In this episode of the Fast & Free Podcast, Brant sits down with Dakotah Popehn (Lindwurm), current Puma-sponsored professional, two-time Grandma’s Marathon champion, Team USA Olympian, and long-time member of Minnesota Distance Elite, to talk about what it actually takes to grow into a world-class marathoner over time. Rather than treating marathoning like a simple equation of workouts-to-results, Dakotah breaks down the real skill: restraint. They dig into why “crushing training” can be a trap, how athletes quietly leave their race in long runs and key sessions, and what it looks like to consistently stack solid blocks without chasing perfection. With the Boston Marathon on the horizon, Dakotah shares how she’s approaching a course that rewards feel and decision-making more than pace charts. Using power as a governor, building durability, and making smarter trade-offs so she can arrive ready to compete, not cooked. The conversation also widens out into the mindset side of high performance: the strange reality that even major breakthroughs can feel fleeting, the constant pull to chase the next standard, and how elite athletes manage comparison in an era where everyone’s training is public. Along the way, Dakotah reflects on the less-glamorous parts of her path—earning her way forward step by step—and why she values the “working class” culture of her group. They close with the coaching layer too: why she started coaching during COVID, what she gets out of helping everyday runners chase big goals, and how being in someone’s corner through disappointment can matter as much as celebrating their best days. Drop your best tips for the Boston Marathon in the comments
The Fast & Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each episode, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—talks with athletes and coaches about training smarter, thinking clearly under pressure, and building sustainable performance over time. ⸻
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