Stay Motivated With Your Running In 2022

I can assure you, when you have people in your life that support what you do, it makes achieving goals much more easier.

I can't really think of anyone who achieved anything great in life by themselves.

Dr. Joe Vigil, one of the world's top distance running coaches told me

Nate, you can run well below 2.15.00 for the marathon

Those few words changed my life, that someone that high up in the running community could think so highly of me.

The key to achieving anything difficult is to stay motivated.

You have to seek out what others think is painful.

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This was an extremely powerful statement given to me by an Olympic coach.

Why?

No one ever told me I was capable of such a time.

I had been encouraged before but that truly was amazing to hear such a prominent expert in the field tell me I could run that fast.

I have had some terrific coaches.

I had great high school coaches in John Weaver and Craig Thompson.

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I was coached by the last American female to win the Boston Marathon, Lisa Rainsberger, while I was a part of the army world class athlete program for 3 years.

Coach Vigil and Lisa were probably my two biggest coaching influences thus far in my running career and Lisa told me numerous times that running a much faster marathon was possible.

He has a great book called Road to the Top I purchased when in college which I still reference today.

My college coach, Jack Hazen, was just named to be the head distance running coach for the upcoming London Olympics.

I ran for Jack for 5 years while attending Malone University.

The thing I remember most about coach Hazen was the statement he made about me when I signed papers to attend Malone while still a senior in high school.

I will place no limits on Nate cause he places no limits on himself.

Jack believed in me and it still, to this day, reminds me to place no limits on others.

If you are willing to put in the work there is really no use in putting a limit on yourself.

 Dr. Joe Vigil

Joe Vigil taught me that there are no limits pending our willingness to pay a great sacrifice in order to run at the next level.

Lisa would always tell me,

Nate, it's just work

while I was struggling through track workouts on my own.

When I was ‘conditionally' accepted into the Army World Class Athlete Program.

I was only a 2.43.36 marathon runner.

I can assure you, the company I had while in that military unit, at that time, were FAR above my ability level.

It took guidance from a very good coach and runner, a willingness to put in some serious work and accepting that not every race or performance was going to be great, to run a time deemed acceptable to be a part of that great unit.

It is just work!

It is work I would have done for free but was given an opportunity to get paid to do something I already do freely and to add honor to it, serve my country for a few years representing the Army with a God-given ability.

 Delayed Gratification

I dropped my time to 2.19.35.

It was Lisa who guided me to that time and it was Joe who kept my thoughts and aspirations high.

His statement is what keeps me striving for a faster marathon time to this day.

Find the individuals around you who truly believe in what you do, care about you, and want the best for you.

I have been a very fortunate individual to have worked with such rare individuals.

I end, reminding you of this, place no limits on what you can do.

There are so many people around the world who have far less than what you and I have, yet they can get up and still be happy.

Keep your goals in mind and always remember the individuals in your life that have made a difference for you.