But in today’s episode, we focus on Kailee Carlson, the athlete. 

This past March Kailee completed the grueling Canebrake 200 mile race outside of Atlanta, GA. For most of us, the idea of 200 miles in a single race is nearly unfathomable. Our episode today will focus on how Kailee trained for the demands of 200 miles both physically and mentally, what the race experience was like, and learn about the post-race experience after completing this huge goal. We’ll also take some time to talk with Kailee about how her practice is supporting other athletes like her, and what it can do for athletes looking to improve their performance, recovery, or looking to just live life to the fullest.

Clayton is a steeplechaser, 5k, and 10k track and cross country runner originally from Washington, Missouri. He is a recent addition to Minnesota’s elite running team, MDE. Clayton is a 4-time all-state athlete and set high school records in the 1600, 3200, and 2000m steeplechase. After high school Clayton attended Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO before moving up to division 1 at Wichita State University in KS. Clayton earned all-conference honors 4x as an athlete for Wichita State, twice in cross country and twice in the 300m steeplechase. He was conference champion in the steeplechase 1x, runner up once, and placed an amazing 4th in the indoor 5000m. He finished college with personal bets of 8:45 in the 3000m steeple, 8:09 in the 3000m, 14:08 in the 5000m, 23:34 in 8k cross country, and 29:58 in the 10k cross country. 

On this episode we learn about the guy behind the speedy credentials. We talk training, life as a post collegiate elite athlete, and how Clayton balances the demands of life, work and training at such a high level. We also talk about the upcoming track and field olympic trials and his goals for the season.

In this episode Coach Bobbi interviews Dick Beardsley, a local legend originally from Minneapolis, MN. Beardsley is a multiple running hall of fame inductee, a 2x winner and former course record holder of the Grandma's Marathon (a record that stood for 33 years!), London Marathon Champion, American Record Holder in the Track 10 mile, former course record holder at the Napa Valley Marathon, and a 2x Olympic Trials Qualifier.

In this episode, Dick and Bobbi chat about Dick's amazing accomplishments, his struggles and story of overcoming drug addiction following a serious farm injury, his foundation that helps others overcome the struggle of chemical addiction, and his current career as a successful motivational speaker based out of Bemidji, MN.

Emi has a master’s in Nutrition Dietetics and Sensory Sciences from Kansas State University. She has been running professionally with Minnesota Distance Elite for 6 years and has a goal of qualifying for the Olympic Trials this summer. Her passion for nutrition grew out of her family garden, collegiate athletics, and her desire to help others live a more functional and healthy life.

On today’s episode, we’re going to learn more from Emi about proper everyday nutrition and fueling strategies for endurance athletes to reach their peak potential, as well as give you some practical tips that you can start applying to your everyday nutrition and fueling today to help you feel more energized, perform better, and recover like a pro. 

Breanna Sieracki is a Pro Runner and Coach who lives in Bloomington, MN and trains with our local elite running team, Minnesota Distance Elite. At the time of this recording, Breanna is a few weeks off of competing in the Olympic Trails Marathon in Orlando, FL. 

In early 2022, Breanna and her husband, Connor, welcomed their daughter, Addison. Breanna’s journey has set an example of what it is like to carry a baby and continue to train competitively, give birth and then come back postpartum with even better running results. In this episode we discuss what it’s like being a new parent and a professional runner, how Breanna stays fit both mentally and physically, and we discuss tips for the everyday athletes dealing with the demands of life and their sport. 

Breanna competed at Wisconsin’s State Track and Field from 2009-2013  where she won state titles in the 1600m and the 3200m and podiumed in the 800. She led Spring Valley high school cross country to a state championship in 2012. She went on to compete for University of Minnesota - Duluth, where she became a 9x All American in Division II. Her main events in college were cross country, 3000, 5000 and the 3k Steeplechase on the track. 

In 2019, she represented Team USA at the NACAC Cross Country Championships in Trinidad, where she led Team USA to a team title and took home the individual win as well. She’s competed in the cross country championships, in which, this year she took 7th and several other USATF championships where she’s received top 10 honors. Most recently she qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon with a 2:33 at the 2023 Grandma’s Marathon, and competed in the Trials this past February.

Today we’re bringing on Dr. Michael Rodriguez, the Owner of Endurance Sports Physical Therapy and Performance, based out of PRG, to discuss how to go sub-3 in the marathon distance. While our focus will be on the 3hr time goal, this discussion applies beautifully to anyone who is chasing an aggressive marathon personal best, no matter your pace. We chose Dr. Michael because as an elite level runner D1 collegiate and post collegiate runner, he has a personal best of 2:34 in the marathon and 1:12 in the ½ marathon, and has coached 16 athletes to the goal of successfully breaking sub-3 for the first time in the last several years.

Guest Co-Host - Coach Jacob Oak

Just over one month ago Dakotah became the first minnesotan to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics after an incredible 3rd place finish with a time of 2:25:21. Although Dakotah came on the radar for many in the running community after the trials, she is no stranger to the podium. Dakotah has two Grandma’s Marathon wins to her name from 2021 and 2022, as well as placing 2nd in the 2019 Twin Cities Marathon. For those trail nerds like me, she also won the Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon an incredible three times in a row from 2014-2016 

Dakotah has been focusing her efforts on her professional running career since graduating from Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota in 2017. She joined our local elite running team, Minnesota Distance Elite in 2017 and has been seeing consistent improvement and success ever since. She is currently the 12th fastest women’s marathoner in US history. She is also the first runner from MN to qualify for the Olympics since Kara Goucher in 2019. 

On this podcast we learn more about the woman behind the headlines and dive into her experience training for and competing in the trials, how she has balanced professional running with a full time job as a paralegal, how the “underdog” mindset has served her in running, and we’ll get some pro tips for you, our listeners, about how you can improve your own running directly from MN’s current favorite runner.

Chris Lundstrom, or “Coach Lundo,” as he’s known by our local running community, is the Head Coach of MN’s premier elite running team, Minnesota Distance Elite. He is responsible for recruiting, retaining, and developing this team of 10-12 professional distance runners in events ranging from 1500 meters up to the marathon. Since this February’s Olympic Trials, Chris has been thrust into the spotlight as the leader of a team who produced 7 athletes who qualified for and ran the trials (a massive feat in and of itself), as well as two top 10 finishes in the female race with Dakotah Lindwurm, who is headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Annie Frisbie, who took 10th place in the trails. 

Chris is a native of Northfield, MN who competed in NCAA Championship track and cross country teams at Stanford University in the late 90s. He went on to be one of the original members of MDE, previously known as Team USA Minnesota. Some of his career accomplishments include a 3rd and 4th place finish in the USA marathon championships, and qualifying three times for the US Olympic Trials in the Marathon distance. He also represented the US in the 2007 Pan-American Games marathon and in 2010 won the silver medal with the US Team in the World Mountain Running Championships.

Since then Chris has been coaching runners and pursuing his studies. He holds a PHD in Kinesiology and is an active faculty member at the University of Minnesota (where I first met him as a student in 2012). Many UMN alumni know Chris from his teaching roles in sports and exercise sciences, as well as his marathon training class, which has produced over 800 first time marathoners. 

On today’s episode, we’ll learn about the Coach behind this amazing team of athletes, his journey in running and competition, how the sport and training has changed in the last two decades, and of course we’ll chat a bit about the recent success at the Olympic Trials Marathon and hopes and aspirations for the upcoming track and field trials set for July 2024.

Francesca Wilson is a strength coach and personal trainer at Performance Running Gym with over a decade of experience. She specializes in working with women of all ages to help them perform their best and reach their fitness and performance goals. Francesca has a BA in Exercise Science, is a certified trainer and certified women’s conditioning specialist, a Precision Nutrition Certified Nutrition Coach, and is also a Stott Pilates Trained Instructor. On today’s podcast we will be focusing on Endurance Training and the Menstrual Cycle, addressing common concerns, and learning how you can take advantage of your hormonal profile as it relates to your cycle to perform your best and crush your endurance goals! Today’s episode is a great listen for all of the ladies out there, in addition to coaches who work with female clients and are hungry to learn more about this important but rarely discussed topic.

Jacob is a USATF Certified Running Coach, a Run DNA L2 gait analyst, and is also double certified from the NASM as a personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist. Jacob has helped dozens and dozens of athletes in the Performance Running community reach their potential through his training and coaching services, as well as his gait and athlete development services with his own company, Oak Endurance. Today our topic is Winter and Off-Season Training. In this episode, we dive into how to transition into your offseason in a healthy way both mentally and physically, how to make the most of your valuable offseason time with strength and endurance training, and what to focus on to go into your next season ready to crush your goals!

Andrew Warg is a 34 year old trail runner, tech industry account exec, and family man from Hastings, MN. Andrew first came on my radar after a podium finish at the 2022 Superior 100. This year, he did it again, besting his previous time by an hour and again coming away with a 3rd place podium finish among one of the most competitive fields in the history of the event. Andrew is known by many as a “smart,” yet laid back runner, having a knack for consistency, grit, and an infectiously positive attitude. In this episode we learn more about Andrew’s training approach, his mindset, how he balances family, work and running, and his rise to the front of the pack in Midwest ultra running in the past two years.

Matt Van Donsel is a trail and ultra runner from Hopkins, Minnesota and a member of Performance Running Gym’s sponsored athlete team, Team PRG. Matt has been racing ultras since 2009, where he got his start in trail running on the rugged trails of Appalachia country in his previous home state of Virginia. Since then, he’s completed over 20 races at or beyond the marathon distance, including five 100 milers on some of the toughest trails in the US. Matt is coming off a breakthrough season, setting personal bests and finishing in the front of the back in distances ranging from 1 mile to 100 miles. We learn more in this episode about Matt’s unique athletic background as a team sport athlete, how and why he’s incorporated strength training religiously in his program from day one, and how he believes his non-traditional approach to ultramarathon training this year helped him accomplish some of his best performances to date. Also on the episode is Matt's coach, Coach Bobbi from PRG, to speak about the logic and execution of Matt's running program this year. Enjoy!

Kate Leis is a trail and ultrarunner from Delano, MN and is also a Personal Trainer, Certified Nutritionist, Running Coach and the Owner of Sunrise Fitness, also based in Delano, MN. Kate has an incredibly impressive running resume, and she has completed over 50 races at or beyond the marathon distance since she started running in 2003, including the notorious Superior 100 7x, the iconic Western States 100, Never Summer 100k in Colorado, multiple Ironman Triathlons and many more. In this episode we learn more about Kate’s remarkable 20 year career in endurance sports, and what she believes are the keys to staying healthy, strong, and motivated as a runner.

Dr. Kailee Carlson is a licensed acupuncturist and registered nurse. Shs a doctorate in Chinese Medicine with a Sports Emphasis and is passionate about shifting the focus away from “sick” care towards “health” care. Her mission is to empower her patients to live up to their full potential by providing necessary tools for them to achieve optimal health and wellbeing. 

Kailee is also an ultra-endurance athlete who has completed numerous ultra-marathons, triathlons, and big multi-day hiking adventures. Most recently she was one of just four finishers at the Seven Trails Ultra Festival 100 miler on Orca’s Island in NW Washington. 

In this episode we learn more about how Dr. Kailee found her love of endurance sports, and how her experience with eastern medicine led her to obtain her doctorate in chinese medicine and make a career out of working with athletes to help them live and perform at the highest level possible.

Gretchen Metsa is a trail and ultrarunner from the Iron Range of Minnesota and is a familiar name to anyone who follows midwest trail running. Gretchen began running ultras in 2016 and has since racked up 16 race wins at high profile events such as The Superior 100, Marquette 50k, Arrowhead 135, Wild Duluth 100k, and the The MN Voyageur 50, just to name a few. Gretchen is also a Mother of three and a type 1 diabetic, who has become a local resource to many looking to learn how to better manage the condition while living life to the fullest. In this episode we take a deep dive with Gretchen to learn more about what has led to her success.

Brian Corgard is a Trail and Ultra Runner from Coon Rapids, MN and the most recent winner of the iconic SE MN spring race, The Zumbro 100 Mile Endurance Run. At 41 years old, Brian has been running ultras since 2016 and is no stranger to the podium. Brian has wins to his name at many races including The Arrowhead 135, The Savage 100, The Tuscobia 160 Mile and 80 Mile Winter Ultras, Actif Epica 162k, Last Dot Standing and even briefly held the unsupported Superior Hiking Trail FKT in 2020. Beyond his stellar racing results, Brian is known by many in the community as a fun guy with an infectious smile and personality. Today we’re going to learn more about Brian’s rise to the front of the field in midwest ultrarunning, and his plans for the future.

Mark Johnson is no stranger to most of you in the Performance Running Gym family. Mark founded Performance Running Gym in 2017, and without him we wouldn’t have the amazing PRG community today. Mark passed the torch to my Wife, Isabel and I in 2021, and we’ve been carrying on and growing what he started ever since with the help of our awesome team of coaches, trainers and therapists. 

What many of you don’t know is Mark’s story of overcoming a cycle of injury and even a major surgery with the help of strength training. Mark is one of the strongest runners I know, and I mean that quite literally - Mark is a beast of an athlete that can keep up with the best both on the trails and in the weight room. Today we’re going to learn more about what led Mark to become a certified Personal Trainer and Coach, to open Performance Running Gym, as well as his own personal experience with strength training as a runner and why he thinks every endurance athlete should be incorporating strength work into their routine for maximum performance and injury prevention.

Many of you in the PRG community know of Coach Jacob Oak. Jacob is a USATF Certified Running Coach, a Run DNA L2 gait analyst, and is also double certified from the NASM as a personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist. Jacob has helped dozens and dozens of athletes in the Performance Running community reach their potential through his training and coaching services, and recently he began exploring a new business venture with Oak Endurance. Oak Endurance will be working with PRG to provide premium performance services, starting with the launch of the “Complete Gait Analysis” service, which seeks to help athletes reach their potential by discovering and addressing key issues within the athletes running form, general movement mechanics, and their muscular balance. Today we’re going to learn more from Jacob about why he’s so passionate about gait analysis and healthy movement for runners, and we’re going to learn more about ways you can address your own running form and muscular balance issues.

Want to learn more or sign-up for a Complete Gait Analysis with Oak Endurance? Go to www.completegait.com today!

Dr. Michael Rodriguez, DPT, is a physical therapist, running coach, strength and conditioning specialist, and owner of Endurance Sports Physical Therapy & Performance - based out of Performance Running in St. Louis Park. He is also a researcher and associate faculty at U of MN in the Physical Therapy Dept. A native of Chanhassen, Michael attended Drake University where he was an NCAA Division I long distance runner on the cross country and track teams. He continues to compete regularly in running events ranging from one mile to the marathon.

Today we’re going to talk with Michael about a subject he’s intimately familiar with - injury prevention and training errors in running programs. We all know that one of the keys to getting faster is consistent and effective training, and in order to achieve that we need to stay injury free. Today we’re going to take a deep dive into the common training errors Michael sees as a PT and a Coach, and how we can structure our training to stay off the injured list and stay on the road, track, or trail.

Today we’re excited to welcome Kari Gibbons! Kari is one of our Team PRG sponsored athletes and is our local queen of the winter ultras, and fresh off her finish of the Tuscobia 80 miler. Kari Gibbons is a Minneapolis local that has been tearing it up on the trails since 2014. With 40 race finishes at or beyond the marathon distance to her name, including 10 finishes at races farther than 100 miles, she’s showing no signs of slowing down. In the past two years, Kari took 1st place at the iconic Iditarod 350 mile footrace in the rugged mountain terrain of Alaska, and completed her first 200 miler at the inaugural year of Nebraska’s “Cowboy 200.”

When I think of winter ultramarathons, the first person that comes to mind is Kari. Afterall, she has multiple finishes (including a few podium finishes!) at legendary midwest ultras like The Arrowhead 135, The Tuscobia 160.  So, today we’re going to learn from Kari about what it takes to be a winter athlete, from gear, to skills, to training. So let’s jump in and learn a thing of two from this local legend!

Kurt Decker, known by many as “The Godfather of Trail,” has been a part of the Minnesota running scene since the early 2000’s. Long before many of us knew him from the local running shop, Kurt was crushing it in the local trail scene, even racking up a big handful of podium finishes in his career. For the past 15 years, he has been the General Manager of Twin Cities Running Company, who operate two awesome shops in Eden Prairie and Maple Grove. Kurt now is an avid gravel bike enthusiast, but remains a staple of our vibrant local running community through his work at TCRC. Today we’ll get a chance to learn a little more about the man we’ve all come to know and respect, and get some insights into what it’s like to head up operations at one of the Twin Cities most successful running shops.

Jake Hegge is one of the most well recognized names in midwest trail running and has been running ultras since 2012. Since diving into the world of trail and ultra running, Jake has placed first in a total of 18 races; including high profile events like the Superior 100 miler and 50 miler, Arrowhead 135, Voyageur 50 miler, Moose Mountain Marathon and Marquette 50. Most recently, Jake won the Superior 100 in tough conditions, taking home his second victory at that event. Jake is also a physical therapist and a running coach with his companies Trail Transformation and Dynamic Performance and Therapy. In this episode we learn a little bit about Jake’s rise to the top in the midwest racing circuit, and how he’s still winning races ten years after his entrance into the sport. In addition, we learn about how he helps his athletes and PT clients reach their personal best and crush some of the most challenging ultra races in the world.

Jake Wyant is a local trail and road runner based out of Edina, MN. He’s also a member of our sponsored athlete team, TEAM PRG. Jake is wrapping up a breakthrough season with a big marathon PR, and an all time distance PR. In this episode, we learn about how Jake returned to running and combined road and trail miles, strength training, and a focus on nutrition and overall wellness to get into the best shape ever at the age of 51!

Sara Conrad is a local trail runner based out of Minneapolis, MN. She has made a name for herself in the past few years with wins at many high profile midwest events including the MN Voyageur, Hixon 50k, Afton 50k,and Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon, among others. Her involvement with local running doesn’t end with crushing races, however. Sara is a seasoned Physical Therapist Assistant, specializing in working with runners, including the local elite team, Minnesota Distance Elite.In today’s discussion we’re going to dive deep with Sara and learn about her as a runner, talk to her about what it’s like to treat some of the highest profile names in distance running as a PTA, and get some insights as to how you can stay out of her office and on the trails.

You can learn more about Performance Running Gym and our services including gym membership, coaching, training, physical therapy, sports massage and more online at www.performancerungym.com. 

Ryan Soule is a rising star in Minnesota in the ultramarathon community. In this episode he explains his strategy for training, getting through fatherhood and still successfully training for ultras, and what races he's looking forward to upcoming.

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs! 

This week Bobbi sat down with 2021/2022 Grandma's Marathon Champion and Professional Runner for Minnesota Distance Elite, Dakotah Lindwurm!

On this episode we talk about:

 🔹 What it's like training in Minnesota with Minnesota Distance Elite.

 🔹 How she felt after her second Grandma's Marathon win.

 🔹 What kind of workouts she is doing to prepare for the New York City Marathon.

 🔹 Her advice on preparing for your next marathon!

John Storkamp is an ultra marathoner as well as the founder and owner of Rocksteady Running. Rocksteady Running directs some of the biggest trail races in the midwest, including the Superior 100, Afton 50k, Zumbro Trail Race Series, Superior Spring Trail Race Series, and The Endless Summer Trail Race series. In the podcast we dive into John's incredible trail and ultra running career, learn about the history of our favorite races and what it's like to direct them, and talk about how the rich community and tradition we have in MN trail running came to be. 

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs!

Tune in to this episode from with an interview with Coach Jacob Oak! USATF certified coach explains how to train for your first marathon and the do's and do nots of the training.

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs!

Adam Tills is our most recent addition to the PRG Coaching Staff! Join us as we find out about how he got into running and why he loves coaching to help others achieve their running goals!

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs! 

Emi Trost was a statewide middle distance standout during her prep career at Cannon Falls High School. After earning state championships in cross country, 800m, and 2-mile, she decided to compete at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

While earning a degree in Exercise Science, Emi set school records in distances ranging in the 600 to 3000 meters, earned 10 All-American honors, and brought home the 2017 NCAA DII Championship in the 1500 meters.

Now running professionally, Emi has stayed true to Minnesota, transitioning to elite training group Minnesota Distance Elite.

To supplement her training with Team USA Minnesota, She is in the process of becoming a registered dietitian and prides herself in promoting a look at what she eats to train for her running lifestyle.

Emi recently recovered from having a peach sized hemangioma tumor that was in her knee since 2006. She has recently started competing again in the 800.

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs! 

Jeff Miller is a lifetime endurance athlete, running coach, and a friend to many in the Midwest trail and ultrarunning community. He holds three grandmasters titles at the hyper competitive Superior 100, including a remarkable 5th place overall finish from 2021, dozens of top 10 and podium finishes in ultras all over the midwest, and last year he crushed the Superior Double FKT - a 200 mile out and back route following the Superior 100 course. The most amazing part? At 57 Jeff Miller is still competing with the best of the best in the trail and ultra world.

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs! 

Matt D'Olimpio, the Program Coordinator at Mile in My Shoes!

In this episode we talk about how MIMS changed Matt's life after exiting a stint in prison, and how the organization helps other marginalized groups of people through the power of running.

Mile in My Shoes (MiMS) brings together residents of the Twin Cities from diverse backgrounds through the power of running. Based in homeless shelters, addiction recovery programs and re-entry centers for people exiting incarceration, MiMS uses running as a catalyst for community-building, boosting health and wellness, building leadership and self-efficacy, and spurring personal and social action.

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs! 

Dr. Michael Rodriguez, DPT, is a physical therapist, running coach, strength and conditioning specialist, and owner of Endurance Sports Physical Therapy & Performance - based out of Performance Running in St. Louis Park. Michael attended Drake University where he was an NCAA Division I long distance runner on the cross country and track teams. He continues to compete regularly in running events ranging from one mile to the marathon.

After encountering and overcoming multiple injuries during his collegiate career, Michael became a physical therapist in order to help others rehab from injuries and return to the sports and activities they love.

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs! 

Born in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, Danny is a standout athlete who won several conference and section titles in high school locally then committed to run for the Ramblers at Loyola University in Chicago.

In 2020, Danny qualified for the Olympic Trials in the marathon and he hopes to qualify again this year at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota.

Recently, Danny won Goldy's 10 mile in a 49:05 which took place on April 3rd in Minneapolis. He won with a 6 minute lead. Danny also recently competed with a crew of other runners in The Speed Project, where each team runs from the Santa Monica Pier to Las Vegas which is about a 350 mile ground to cover.

Danny reps El Jefe Running group, who he trains with out of Saint Paul. 

On this episode we talk about his most recent races, training to qualify for the Olympic Trails in the marathon, and much more exciting things about him.

You can find Danny on instagram @danny.doc to follow along on his running!

Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs!

Jeff is a trail and ultrarunner from Maple Grove, MN and a bit of a legend in the local Twin Cities trail running scene. He’s completed over 100 races at or beyond the marathon distance with results dating back to 1990. One of the most remarkable things about Jeff is that at age 65, he is just getting started. 

 In January, Jeff also joined our sponsored athlete team, Team PRG, and we’re beyond excited to have such an inspirational athlete on our team. In our interview we take a deep dive with Jeff into his training, racing, and secrets to having such tremendous longevity within the sport of ultrarunning.

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs! 

On our second episode, Aaron interviews Bobbi Patrick, our other co-host!

We touch on her past as a collegiate athlete turned road racer post-pandemic, why she has recently gone sober, and what her training tips are for a faster gear change.

New episodes release bi-weekly on Tuesdays.

Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs!

On our first episode Bobbi interviews Aaron to give you an inside look at your host. We got into running ultra-marathons and his most recent 100 miler race and how walked away with a new personal record.

New episodes release bi-weekly on Tuesdays. 

Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs! 

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Patrick bring us voices of athletes and professionals from the local and national trail, ultra, and road running community to help you run #PRGstrong and crush your PRs!