Get to Know
the Coaches
Coach Mike has been coaching athletes since 2016. Along with being a coach, he is a Physical Therapist with an orthopedic clinical specialty. His knowledge as a Physical Therapist has allowed him to help athletes not only prevent injuries, but train through them and get to the start line healthy when challenges do arise.
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Since starting his own running career in 2012, he has run over 50 races that were a Marathon + in distance in 11 different states and 4 countries. He has earned 21 1st place finishes and 10 Course Records, 8 of which are still held and 10 DNFs. Each piece of his career is a part of his story that well rounds him as a coach to help his athletes conquer through successes and challenges in their own journeys.
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Even though running is his passion, he loves all endurance sports and trains many multi-sport athletes. He regularly joins local group rides (both mountain and road) and has competed in popular biking events, such as the Marji Gesick and WORS bike series.
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He lives in La Crosse, WI with his wife, Allyson, daughter, Emmy, son, Bennett, and pup, Bella. He is the Vice President of the Outdoor Recreation Alliance, President of the River City Running Club, directs 4 different races, co- directs a summer race series, and runs a youth track program each summer.
Meet Coach Mike
Coach Mike's Endurance Accomplishments
Since 2012:
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Over 50 Races Marathon + Distance Finishes
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12 States
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4 Countries
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21 1st place Finishes
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10 Course Records ( still hold 8 )
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10 + Bike race finishes (and growing!)
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2nd place Marji Gesick Duathlon (2023)​
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Running and coaching have been part of Coach Jill’s life since elementary school track and field days. It is then that she fell in love with running and began to realize all that it could bring to her life. It is this passion that influenced her education and her career path. Jill has a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology-Exercise Science and a Master’s degree in Physical Education with an Outdoor Pursuits emphasis.
Along with being a coach, she is a Registered Nurse working in the labor and delivery specialty. This allows her to work frequently in the space of coming alongside others to find ways to accomplish hard things. Being a nurse also allows her to take a special interest in the area of overall wellness, wanting to ensure that all aspects of your life are taken into consideration when designing the right training program for you.
Since 2019 Jill has focused her racing on the ultra running distances, but had previously participated in numerous road running events. The years of training and all the race experiences have helped Jill to realize that it is less about the achievement and more about the journey and all the joy that you can have along the way. Jill believes that the best part about coaching is getting to be around people that are willing to try and wanting to explore the limits of their potential.
Jill lives in Onalaska, WI with her husband (whom she met through coaching high school track at Onalaska High School!), 2 sons, Grady and Zeke, and their dog, Zola.
Meet Coach Jill
Coach Jill's Endurance Accomplishments
Running Accomplishments:
-Finished 3 100 mile races
-Personal 100M Best: 14:59
-Currently 52nd on the Top Female 100M Performances of all time
-Personal Marathon Best: 2:52
-9 1st place finishes
Marathon Experience:
Chicago, Green Bay, Boston, Twin Cities
100 Mile Experience:
Javelina Jundred, Hennepin Hundred, Tunnel Hill
50M-100k Experience:
Kettle Moraine, Lean Horse, Voyageur, Bandera
For the past 30 years Coach Eric has immersed himself in the world of peak athletic performance. After his All American collegiate swimming career, Eric has gone on to coach a diverse range of sports including swimming, cross country, tennis, and track and field. As a swimming coach, Eric worked with over 40 YMCA State Champions, multiple YMCA, Junior and Senior National qualifiers, as well as an Olympic Trials Finalist. Over his time coaching he has had the honor of working with multiple nationally recognized coaches at the Olympic, NCAA and YMCA levels. A lesson that has continually been reinforced to Eric through all of these experiences is that the process for personal improvement is universal through all disciplines of sport. When working together in a research based systematic plan where the athlete feels ownership of their own success, amazing results are obtainable.
Eric has earned his master’s degree in Human Performance and is a professional member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Along with his masters degree he has undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Education with a coaching concentration. Using his education and experience, Eric focuses on working with athletes to identify and cultivate their inner strength in order to optimize their performance. Eric strives to continuously learn and applies a growth mindset with the athlete to actively pursue success.
He enjoys all things endurance based that allow him to get outside. On the bike, Eric has competed in multiple ultra endurance gravel, mountain, road, and winter fat bike races. He also has competed in triathlons, masters swimming, open water swims, road and trail running races as well as adventure races.
Eric currently resides in Onalaska where he is a Mathematics Teacher. When not training or working, he is pursuing outdoor adventure with his wife, Jill, their two sons, Grady and Ezekiel, and their Australian Shepherd, Zola.
Meet Coach Eric
Coach Eric's Endurance Accomplishments
Races/Adventures:
Lutsen 99er - Mountain Bike
Chequamegon - 40 Mountain Bike
Driftless 100 - Gravel Bike
Hot Dish 100 - Gravel Bike
Core4 - All Surface Bike
Tuscobia Winter Ultra - Fat Bike
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Stubborn Fool - Adventure Race
Hixon 50 - Trail Run
Dances With Dirt - Trail Run
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Masters Nationals - Swimming
Multiple Open Water Swims
Multiple Triathlons
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Solo day ride of 200+ miles across Wisconsin primarily on gravel roads.
Solo winter fat bike ride 144 miles