Nathan’s Story: From Uncertainty to Strength

In 2017, Nathan was just trying to ride his bike to work when a sharp, crushing pain gripped his chest. He brushed it off. It passed. But over the months that followed, it came back—again and again.

Sometimes he could jog a few miles with no problem. Other times, walking across a parking lot left him breathless. He was young, fit enough, and doctors kept insisting he was fine. One even diagnosed it as heartburn. Another told him to try an inhaler.

But nothing changed. So Nathan changed.

Tired of guessing, of feeling weak without a reason, he joined Train Denver. Strength came fast. Cardio? Not so much. It was frustrating. He pushed through, skipped the workouts that scared him, and started believing maybe he just wasn’t cut out for this.

But the Train coaches noticed. They followed up. Checked in. Made sure he felt seen—and kept showing up.

Nine months ago, a new doctor finally gave Nathan the real answer: Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic condition that causes the heart muscle to thicken and block blood flow—especially during exercise. The very thing that was supposed to help him was also what exposed the issue.

Scary? Yes. Limiting? No longer.

Instead of open-heart surgery, Nathan now has a plan—and a fitness routine that supports it. The Train team scales workouts to meet his needs, but never at the expense of community or belonging. “I haven’t lost any of the feeling that makes Train what it is,” Nathan says. “I’m right there with everyone else.”

Last week, his doctor gave him the best news yet: thanks to his fitness, his functional capacity is incredibly high—higher than the average man his age. His consistency, his effort, and the choice he made 4.5 years ago to prioritize his health have made all the difference.

Despite what others may say, Nathan isn’t quitting CrossFit. “It’s not optional anymore,” he says. “I do it for my health, my mental state, and to keep doing the things I love.”

Lessons from Nathan’s Story:

• If something doesn’t feel right, advocate for yourself.
• Fitness isn’t always about pushing harder—it’s about pushing smarter.
• Supportive communities like Train Denver can make all the difference.
• Your best self might not be found in a diagnosis, but in how you respond to it.