A father of 5, Nate Garrison is a multiple time iron-man, ultra-runner, and endurance enthusiast.  Nate is living his own EXTRAordinary life.  Initially working his way up the corporate ladder at UPS and later at Owens Corning, Nate also has a wealth of entrepreneurial experience working for one of the first dot.com distribution startup.  He went on to form a general contracting partnership and ultimately his own design build construction firm. 

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While spending the last decade in facilities management, Nate hit a new point in his life where it was time for a new challenge.  Through a peculiar series of events, a new opportunity arose.  A Calling.   A path that has taken him outside his comfort zone.  A path of personal discover and enlightenment.  Through this self-development, 8 Keys 2 Great was born. Along with that program, the EXTRAordinary Podcast became the vessel to gain knowledge from others who are doing the same.  Nate seeks out individuals like him that have found their own path and now want to help others find theirs. 

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Nate’s journey towards an EXTRAordinary life started early.  He was never particularly good at any one skill, sport, or activity.  But the one thing he was always up for, a challenging adventure.  So with that in mind,  the week after graduating high school in Georgia, he and a buddy loaded up an old Nissan Sentra and drove to California meeting two other friends for a summer of skating, contests (one of which went on to become the X-Games) making new friends and having some incredible adventures along the way. 

 

That adventurous spirit continued through college and his young adult life, spending a year in Utah playing in the mountains (and occasionally showing up for college classes).  Relocating back to Georgia, this lifestyle eventually caught up to him in the form of injuries, slowing him down as he began raising a family. 

 

Later picking up some safer activities like running and triathlon, Nate ran his first marathon back in Utah, this time in St. George.   A few years later, while training for his first Iron-man one Saturday, an errant bike ride crossed paths with a trail race.  Fascinated by a bunch of idiots blazing a trail through the woods, Nate knew he had found his people.  Signing up for the next trail race he could find, Nate was officially hooked, progressing into longer and longer distances.    

 

An avid ultra-runner, you can find him most mornings at one of the many local trail heads that surround him. 

 

Now experimenting in all types of endurance activities, Nate seems to have a penchant for pain and suffering. He averages at least 1 or 2 marathons per year, has completed several 50k’s and 50 milers and is preparing for his first 100 miler. 

 

Nate completed A2A (an 87 miles in-line skate race from Athens, GA to downtown Atlanta) and every year enjoys the Dirty Spokes trail race series and obstacle course racing with his friends. 

 

From very early on, Nate’s focus has been on lifestyle.  Crafting a lifestyle that fit his needs and family.  His success has been in his ability to make time for the things that are important.  Which almost always involves his kids.  Whether starting his own business so he could manage his schedule or working where he could have the best possible benefits, Nate continues to define his success by his lifestyle rather than bank account.  His unique path will hopefully inspire you to start crafting your own.