HITTING THE TRAIL. Jake Nash and his running chair, which allows individuals with disabilities to “pilot” treks. Nash is proprietor of Edure+Rise+Conquer, a company that helps people meet their fitness goals.

Ever gone for a 105-mile run? Chippewa Falls native Jake Nash has. He’s also run more than 20 marathons – one of them just six months after a back surgery. And last year, he completed the Ironman Wisconsin.

But what’s most impressive about Nash isn’t his collection of medals or running bibs – it’s his endeavor as an entrepreneur. Nash is a self-educated nutritionist, personal trainer, and life coach. He’s been doing this for years, but this past April, he officially launched Endure+Rise+Conquer. ERC is an outlet (Nash avoids the term “business”) for anybody looking for guidance or training in running, biking, strength, mixed martial arts, or nutrition. But it’s more than just that. Nash works with individuals with varying goals and abilities.

“This is completely organic,” Nash said. “I can write programs for those looking to get better at marathon running or triathlon training or mixing those together, or I can help a person who wants to do their first pull-up.” Whether he’s using resistance bands, TRX bands, or adaptive equipment (through his Pilot Program for persons with disabilities), Nash works with his clients to meet their individual goals at whatever pace they need.

The inspiration for ERC came years ago when Nash decided to use athletics as a healthy alternative to his personal struggle with alcoholism. “You endure the process that allows you to rise to the challenge and conquer your dreams,” he said. “That really goes for anybody, whether it’s an addiction, whether it’s a disease, whether you’re just trying to hit a fitness goal, or going through anything in life … there’s always a process you have to go through, and when you’re ready to meet that process, you take that on, rise to the challenge, and try to conquer it.”

Nash is using his years of experience and holistic approach to help others see results with ERC, and the results speak for themselves. “There was a woman who couldn’t run a quarter mile without stopping, and she’d never attempted swimming before. But earlier this year, she had run 10 miles and she also completed the Eau Claire Triathlon,” Nash said. “The training is powerful that way.”

Though Nash has helped many people run their first marathons, he made it clear that breaking personal records isn’t always the point. “Sometimes a person grows more as a person than they do as an athlete, and that can be just as great to see,” he said. “M payback is to bring smiles to people. If I can get that, then we’ve endured, we rose, we conquered.”

For more information about Endure+Rise+Conquer, check out endureriseconquer.com.