Currently the head coach of the cross country and track & field programs at Covington Catholic High School, I spent twelve years at Cincinnati St. Xavier High School, learning within and contributing to one of the best programs in the state of Ohio, and the Midwest as a whole. As one of the two coaches of the Fleet Feet Cincinnati Racing Team, I’ve gotten to help post-collegiate runners take the next step in their personal athletic journey.
With limited running experience before high school, Nate has gone on to represent the University of Virginia — placing 4th in the NCAA steeplechase — after having one of the best prep careers in Ohio history:
4:02.54, Mile = OH record
8:42.16, Two-Mile = OH record, top 10 US all-time
Brooks PR National Champion
2000m Steeplechase HS National Record Holder
800m . . . 2:04.74 > 1:58.98 > 1:56 covid TT > 1:53.2 (split)
1600m . . . dnr > 4:23.45 (split) > 4:15 covid TT > 4:01.13 c
3200m . . . dnr > 9:26.56 > 9:07 covid TT > 8:39.13 c
5K XC . . . 16:28 > 16:11 > 15:12 > 14:46
From 30th-best 4 x 800 team in Kentucky in 2022, to AAA State Champions in 2023. We slashed thirty-eight seconds from our previous seasons’ best as our three fastest returners improved an average of eight seconds per person from their PB the prior year.
3rd-fastest school in Kentucky history
Fastest performance in Northern Kentucky history by 7+ seconds
4 x 800m . . . 8:30.57 > 7:52.14
Kentucky sophomore record holder, Mile/1600m + 3200m
Kentucky AAA Champion, cross country + 3200m
11th NXR Southeast, 14th Foot Locker / Champs South
1600m . . . 4:28 > 4:10
3200m . . . 9:24 > 9:04
5K XC . . . 16:38 > 15:21 > 14:58
A part-time runner his first two years of high school, Mitchel bought into a new vision of his — and his team’s — potential, and dropped lacrosse to begin running year-round. By the time he graduated, Mitchel had surpassed our previous school records, and became the #1 runner — and fastest freshman in program history — in his first year as a College of Charleston Cougar.
800m . . . dnr > dnr > 2:05.3 split > 1:59.43
1600m . . . dnr > dnr > 4:36.6 > 4:26.14
3200m . . . dnr > dnr > 9:40.58 > 9:29.85
5K XC . . . 18:57 > 18:19 > 17:07 > 15:56
I was brought into this post-collegiate program first launched and led by Mike Dehring, whom I supported before being handed the reins in 2022.
The dynamic of post-collegiate training is fundamentally different from working with youth runners whom you see five to six days a week. The adult athlete brings an incredible amount of self-generated desire and day-to-day self-sufficiency in order to do their work… the sample results below are entirely their achievements, but I’m proud to have helped design a training framework and provided some input along the way.
ZACH DOMBI
pre-FFRT = 2:58.08 (Columbus, 2016)
with FFRT = 2:36:54 (Cincinnati, 2019)
post-FFRT = 2:29:58 (London, 2021)
CODY DAWSON
pre-FFRT … 3:16:31 (Cincinnati, 2017)
with FFRT … 2:46:03 (Toledo, 2021)
post-FFRT = 2:30:10 (Toledo, 2023)
GREG SANDERS
pre-FFRT … 2:54:21 (Toledo, 2017)
with FFRT … 2:34:02 (Toledo, 2021)
GARRETT BURNS
pre-FFRT … 3:20:07 (Cincinnati, 2017)
with FFRT … 2:48:51 (Boston, 2023)
BRAD DEATON
pre-FFRT … 3:04:06 (Toledo, 2018)
with FFRT … 2:50:48 (Carmel, 2022)