Performance Running Gym Podcast

Performance Running
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  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Van Donsel 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!

  1. Caleb Birklid - National Level Triathlete, Strength and Endurance Coach

    12/16/2025

    Caleb Birklid - National Level Triathlete, Strength and Endurance Coach

    Caleb Birklid is a national level triathlete, cyclist and runner turned Coach who joined the PRG team this past summer. Caleb has brought a new perspective to our training and coaching at PRG with his background is coaching triathlon and swimming, and his emphasis on both heavy and functional strength training as a key component to his approach to working with athletes.  On this episode we talk to Caleb about his athletic background and career in Triathlon, his hybrid approach to training, and lastly we’ll talk about his approach to coaching endurance athletes - including some great takeaways that you can carry with you into your next training cycle no matter what your endurance discipline.

    1h 2m
  2. Colleen MacDonald - FKT on Mt. Killamanjaro's North Route

    12/02/2025

    Colleen MacDonald - FKT on Mt. Killamanjaro's North Route

    Colleen MacDonald is a Arvada, Colorado based ultrarunner with roots in Minnesota who recently captured the imagination of adventurers everywhere by setting the Fastest Known Time on the legendary Northern Route on the iconic Mt. Kilimanjaro - the highest peak on the African continent. Colleen has made it her mission to empower women and girls to pursue their own outdoor adventures by raising money and awareness for The Carin Project - a group that promotes outdoor learning and leadership for girls all over the US.

    1h 12m
  3. Dr. Kailee Carlson - Inside her Sub-24 Hour Javelina 100 — Training, Recovery, and the Power of Acupuncture for Runners

    11/18/2025

    Dr. Kailee Carlson - Inside her Sub-24 Hour Javelina 100 — Training, Recovery, and the Power of Acupuncture for Runners

    Dr. Kailee Carlson is a licensed 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. Kailee is also an accomplished and versatile ultra endurance athlete, competing in races ranging from half marathon up to 200 miles. Kailee recently completed the famous Javalina 100 mile ultramarathon in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, finishing the grueling 100 mile course in well under 24 hours - an incredible accomplishment.  In this episode we focus on how Kailee trained for the demands of 100 miles both physically and mentally, what the race experience was like, and learn about the post-race experience after completing this huge goal. We 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. Read Kailee's Full Javelina blog: https://www.drkaileeacu.com/post/javelina-jundred-race-recap Book With Kailee or Learn More About her Services: https://www.drkaileeacu.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkaileeacu/

    55 min
  4. Hydration and Electrolytes for Distance Runners w/ Zach Zenner

    11/04/2025

    Hydration and Electrolytes for Distance Runners w/ Zach Zenner

    We’re kicking off season 4 of the Performance Running Gym podcast with a topic that’s been requested by many in our community - Managing Hydration and Electrolytes for Running Performance. To address such an impactful topic, we brought in the best local resource, Zach Zenner, the Owner of the Twin Cities’ Precision Fuel and Hydration Sweat Testing Center.  Zach is a former NFL running back, nutritionist, and hydration expert who has worked with athletes of all levels. In this episode we learn about how to master hydration and electrolytes to help you reach your best performances as an endurance athlete. We dive into the importance of hydration and electrolytes, how they interact, how you can learn about your body’s needs, products that can help you stay properly hydrated for training and racing. We also talk about specific hydration strategies to help you improve your performance and reach new limits in your performance.

    1h 8m
  5. Jess Simmons - Metabolic Health + Stress Management For Athletes and High Performers

    06/23/2025

    Jess Simmons - Metabolic Health + Stress Management For Athletes and High Performers

    Jess Simmons is a Minneapolis-based Health Coach and Personal Trainer who helps clients build strength, resilience, and lasting health habits through a unique blend of fitness programming, nervous system regulation, and behavior change coaching. She specializes in helping high-achievers feel strong, energized, and in control of their health—without burnout, perfectionism, or restriction.  On this episode of the podcast, we dive deep into the topics of chronic stress, recovery, metabolic health, and their relationship to health and body composition. Jess’ unique insights on managing wellness, athletic recovery, and weight management from a truly holistic perspective make this an episode a must listen for a wide variety of athletes.

    1h 2m
  6. Choosing Your Target Marathon w/ Dr. Michael Rodriguez

    05/27/2025

    Choosing Your Target Marathon w/ Dr. Michael Rodriguez

    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.

    50 min
  7. Kari Gibbons - 2025 ITI 1000 Champion

    05/06/2025

    Kari Gibbons - 2025 ITI 1000 Champion

    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.

    54 min
  8. Cross Training for Runners w/ Coach Landon Tourville

    01/08/2025

    Cross Training for Runners w/ Coach Landon Tourville

    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.

    44 min
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Welcome to the Performance Running Gym Podcast! Hosts Aaron Boike and Bobbi Van Donsel 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!

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