Four-day track runner
Nat Collins is this week’s guest, Nat is a physical therapist, runner, running coach, 2.49 marathoner, and certified orthopedic specialist. The mindset to run ultramarathons is about more than pushing the limits. It’s making wise decisions in training, recovery, and gear.
Nat ran track in 7th grade and quit after four day because he hated running. But, when he was in high school, a couple of his classmates convinced him to start running as a way to stay in shape.
He hated it for the first few weeks, but after his first 5 mile run he realized that he was naturally good at running. He used running as a way to clear his mind.
Running was also something that helped him when he discovered he had type 2 narcolepsy.
When the shoe fits
Nat is a running shoe aficionado. He says the foot is the thing he likes most to treat in his orthopedic practice. As a barefoot runner, I wanted to hear his opinion about minimal footwear while running. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that he sees a place for some people to run barefoot and minimalist.
He stresses that people who are starting to run should pay attention to their running form in the beginning in order to avoid visits to the physiotherapist.
Start local, then global is a phrase Nat uses to show how to avoid injuries. Get each part of your body strong and then get all the parts working together.
He coaches runners to play the long game instead of the “go hard, get injured, stop and recover” game.
The ultramarathon mindset
He’s seen in his life and in the athletes he coaches that our mind is capable of making us do things we never thought possible. Nat ran a marathon while dealing with the pain of a kidney stone. Our mind is like a governor that keeps the body within “safe” limits. Usually we can push that margin of safety more than we think. But the skill is to know where the breaking point is.
Nat has plans for running the Pike’s Peak 50K. He also has a goal to run a sub 2:40 marathon and perhaps a 200 mile race in the future.
Connect with Nat:
Instagram: @natcollinsdpt
Twitter: https://twitter.com/runesiology
Email: natcollinspt@gmail.com
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