The Wisconsin Runner Podcast

"What if we just ran until we couldn't anymore?" -Terry Witkowski, circa 2013

So began the world's largest indoor progression run, and the most fun night of distance running in the state of Wisconsin. 

In the past six years, Olympic Trials Qualifiers, NCAA All-Americans & National Champions, professional runners, and everyday runners have joined in the Grind to see how if they could be the one runner left standing. Starting at 6:08 pace and dropping every 3 laps (~1400m), GrindFest takes the progression run from a summer workout to a full-on race with an epic finish. 

We are pumped to bring you all another Championship Debrief, this time with the co-head coaches of the Girls D1 Wisconsin State Cross Country Champion Muskego Warriors. 2019 was the second consecutive title for Rich & CJ's squad, in addition to a runner-up finish in 2017. The guys talk about how their mantra and goal of "Better" helps build a culture of shared purpose and community, the thought process & goals behind not racing their top two runners until the conference meet in the 2018 XC season, and how mindset and training shifted this fall as defending State champs. 

We get a great insight into how overcoming ego, fear, and uncertainty led them to combine programs, and how it has enriched the experience for everyone involved. Michaud & Raney also share their takes on the challenges of balancing family life and coaching (including a very practical example from Rich), and how their humble origins as athletes enable them to connect broadly with their team to create a sense of purpose, regardless of an individual's PR. These guys are a blast to spend time with, and their passion for the sport and their program are evident in the way they talk about every aspect of what they do, and how & why they do it. 

24 hours after the Wisconsin State Cross Country meet, we sat down with Brian Finnel, the head coach of the D1 State Boys Champion Middleton Cardinals, to breakdown a tremendous final day of what has been an incredibly fulfilling season. He talks about how a squad that historically has been led by a podium finisher had six different number ones this year, the evolution of the team's mindset throughout the season, and how their program grew and learned from some hard days in the past. 

Brian offers a candid insight into the growth and changing identity of a program that has finished Top 3 at the the State Cross meet every year he has been at the helm. He also shares the legendary story of a two week stretch in the fall of 2017 that included having to (temporarily) part ways with his team just moments after being handed their first state championship trophy. We loved the conversation we were fortunate to have with Brian, and hope it's a fun and meaningful glimpse into the world of the newly minted state champions. 

On the eve of the 2019 Wisconsin State Cross Country Championships, we are excited to share our conversation with the man at the helm of a team that has had a phenomenal history at Ridges, Madison West Boys Head Cross Country Coach Tom Kaufman.  We learn about his beginnings in running and coaching, the challenges that the team has faced this season, and how he has helped to build one of the most successful high school programs in the state. He shares his approach to changing mindsets for what "success" is, coaching beyond workouts & mileage, as well as a bit about his iconic mustache.  We apologize for the background noise from the overhead fan, but the content is still GOLD.  Hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Hey everyone, and welcome to The Wisconsin Runner Podcast! This week, we'll talk about the origins of the show, a bit about ourselves, and where we're headed.