A bit about Nathan...
I am 39 years old and a happily married father of 1. I was born and raised in Brisbane but have lived all over the world. I currently live on the Sunshine Coast with my family and plan on living here for many years to come. Well, At least until retirement anyway, when we plan on moving to Italy (my wife is Italian) to drink wine and eat awesome food every day!
At the age of 27 I was diagnosed with Crohns disease (Chronic Autoimmune condition). This diagnosis came quite suddenly which in turn resulted in me having immediate surgery to remove approximately 30cm of my small intestine. 7 years later I had a relapse and had to have another bowel resection to remove a further 35cm of my intestine. So now I’m naturally a bit lighter on my feet!
Currently my sport of choice is running! More specifically aiming towards ultra marathons. Thankfully, I am symptom free from my chronic condition and attribute that to running and my passion for a healthier version of me.
How did you come to realise you first had a passion for running?
I competed quite seriously in athletics when I was young, but as is the case a lot of the time, I stopped all competitive sport during my late teens. It wasn’t until my mid to late 30’s that I started seriously pursuing sport and general fitness again. I was at a bit of a down point in my life so started running again to regain my fitness and correct a few wrongs in my life. From there the passion kept growing to the point where running is now a major part of my life and will be for the foreseeable future.
How often do you train and are you currently training for any events?
I train 5-6 days per week, predominantly running, with strength training mixed in. Depending on the time of year and what events are coming up, the ratio will swing more towards what is needed at the time and my specific training requirements.
Currently I am training for an upcoming 50km Ultra marathon and then I have another trail half marathon at the end of October. That’s all I have confirmed for the remainder of 2020 but will probably do a few shorter runs here and there as well. Next year though is going to be big for me as I’m planning on doing more races at longer distances including 100+km Ultras.
Have you competed in any events?
I have competed in local trail running series around South East Queensland as well as the Bridge 2 Brisbane.
The biggest event I have done though was the Kokoda Challenge (96km) on the Gold Coast in 2019. This is what gave me the bug to really pursue ultra-running more seriously and I haven’t looked back since.
What does your training regime look like?
I usually run or go to the gym in the afternoon or evening. I did go through a period of getting up early to go for a run, but I found I was hitting the snooze button more than I was getting up to run! I just cannot run fasted or with little nutrition. I need fuel in me first….maybe I just like food too much!!
Given my condition, I need to ensure that my body gets adequate vitamins and sufficient nutrition which is vital for both my performance and recovery. On top of taking daily supplements I also take extra electrolytes and try to use spices like turmeric, ginger and garlic on a regular basis to reduce inflammation.
What do you do to recover after a big sesh?
As far as physical recovery is concerned, I have a specific stretching routine that I perform after every run and I always make sure that I don’t just stop immediately at the end of a run or workout. I'll either walk for the last km or just drop the intensity significantly. Occasionally I’ll have an Epsom salt bath, but that’s usually only after a very long or max effort run.
Lastly, I don’t forget to eat after a workout! Your body is broken down and needs to repair itself and grow.
How do you find compression enhances your performance and helps you recover?
Wearing BASE compression is a massive help with muscle fatigue both during training and post training. I find that my legs in particular are able to sustain longer periods of stress during a workout and also recover a lot quicker as well.
I absolutely love the BASE range of compression wear. All garments are extremely comfortable and made with quality materials.
I have worn other compression in the past that have become more of a hindrance than help, but with BASE I actually enjoy wearing them. They don’t ride up, or twist and the waist band stays exactly where it’s supposed to, which I have found to be a real issue with other brands. I have never had any issues with chafing or rubbing in unwanted places either, which as a runner is a massive plus.
I guess the best feedback I can give is that, when I'm running, I forget that I am wearing them, which is perfect!
Thanks Nathan for taking the time to give us some insight into your passion for running! We wish you all the best for these mammoth events you have coming up...keep us posted on how you get on!
