The story behind Natasha Wodak’s motivational “be brave” tattoo

Michael Doyle August 11, 2016

Standing on the start line in the biggest race of her life, Natasha Wodak will no doubt look down at her wrist. On it, a tattooed reminder to conquer her biggest antagonist: herself.

“I got it right before New Years,” Wodak says on the eve of her 10,000m race at the Rio Olympics. “It had been a rough fall and winter and I wanted to start the year off right.” Wodak ran a qualifying time for Rio back in 2015, setting the Canadian record of 31:41 in the process. But in the aftermath she struggled.

Going into the Pan Am Games on home turf, Wodak was the favourite to win gold, but she fell off the pace and faded back to seventh. Then in August of 2015 at the IAAF World Championships, Wodak seemed to give up on herself, finishing second last. “After world’s last year I swore I would never race like that again,” she says. “I wimped out.”

#nevergiveup #BelieveStrongTough #Repost @canadianrunning ・・・ Here’s some #mondaymotivation for ya: 3 ? that illustrate why #xc is so special #acxc

A photo posted by Natasha Wodak (@tasha_wodak) on Nov 30, 2015 at 12:02pm PST

In November at the Canadian Cross-Country Championships, Wodak got the idea to write a reminder to herself on her hand in order to combat the desire to give up on herself. She wrote “Believe Strong Tough” on her right palm, lifting it triumphantly after gutting out a very challenging come-from-behind victory.

That lead to a more permanent motto.

“It’s on my right wrist, so I can see it always and remind myself in tough times to be brave,” she says of the simple message inked into her skin. “I want to be brave when I race, but also be brave in life. Life ain’t easy sometimes.”

“Yeah, but it only took five minutes, whereas a 10k is over 30 mins of pain.”

It was Wodak’s first tattoo, but it won’t be her last.

“I will get the Olympic rings on my other wrist,” says the proud Olympian.

Wodak races in her first Olympics on Friday in the women’s 10,000m.

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