Natalie Collar – Boulder Running Coach

Description

Boulder running coach Natalie Collar specializes in creating personalized training plans for ultra distances, mountain and alpine adventure runs, and fastpacking routes. Trails and long distances are her specialty!

Contact Natalie

LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon, Ultra
TRAINING PLATFORM: Final Surge
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text, unlimited phone
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Boulder, CO
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: Yes, within an hour of Boulder, and options include: Running drills, gait analysis, running and strength training workouts, trail running techniques, going over race strategy and prep, and more! Contact Natalie first to ensure a good fit!

SPECIALTIES

While I enjoy working with athletes of any age, ability level, or distance, I specialize in creating personalized training plans for ultra distances, mountain and alpine adventure runs, and fastpacking routes. I can help runners of any ability or experience level successfully and sustainably add distance to their routine to prepare for a half marathon, marathon, ultra, or an adventure route. I also include strength training, mobility, prehab exercises, and nutrition advice for all phases of training to maintain a well-balanced and engaging approach.

PHILOSOPHY

I view my coaching as a collaborative, supportive, and inclusive process to help you accomplish your biggest and wildest dreams in the long-term while making the everyday training fun, engaging, and challenging. Whether you race a lot or a little, have a long or short background with running, my goal is to leave you feeling fulfilled by the running you do. If something in your training isn’t working, we adapt and make changes. If something is going really well, we celebrate and keep doing it. I believe every athlete is unique, so the training should be too!

COACHING EXPERIENCE

I’ve been a self-coached runner for more than ten years, creating my own training plans for races of 3-100 miles, strength routines, and nutrition strategies. I’ve recently been coached by professional, sponsored ultra athletes and licensed nutritionists, so I believe I have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with my athletes as I transition to coaching.

ABOUT ME

I currently live in Boulder, Colorado with my 2-year-old Boston Terrier Mitsu. Although I grew up as a basketball and tennis player who hated running, I became a runner in college while still in my home state of Indiana to try something new and to keep my friends company. I primarily ran on the roads because there weren’t many trails or any mountains nearby. After college, I moved to Japan to teach English and lived there for three years. I initially enjoyed the thrill of running road marathons in another country, but it was in the Japanese Alps that I discovered my true calling: trail and ultra running. I quickly fell in love with the trails and the allure of ultra distances.

I moved to Boulder in 2015 to pursue a Master’s Degree in Japanese Literature, and since then I’ve worked in Customer Service, Sales, Travel, and I now work in Landscape Design. Living in a place like Colorado, I’ve been fortunate to continue improving my training immensely, summit countless mountains, finish more ultras, and tick off some Bucket List adventures with friends. I also enjoy gravel biking, camping, knitting, playing board games, going to drag shows, speaking Japanese, hiking with Mitsu, and watching football in my free time.

BIG INFLUENCES

• Sally McRae— for her positivity, hard work ethic, and bravery to dream big and believe, no matter what life throws her way.
• Addie Bracy – for her tenacity on the trails, for teaching me the importance of mental training in ultras, and for creating more space for LGBTQ+ runners in our sport.
• Anton Krupicka – for his pure love of and dedication to trail and ultra running as well as any movement in the mountains.
• Dr Nicholas Romanov, Creator of the Pose Method of running – for his scientific analysis of running form, running drills, and overall commitment to empower people to run more efficiently while avoiding injuries.
• I am also consistently inspired by friends near and far, on or off the trails, who live full lives and find creative ways to do what they love wholeheartedly.

RACING HISTORY

Over the last 12 years, I’ve raced a wide variety of events, ranging from marathon majors, Western States and Hard Rock Qualifiers to small, local races. Here are some highlights:

• Mt Evans Ascent – A race up the Mt Evans road while it’s closed to cars; 14 miles, 5k of vert, all on roads!
• Tokyo Marathon – Notoriously a difficult race to gain entry to because it’s a marathon major and lottery entry, but this was my second-ever marathon, second fastest time, and it had one of the best crowds.
• Never Summer 100K – Still my favorite race of all-time, in Gould, Colorado. 60+ miles of beautiful alpine scenery and amazing volunteers and aid stations
• Javelina Jundred – Think Halloween Party complimented by running 100 miles. Lots of loops, fun, and even some dancing at aid stations.
• Leadville 100 – One of the most iconic and prestigious ultra races in the US, the challenges of the distance and altitude are REAL!
• For more details, check out my Race Recap Blog here: https://natalieileen88.wordpress.com/

PRs

• 10K: 46:48 (10/28/2010) River City Rat Race
• Marathon: 4:14 (3/22/2014) Wicked Marathon
• 50-Mile: 11:56 (10/30/2021) Javelina 100 Halfway Point
• 100k: 16:33 (1/5/2019) Bandera 100k
• 100-Mile: 28:25 (10/30/2021) Javelina 100

CONTACT NATALIE

Finding a coach who is a great fit for you is really important. We encourage you to email your coach prior to signing up so you can connect, communicate, and ensure a good athlete/coach fit.

PUBLICATIONS

• Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim Trip Report

SOCIAL