Send us a text Four state champions, four distinct paths, one honest conversation about what it really takes to get faster, stay healthy, and choose the right next step. We bring Lili, McKenna, Marissa, and Piper together to go beyond highlight reels and talk through the decisions, data, and doubts that shape a young distance runner’s future. From the moment Lili knew Texas felt like home to the twist that led Marissa to Arkansas after a rough race, you’ll hear how fit, team culture, and coac...
Send us a text As the indoor track season draws to a close, our athletes at XLR8 Performance Lab have left their marks on the record books. Join us for a recap of these monumental moments, including Addi Dorenkamp's record-smashing performance and Tommy Hensley's double victory. But it's not just about the wins; we're also peeling back the curtain on the transition our athletes make from our lab to their high school tracks, flourishing under the guidance of both our dedicated coaches and thei...
Send us a text Is your endurance training really pushing you towards peak performance or just pushing you towards a plateau? Prepare to have your training beliefs tested as I, Ben Tilus, cut through the noise surrounding long slow distance (LSD) running. This episode isn't just another running commentary; it's a deep dive into why the one-size-fits-all approach to distance running might be derailing your athletic progress. As the XLR8 Head Performance Coach, I'm here to shake up the status qu...
Send us a text Excited to announce a fresh series with my new co-host, Riley Witt! Riley finished up a phenomenal high school career this past spring with state titles in the 1600 and 3200, as well as a runner-up finish in the 800. His 1:52 run twice in the post-season places him in the top-10 all-time for Iowa preps. He will be headed to NW Missouri St this upcoming fall to continue his academic and running pursuits. Riley is one of the most curious people I have ever met. He is always read...
Send us a text Kelley Grothus is a multi-time coach of the year in Iowa Class 1A (smallest class) with the Madrid Tigers. Her boys cross country program won 3 consecutive titles in 2018, 2019, and 2020. She is easily one of the foremost authorities on distance running in the state of Iowa as she has also been a coach within their track programs. Both the boys and girls track teams won state championships this past spring of 2021. Despite having had such outstanding success, Coach Grothus ha...
Send us a text Jackson Mace-Maynard is one of the "OG" boys in XLR8. Since joining a year ago, Jackson has dropped his times by incredible amounts. He went from nearly being lapped in an indoor 1600 a year ago to only a few weeks ago running a 4:17 full mile (4:15 1600) indoors to win the Arkansas HS Invite. He has also run 52.2 (400), 1:58 (800), and 3:06 (1200) this indoor season and has yet to be beaten at the mile in 3 different indoor competitions. He recently ran a 1200 leg of the #2 di...
Send us a text In this episode, we're taking a deep dive into the world of running strategy and tactics. Specifically, we're focusing on how Abel Squires can elevate his 5K performance by strategically targeting his anaerobic capacity and reducing his VLA max. Drawing from a wealth of expertise, I (Riley Witt) break down actionable insights on how Abel can fine-tune his training regimen to optimize his anaerobic capacity, ultimately resulting in a more efficient and powerful performance on th...
Send us a text Welcome to XLR8’s "Short Shorts" podcast series! In this episode, we bring you an exclusive interview with Joe Anderson, one of the nation's top-performing athletes in cross country and indoor track. Joe is a national champion in cross country and a national runner-up in the indoor 3k, demonstrating his incredible talent and dedication to the sport. Join us as we dive into Joe's journey, insights, and experiences as a top-performing athlete. Get ready to be inspired by his stor...
Send us a text Welcome to XLR8’s most popular podcast series "Short Shorts" . In this series, we bring you quick-hitting interviews with some of the nation's top athletes. Our guests have only 4 minutes to answer a list of questions that range from serious to lighthearted. Last week Nate muller shared a little glimpse into his life and finished up the episode by passing off the baton sort of speak to a future teammate reece smith Reece is a true standout in the running world. With four ...
Send us a text Welcome to the XLR8 Performance Lab podcast, "Short Shorts". In this series, we bring you quick-hitting interviews with some of the nation's top athletes. Our guests have only 4 minutes to answer a list of questions that range from the serious to the lighthearted, all focused on the sport of running. In today's episode, we have the pleasure of interviewing Nate Mueller, a true standout in the running world. With five state championships and two Drake Relays championships under ...
Send us a text Jackson Heidesch and Shewaye Johnson have absolutely taken Iowa running by storm over the last year. Take a listen to these two about how they got to where they are and their goals for this season and beyond! Sponsor Information: Lightspeed Lift: We greatly appreciate Lightspeed Lift for how they partner with us in our Performance Lab to help all runners get healthy, stay healthy, and run fast! Connect with us if you have interest in using ours at The Lab, and checkout their ...
Send us a text Yohana Yual took a trip to Arizona a few weeks ago for his spring break. He talks about his preparation for this season and what he hopes to accomplish. The senior standout for Johnston is already off to a fast start and no doubt has even bigger things ahead this spring. Sponsor Information: Lightspeed Lift: We greatly appreciate Lightspeed Lift for how they partner with us in our Performance Lab to help all runners get healthy, stay healthy, and run fast! Connect with us if ...
Send us a text Will Lohr recently opened his junior track season with a lifetime PR of 9:48 for 3200 meters at the Dickinson Relays on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. Will is a track and field junkie and can rattle off almost any tidbit about the sport that you could imagine. Give a listen to one of the funniest distance runners in the state of Iowa! Sponsor Information: Lightspeed Lift: We greatly appreciate Lightspeed Lift for how they partner with us in our Performance Lab...
Send us a text Riley Witt is a stud middle distance runner from St. Ansgar up in northern Iowa near the Minnesota border. He recently ran a HUGE lifetime PR of 4:29 for 1600m at the XLR8 Iowa Indoor Showdown. Riley talks about his early success in running and what has led to his recent jump in performance. Sponsor Information: Lightspeed Lift: We greatly appreciate Lightspeed Lift for how they partner with us in our Performance Lab to help all runners get healthy, stay healthy, and run fas...
Send us a text The Madrid Boys 3-time defending Iowa 1A state xc champs bring three guys on the program to talk about their top-10 individual finishes to lead the team to another title. Listen in to here about what makes their team so special, their strong hair game, and even who wears the shortest shorts! Sponsor Information: Lightspeed Lift: We greatly appreciate Lightspeed Lift for how they partner with us in our Performance Lab to help all runners get healthy, stay healthy, and run fast...
Send us a text In this episode of Drop the Hammer I dive into the Law of the Harvest. The seeds that you sow will only produce that harvest. You can't sow apple seeds and expect potatoes to be what shows up! The same applies to what we do in running. Give it a listen to hear how you can learn to plant the seeds of what you hope to reap. Sponsor Information: Lightspeed Lift: We greatly appreciate Lightspeed Lift for how they partner with us in our Performance Lab to help all runners ge...
Send us a text In this episode I dive into the struggle that all runners face when they encounter injuries during their training. There are several key strategies that you can use to make sure you stay on the path towards your goals while also feeling excited and motivated to continue working out. Sponsor Information: Lightspeed Lift: We greatly appreciate Lightspeed Lift for how they partner with us in our Performance Lab to help all runners get healthy, stay healthy, and run fast! Connect...
Send us a text In this inaugural episode of "Drop the Hammer", I dive into one of the biggest mistakes all runners make: running too fast on aerobic runs. In less than 10 minutes you will learn why this simple mistake can be costing you precious seconds in your race performance. So, check it out and learn how to find the sweet spot in your training and not waste all of your hard work. Sponsor Information: Lightspeed Lift: We greatly appreciate Lightspeed Lift for how they partner with...
Send us a text Jeff Morris is the head coach at Perham HS in Minnesota. In this first of a two-part series, Jeff describes what it was like to coach Gabe Grunewald in high school. Gabe passed of cancer a little over a year ago, and today, June 25th, would have been her 34th birthday. Listen to him share emotional stories about her and how the running community can support her foundation by participating in a 5k virtual race. Twitter: @bravelikegabe Instagram: bravelikegabe Virtual 5k Infor...
Send us a text Jaysen is a 15:26 5k cross country runner from way up in Sioux City near the South Dakota border. He is one of the top returners in the state for distance athletes and has his eyes set on a state title and a sub-15:00 clocking in cross country. Hear him talk about what it is like to be in a school that is not located near the major schools in central or eastern Iowa. Twitter: @Jaysen86181711 Sponsor Information: Final Surge: Thank you to Final Surge for sponsoring the podca...