193. Nick Willis: Longevity as a runner

Nick Willis is a 38-year old kid at heart, from a small town in New Zealand. A lifelong athlete, physical activity is a feature now in his roles as a father, husband and employee.

In this episode we talk about:

-the social side of running
-growing up in New Zealand playing every sport
-moving to the US to run in college
-experiencing the Olympics first as a fan and then as an athlete
-varying the training
-longevity in elite athletics
-breaking 4 minutes in the mile for 20 consecutive years
-Tracksmith New Year’s Eve Gala and the Midnight Mile
-social media and marketing in sport
-being relatable and sharing what’s real
-being a team player at Tracksmith
-thoughts on trail and ultra running
-balancing ambitious goals with opportunity costs
-community
-faith and discipline in running and life
-contentment and gratitude
-overcoming nerves and injuries with gratitude and opportunity

In this episode, we discussed Tracksmith's Midnight Mile and New Year's Eve Gala. Since recording and due to the rise of COVID cases in NYC, this event is no longer open to the public for safety reasons. 

Thank you to Tracksmith and Recover Athletics for sponsoring this episode. 

Tracksmith recently released their fall collection, which was designed to celebrate the seasonal shifts as we find our rhythm this fall. I’m proud to partner with Tracksmith, and they’re going to donate 5% of your order value to the Michael J Fox Foundation for all orders, and you’ll also get free shipping. The Michael J Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure and helping those living with Parkinsons. Both of my grandfathers have or had Parkinsons, and I’m grateful of Tracksmith’s support for something so personal.

Visit Tracksmith.com/forthelongrun to see some of my favorite pieces, and all orders that start from that page will contribute towards this donation! 

Recover Athletics is a supporter of not only this podcast, but my own running. It was built in Boston by two lifelong training partners who got tired of aches and pains getting in the way of their running. 

In 90 seconds, their app will customize a program for your body and your training. I plugged in some of my more common aches and pains, and I got a custom built program designed to strengthen the muscles and tendons that will help avoid those issues going forward. 

Your first custom prehab program is free, AND they have an unlimited free trial. Give Recover a try today. Your legs will thank you!