“Team Nichole” started as just one individual, Coach Jerry Schaubach, and slowly grew to a core group of experts, friends, and businesses willing to invest their time and energy into my running. I didn’t know it at the time, but creating #teamnichole was, without a doubt, one of the biggest reason I qualified for the Olympic Trials. #teamnichole looks a little different than it did several years ago, but it is 100% still the reason I continue to enjoy running success today!
I can NOT thank these individuals and organizations enough for all of their support!
A member of Team USA MN and also the Augsburg head XC and Track and Field Coach. I love working with someone female, who has competed at the highest level, and is local so I don’t have to continually explain snow/ice covered roads and 75 degree dew points affecting my workouts. I have learned that I can’t coach myself: I would do way too much, work too hard, and over-think the process. I thrive when I can trust someone else!
Chiropractor: Dr. Jeremy Ackerson.
I’ve been working with him since July 2017 and can honestly say that I’ve had nearly full function of my right hamstring lately because of his work. That hamstring has impeeded my stride since 2005! I thought I needed to live with and manage that injury for the rest of my life. If you live nearby and need a very knowledgeable, experienced miracle worker chiroprator, visit him at Cram Chiropratic!
A HUGE thank you to these supporters who are giving their valuable time and expertise to help me achieve my running goals!
Sponsors:
Brooks: I am truly honored to be named a 2016,2017, 2018 and now 2019 (!) Brooks’ Inspiring Coach! I was selected as one of the thousands of coaches across the country (high school, collegiate, club, online) for my TNC Endurance coaching. I feel like I have gone full-circle with Brooks, having been been a professional runner for them for 2 years and now a sponsored coach.
I have worked hard to cultivate a very close-knit team atmosphere amongst my athletes, arranging virtual “races” or competitions, hosting a summer training camp, sending out newsletters highlighting results and the fun humor our team has, organizing training runs, and race directing. I am so proud of TNC athletes and the team we have! Check out their successes here. Thank you, Brooks, for recognizing that we have a really good thing going! Run happy!
Generation UCAN Nutrition: I work exclusively with UCAN’s pre- and post-workout carbohydrate drink. If you’ve experienced energy or blood sugar issues or are a heavy carb-burner needing to train your body to become an efficient fat burner, check out my post here and consider giving their products a try! Use this link for 10-15% (or more!) off your online order!
Please feel free to email me with any questions you have. Nutrition during training and racing has been a struggle of mine, so I’m very happy to share any tips and tricks I may have picked up along the way. I answer about an email a week about the products – I mean it when I say I’m happy to help!
Stunt Puppy: Mesa and I have run thousands of miles together with the help of Stunt Puppy’s Stunt Runner. Absolutely in love! Use the code “MESA18” to get 25% off your online order!
Defeat the Stigma Mental Health Awareness Group: I spent the majority of 2015 in and out of psychiatric hospitals, detox facilities, and eventually in a 28-day inpatient treatment facility. How could someone who was always on top of the world (so it seemed): school, 6-figure salary at the age of 25 and climbing the corporate ladder quickly, then working her tail off to qualify for and then finishing 69th at the US Olympic Marathon Trials, find herself hopelessly depressed and wanting to end her life? Turning to alcohol and eventually becoming so dependent on it that she couldn’t go more than a couple of hours without it? So dependent that I was willing to do anything for the next bottle, and that mattered more to me than my husband, daughter, safety, or health?
I am so thankful to have had so many around me that pushed me to seek help when I didn’t want it. I have been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, which I’ve likely had my entire life, helping me to achieve, but the highs and lows became very evident with the hormone swings after the birth of my daughter.
I thought my prior successes made me immune from mental health problems. Truth is, though, mental illness doesn’t discriminate! It’s also nothing to be ashamed of. If you have mental health issues, you have a choice: be consumed by them, or manage their symptoms. Reach out! Let’s Defeat The Stigma around mental illness! I am always available to talk about my struggles – email me at nichole.porath (at) gmail.com.
Seven Sundays: As I try to get the most out of my body, I need to fuel with the best food possible. Instead of looking for something fast and unhealthy mid-day, I pour some museli on top of my plain Greek yogurt for a protein-rich, great tasting and NON-PROCESSED snack. It’s often my breakfast in the mornings too. The more I can fuel with simple, wholesome foods/ingredients, the better I’ll feel and perform. A huge thank you to Seven Sundays for fueling my dreams of coming back to racing at a high level!
Run N Fun: Best running store in the Twin Cities! I’ve raced for their elite team for over a decade. Check them out! They’re also really generous with discounts. Hard to beat expert service and a deal!
