Running Behind

Hey, it's Dee Lukas day! Now, Dee may not be a back-of-the-packer, or a TRAIL runner (yet), but she is a dear friend of mine and my wife's, with a ton of great stories to tell. We cover everything from her running origins, to her multiple (try like 8) knee surgeries, to her involvement with a great Twin Cities organization called Mile In My Shoes. And dogs...we talk a ton of dogs. So get those Hok...

Dave Shannon is a numbers guy. In 1997, twelve years before anyone even thought up Strava, he began documenting his runs…EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.  Since then, he has logged over 46,000 miles, 332 races, 172 marathons, including one in every state and four of the six world majors, 49 ultramarathons...and near and dear to my heart, a handful of DFL podium finishes.  He is also a race director for F...

It' s not the heat, it's the humidity!! Welcome back to the back of the pack world of Running Behind. In this volume 3 of Crew Access, I am once again joined by Mario and Erik. We have plenty of topics to discuss, including the hot, humid and muddy day that Erik and I had at the 2025 Afton trail races. Mario's attempt at a 100 mile week, including a 34 mile day to honor his 34 trips around the sun...

He may say different, but my guest is not your "average" runner or person. My guest is not a back of the packer. In fact, my guest today runs a 2:18 marathon (hey, that's like 2:08 in super shoes), has created one of the premiere North American trail race events, placed 3rd at UTMB...TWICE, made the Olympic qualifying multiple times and has come in the top 5 at the Wester States Endurance Run! So...

Mandy and Bill Hansel have created what has quickly become one of the premier trail race and sporting event organizations in Minnesota and the Midwest. Not only does their Storm Sporting Events provide first class and accessible but challenging events, but the mission behind it all is what really matters. From day one, they knew that it would be important that Storm Sporting Events be a vehicle to...

Joe Hardin (Trail Tortoise Running) is; a father, a husband, a trail runner, an ultra marathoner, a writer , a podcast host, a poet and soon to be race director, but maybe most importantly…Joe is sober. On December 1, 2019, Joe took his last drink. I am honored to sit down with him as he shares the details on his journey to sobriety and how along the way he found and fell in love with trail runnin...

"Comfort is a disease..." 5 years ago, Tony Gillham, my guest today, had a dream. It took 2 trainers, endless training miles, countless hours, the support of family and friends and ultimately 5 arduous days and nights crossing over 250 miles in the AZ desert, but in May 2025, Tony made his dream a reality. To help tell the story, we are also joined by one of his crew and pacers (and a pretty aweso...

The boys are back in town, the boys are back.  That’s right, Erik and Mario are back.  Thanks for meeting up with us again at the back of the pack in the world of Running Behind.  In this episode Mario, Erik and I talk about some of our races and experiences; including the time Mario took a wrong turn after running in a loop in the rain for 13 hours, the time Erik forgot his water bottles back in...

Welcome again to the Running Behind start line. Nothing less than epicness will do for episode number 6. I am joined by fellow MN trail runner, Jason Reeve. In less than 36 months, Jason went from running 0 miles to completing a 100 mile trail race, at the notoriously challenging Zumbro Endurance Trail Run. We get to hear his story and history, how in his early forties he decided to get himself to...

Thanks again for slowing down to hang out with me at the back of the pack. For episode 5, it’s just me…just Joey. I thought a solo effort would be in order. After all, I need to catch you up on what’s coming up on the pod, how my training is (ISN’T) going, and I want to talk to you about a topic near and dear to me…optimism. So, get those shoes on and headphones in, it’s time for a little steady s...

In episode 4, we chart a new path, we head down trails unknown. We leave our familiar roads and routes behind as my guest leads us towards things like Quantum Nutrition Testing, 6 centimeter brain lesions, Eastern vs Western, chiropractic adjustments, winning bikes at bar trivia (that you then use to race a triathlon), and most importantly, how to get 12 million views on your Instagram post. I am...

Welcome back, to the back of the pack world of Running Behind. It’s episode 3, and this time, we are picking up the pace. l am joined by good friend and “faster than me” fellow runner, Eric Walker. We spend the time catching up, hearing about how Eric got started running, and why he loves it so damn much. We also learn about Eric's several adventures with the Twin Cities Marathon. And finally, we...

If that first episode left you wanting more, than want no more, because I ‘m back. And this time it's 'net downhill', because I brought some friends! I welcome Mario & Erik to the pod, in what will be a recurring series that I am calling “Crew Access | Trail Talk With Erik & Mario. In this episode, you will get to learn all about Erik and Mario, how they got started running, how they balan...

Well here it is…one of the most highly anticipated slow runner podcast launch episodes ever! This thing has got it all. From my early running days of dominating the 3200 meter podium (DFL podium) in the mid 1980’s at Minot High, to my crazy exploits of trying to out run a forest fire while being attacked by bees in the Mount St Helens backcountry, followed by a scintillating account of a successfu...

Confession…I am a slow, but persistent trail runner who likes to take on crazy running adventures. Running Behind is a new podcast that takes a look at the wild, but beautiful world of running, trail running and ultramarathons. Mostly from the perspective of the back of the pack. Ordinary people, trying to do extra-ordinary things. We'll talk gear, training, health, nutrition and put a heavy focus...