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Running Beyond the Miles: How the 100 Mile Club Shaped Madyson Nakamura’s Journey

Maydson Nakamura

Year started: 2011

For college athlete Madyson Nakamura, running goes beyond the miles, speed or competition. It’s been about celebrating every single mile. As a kinesiology major at Vanguard University with a music minor, Madyson’s story is refreshing. She has a different perspective on endurance sports and reveals how the right approach to running can create lifelong athletes. These are people who see movement as a gift rather than a chore.

“I noticed I was super enthusiastic to always run because of the culture that was set by 100 Mile Club. Just every mile celebrated,” Madyson explains, reflecting on what makes this program so special.

In a fitness landscape often dominated by intense competition and emphasis on performance metrics, the 100 Mile Club has created something different. Kara Lubin and her team have created a community that champions progress and consistency. They focus on the simple joy of moving your body.

Finding Joy in Every Step Starting At Age 5

Madyson’s running journey began in 2011 when she was just five years old. Her father, Joe Nakamura, joined 100 Mile Club’s board of directors and began taking her to running events. Instead of feeling pressure to perform, young Madyson found herself in an environment where participation was enough.

“He would tell me, ‘Maddie, you’re gonna come, run, walk however many laps you can around the track.’ I would go and there would be a lot of kids, different ages. Some would be walking with their moms, others would be sprinting,” she recalls. “And I just remember running what I could and then when I couldn’t my dad would say, ‘That’s okay. Just see how many laps you can get.'”

This pressure-free introduction to running planted seeds that would continue to grow throughout her life. Unlike many young athletes who burn out from early specialization and performance pressure, Madyson’s love for running developed naturally through exploration and joy.

From Boredom To Participation

The turning point came a few years later at the Big Run for Kids, a race that the 100 Mile Club organizes. While her father was directing the 24-hour race and the 100-mile race, Madyson found herself bored watching from the sidelines.

“I remember being so bored out of my mind. I’m like, it’s hot. Why are we checking people? I got out there running, and the next thing I know, it’s three hours later, and I ask, ‘How many miles am I at?’ ‘They told me that I was almost at 10,'” she shared with a smile.

That day, eight-year-old Madyson completed 15 miles, sparking a curiosity about her own capabilities that continues to drive her today. Each year afterward, she challenged herself to run a little farther—reaching 22 miles at age 12.

Celebration Over Competition: A Different Running Culture

What makes 100 Mile Club’s approach to running revolutionary is its emphasis on celebration rather than competition. In a world where youth sports increasingly focus on specialization and performance metrics, the club creates space for achievement without anxiety.

“I never had that experience of comparison,” Madyson says. “And as a kid who’s always competitive—you know, children are competitive, ‘I’m better than you’—I never had that experience.”

When Madyson eventually joined her high school cross country team, she noticed an immediate difference in how her teammates approached running. While club runners focused on times and splits, Madyson’s foundation was built on endurance and enjoyment.

“All of my friends who came from clubs said, ‘Yeah, this is my mile time, this is my 800 time.’ And I thought, ‘I don’t know what that is, but I ran 20 miles.’ And they replied with amazement, ‘What?’ The response that Madyson gave was ‘Yeah, you guys don’t do that? Wait, that’s not normal?'” It was a surprise to her that they weren’t running that far and seemed to only be focused on a time metric.

This unique foundation has given Madyson remarkable staying power in a sport known for high burnout rates. Even as a collegiate athlete facing high training volumes, she remains connected to the joy that first drew her to running.

“Burnout is super common, and I’ve heard many people mention it over the years. With all the high mileage, I’ve never felt that because I just get out there, and the long run is my favorite.”

Running as a Privilege, Not a Punishment

Perhaps the most powerful lesson Madyson learned from 100 Mile Club was seeing running as a privilege rather than a punishment—a mindset that has protected her from the negative relationship with exercise that many athletes develop.

This mindset served her well when she played soccer alongside running. While her teammates dreaded fitness sessions, Madyson embraced them.

“Whenever coach would say ‘it’s fitness’ and everyone would be upset, I would think to myself, ‘This is what I’m good at, this is what I like,'” she says. “I remember one coach went to my parents and said, ‘Maddie wants to run after the game. And I’m punishing them because they played horrible.’ He followed that up with, ‘I don’t know how to get your daughter to not like this.’ My dad responded with, ‘She’s supposed to enjoy it.’ And then my coach had an epiphany.”

For Madyson, running has never been about punishment or obligation. It’s about connecting with something greater than herself.

“I see running as if I’m fighting a greater fight. And I’m helping my own health,” she explains, referencing 100 Mile Club’s mission to fight childhood inactivity. “As a kinesiology major, I knew I wanted to do this, and I was motivated to get fitter out there.”

Life Lessons from the Track to the Classroom

The benefits of 100 Mile Club’s approach extend far beyond running. The program’s goal-setting structure has shaped how Madyson approaches every aspect of her life.

“It sounds silly, but that shirt that Kara Lubin designed has a 25-mile checkbox, 50, 75 and 100 mile checkbox. That creates a goal-setting mentality which has stuck with me ever since.. I set goals in every part of my life with jobs, with schedules, and with my assignments,” Madyson explains.

This structured approach to achievement has given her confidence when facing challenges, including health struggles that required her to advocate for herself in medical settings.

“When I had this issue, I went to doctors, and it just felt like that was thrown out the window. I thought, ‘How do you guys not see me?'” she recalls. “I remember one doctor told me, ‘Then maybe you should stop running if it’s hurting you so much.’ I remember walking out of the doctor’s office crying and just feeling so defeated. You’re telling me I’m going to have to give up the one thing I love?”

Instead of giving up, Madyson drew on the resilience she’d developed through 100 Mile Club.

“I went back to the idea that if you can walk a mile, you can keep moving, you can keep going. And that was definitely due to 100 Mile Club,” she says. “I kept pushing because I knew I could advocate for myself. I can do my own research, people believe in me, and I have the tools.”

The Ripple Effect: Inspiring the Next Generation

Today, Madyson is giving back to the program that shaped her by speaking to current 100 Mile Club participants. Last May, after graduating high school, she spoke at Kara Lubin’s award ceremony.

“I got to speak and let them know that I did 100 Mile Club, and I just loved running. This is where it happened to take me, which was a scholarship, an athletic scholarship. And all the kids were excited. ‘Oh, my gosh, she’s an athlete. Can I get your autograph?'” she laughs. “And I thought, ‘Trust me, I was you. It feels like yesterday and I still feel like I’m you.'”

Seeing the impact her story had on these young runners brought Madyson full circle.

“I just felt so full circle. I wanted to remind those kids, ‘Where you’re at is so special. Enjoy it and keep doing it, because you’re going to end up in far places,'” she says. “Whether they’re pre-med students, whether they’re music majors… having that confidence to achieve and to be consistent, make those goals—it’s going to help them.”

Creating More Runners: The Role of Parents and Educators

When asked how to get more kids involved in running, Madyson points to the critical role of adult influence.

“When you see your parents do it, then it becomes monkey see, monkey do,” she explains. “I noticed the school grades where 100 Mile Club was the biggest was where the coaches were involved and the parents were involved. When the parents were involved, the children were brought in. Always.”

Madyson believes that adults need to take “radical responsibility” for children’s health and activity levels.

“I think adults need to take radical responsibility for their play and children and the health of children,” she states firmly. “I am so for that because a 9-year-old isn’t going to be able to make rational decisions for themselves. You need to set an example. If they don’t see you getting out there every day with a positive attitude, setting goals—they’re not going to buy into it either.”

A Foundation of Gratitude

Looking back on her journey, Madyson expresses deep gratitude for 100 Mile Club. This deep gratitude is because of the people who’ve supported her along the way.

“I’m very grateful for all of the board members, my father, and especially God,” she says. “When I went through my physical trials throughout high school, it felt like I was almost being set up to fail. But having a culture and having a God who’s just so loving… He blessed me with 100 Mile Club and with a family and community that was just so loving and didn’t look at my times for success.”

This appreciation extends to her current coach, Bryan Wilkins, at Vanguard University, who recruited her for character rather than performance.

“My coach didn’t know I could run. And he already said ‘I wanted you.’ He told me, ‘You will be a great asset for your character.’ Madyson was surprised because she had three other coaches tell her no.