😳 Here’s Proof That Amazing Fitness has no age limit.
Meet Nathan Martin, the teacher turned Olympic-Trials qualifier.
In case you needed something to get you amped up for your ambitious New Year’s Resolution, here’s Nathan Martin.
Martin’s biological clock ticked pretty far up in years, to the age where most people decide their best physical years are behind them.
Also, his side hustle was pro-running. Think about that for a second.
Running a marathon is one of those top-ten-percent activities that only people who err on the side of crazy attempt, maybe just once in their lives.
Martin, a 36-year-old track coach and substitute teacher, tried countless times to win the attention of marquee marathons around the world.
But despite a ton of elite finishes at some very popular races over the years, he couldn’t gain the favor of a lot of the professional running world.
It wasn’t until he entered into an elite-only in Chandler, AZ in December 2020 that he got people’s attention.
The gym coach and substitute teacher finished in the top 10 in Arizona, with a time of 2 hours and 11 minutes, which is a pretty decent finish for a half marathon.
That was enough for everyone to invite him to some of the premier races around the nation.
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Newsletter Summary:
Nathan Martin’s journey from casual runner and coach to semi-Olympian
Something you can learn from marathon training, even if you never run one
One quote about marathon running that I think applies to general fitness, too
More Proof That Extroardinary Fitness Accomplisments have no age limit
Martin’s racing prowess has been a part of his life since college — he was a record-setting stud in the 5K in college, and even broke school records in the marathon after his coach urged him to run longer distances.
He still keeps in touch with his coach, Dante Ottolini, who helped him progress his times and progress after college.
In 2016, he set his previous personal best of 2 hours and 14 minutes in the Olympics Trials. And believe it or not, he’s still going!
This year, he recorded the fifth fastest marathon time of the year thus far, besting his previous record with a finish of 2:10:45 in Duluth, Minnesota.
His new record also makes him the fastest US-born African American Marathoner ever.
Now the speedster has his eyes set at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and has drastically changed his training approach over the past 2 years.
What We Can Learn From Marathon Training
Have you ever heard the phrase “it’s a marathon, not a sprint?”
It’s a metaphor for slowing down, telling people to spread their efforts out over a long period of time instead of going super hard, super quick.
Finishing a marathon, as I mentioned above, is challenging in and of itself. But the training it takes to prepare for one is arguably more insane than the feat itself.
You’re running for hundreds of miles in preparation for twenty-six.
You’ve got to hydrate, eat and sleep the necessary amounts to make sure your body is equipped for all that mileage.
Even if you never run a marathon, there are things that you can apply to any form of training, or other aspects of your life.
Determination like Martin’s, who worked another job to put food on the table and still found time to chase his dream, is a lesson in perseverance and sticking to the plan.
Making sure all elements of your process for achieving a goal are dialed in, down to the last detail, is a sure fire way to see success. Just as a marathoner needs to accumulate precise mileage for a successful finish, so can you start putting more effort into calorie counting or cardio hours.
Whatever you take away from Martin’s story, it’s pretty clear that calculated decision making mixed with smart, repeated effort leads to long-term success.
You never have to run a marathon yourself, but deciding to try something ambitious this upcoming year could be the catalyst, chain-reaction effect that ends up adding real, healthy years to your life.
If you’re ready to make this leap but need more guidance, consider speaking with me about it (risk-free) or trying out some of my on-demand workouts to kickstart your progress.
One Quote about marathon running that applies to general fitness
“The marathon is not really about the marathon - it's about the shared struggle. And it's not only the marathon but the training."
-Bill Buffum, Boulder Road Runners
See you all on Friday. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!