Nat Larson

Nat Larson is one of the top American masters runners, with 15 national records and four world championship medals in the M55 and M60 age divisions. He has also helped his Greater Springfield Harriers team win numerous national masters championships in cross country and road racing. He was inducted into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame in 2024.

 

Nat has been a life-long runner, finishing his first marathon at age 16.  He ran three seasons of Cross Country and Track at Amherst College but had never qualified for a national championship race when he graduated in 1984.  He continued to run in his 20’s and focused on the marathon since he didn’t think his speed was competitive.  He reached his marathon best with a 2:18 at Grandma’s Marathon (10th place) in 1992.  Career and family obligations then took precedence and Nat took a hiatus from competitive running. 

 

When Nat and his family moved to Amherst in 2007, he continued his morning jogging routine.  But when his oldest son started summer training for high school cross country, Nat joined him and began to add mileage and speed work. Hooked again, Nat continued to train and was surprised to find success at shorter distances.  He ran his first national masters championship race in 2015 (the James Joyce 10k) and found himself on the podium, 3rd in the M50 division. He then joined the Harriers and was inspired by his teammates to keep racing and improving. He says he’s very happy not to be a marathoner anymore, being able to compete year-round in cross country, indoor and outdoor track, and on the roads.  

 

Nat currently holds American records for M55 on the road in the 5k and on the outdoor track in the 3,000m, and in the M60 division on the roads at 1 mile, 5k, 8k, 10k, 12k, 15k, 10 mile, 20k, and half marathon, and outdoor track in the 3,000, 5,000, 10,000, and indoor track in the 3,000.  At the World Masters Athletics track championships, he won M55 gold in the 5,000 in Malaga, Spain in 2018 and M60 gold in the 1,500 and silver in the 5,000 and 10k road race in Tampere, Finland in 2022.  Nat has won numerous national championships, earning him USATF honors as age group Road Runner of the Year beginning in 2016, and overall masters Road Runner of the Year in 2023 and 2024, as well as masters Harrier of the Year in 2017 and 2019 for cross country.  He’s looking forward to turning 65 and taking on more challenges in the new age group. 

 

Among Nat’s lengthy accomplishments, he’s especially fond of the many age records he holds at the Northampton cross country course.  He even claims, although it’s not officially recognized, to have the four top male age-graded scores on that course and is the only one to score over 90%.  Hmmmm.