Nathan Orf '22 Recruiting Profile

I started track for the first time in 6th grade during middle school as a sprinter. My main goal at that time was to stay in shape and not focus on competition which changed almost immediately. My next track season was focused on long-distance where I ran the 800, 1600, and 2400. I thought I was an okay runner but my father, who used to be a runner himself, and my mother saw potential and encouraged me to keep running. Now I run track year-round because of my parents. They have helped me to see that just because you are not good at something on the first try doesn't mean you can't be the best by the time you want to quit. 

One thing with track that can be a problem for me is my mentality. Whenever you step on the track and the guy right next is about 6 ft tall, asking people what their times are, and then saying he runs a 4:00 flat for the mile when you're still running about 5:11 can be a bit shocking, and when Mr. Starter says runners set, all I can think about is I can still get close to second. That’s a problem I simply fix by telling myself "There's no better time than now to pr by trying to hang with this guy."