high school soccer injury fixed by running
In high school did you run all three
seasons (XC, winter track, spring
track)? What was your main concen-
tration?
We only had XC in high school and even
that I didn’t really get into it until my ju-
nior year. But soccer I loved and played
all year long. My best memories with
my dad are when he took me to soccer
tournaments to play all weekend long.
At what age did you realize running
could take you places?
It wasn’t really until about age 25 that
I realized it was turning into more than
just a passion for me.
Where did you go to college? Did you
excel as a collegiate runner?
I started school at UC Davis and then
transferred to St. Mary’s College of CA.
I ran for both XC teams there and got
experience competing Division I. My
junior year is when things really started
to click. At St. Mary’s I broke the school
record in the 8k and went on to place
4th in the Division I West Coast Confer-
ence.
AGE: 32
Hometown: cambria, CAlifornia
lives in: Bend, oregon
sponsors: Skechers Performance,
Recharge Sport, Backporch Coffee
Roasters, Drymax, Territory Run
Co., and Sporthill.
Who are some of your coaches or
people who inspired you over the
years? Who are some of the people in
Bend who inspire you now?
I’ve actually coached myself since fin-
ishing college. I’ve enjoyed the process
and the journey this way but I have a lot
of mentors in my life who I really look up
to. Both Chris Miller and Tony Diaz are
examples of men who inspire me to be
a better person. They make every deci-
sion based on faith and nothing else. On
the running side, I draw a lot of i nspira-
tion from runners like Max King who
have been consistently competing at the
highest level for many years.
A strong work ethic learned
Where were you born and where did
you spend your childhood?
I was born in San Clemente, CA. After
living a few years in Orange County my
family moved to an avocado ranch in
Cambria, CA. I spent my childhood and
teenage years on this ranch.
What kind of sports or athletics did
you do as a child? Did you excel or
dream about someday using sports
as an avenue to succeed in life?
Living in a small town gives you a
chance to try many sports. I had the
chance to play baseball, basketball,
and even football. But really my love
was always soccer. I played soccer as
much as I could and dreamed about
becoming pro.
At what age did you discover run-
ning?
I would randomly go for a run some-
times on the ranch just to get in shape
for soccer. When I really started seeing
running as a sport was my junior year
of high school. I was having issues with
a knee injury (torn ligaments) and was
looking at options to rehab my knee
until my body was ready to go back to
soccer.
Are there any runners or athletes in
your family or extended family? Or
was this something you took on as
your own?
It’s been mostly my own. My dad picked
up endurance sports after I did, which
was really fun. He doesn’t run as much
anymore because of his back but he still
likes to do a lot of road cycling.
What was your family life like as a
child?
Life on the ranch was both difficult
and beautiful. The ranch sits in the
pristine Central Coast California hills,
not far from the Hearst Castle. I got to
run around in the forest and hills, learn
manual labor, and pick avocados with
my family. I believe this ranch is one of
the most beautiful places in the world.
What was your neighborhood like?
Was there any mentors or athletes to
look up to?
On the ranch there were only two
families. My family and my dad’s sister’s
running fever:
pro career
takes off
family. We basically just had each other
and were mentored by nature. I think a
person can learn so much from simply
understanding how life works and how
to farm.
All about the soccer dream
At what age did you move to Bend
and why?
I moved to Bend at age 21 after finish-
ing college. Mainly because my friend
wanted me to check it out for him to see
if he should move his family. I loved it so
much I ended up staying and have now
been here for eight years.
Were you a pretty good kid, did you
do well in school? Did you have a
rebellious side?
I was a really good kid actually. I think
my parents would honestly agree.
Scholar athlete of the year in middle
school, high school, and college. Not
rebellious at all but definitely a little too
into myself in my teenage years.
You have a strong personal faith. Did
this come early in your childhood or
later in life? How does this relation-
ship help you in your daily life? Do
you go to that higher place to endure
the punishing pain you put your mind
and body through during a race?
I remember as kid seeing God in the
creation and all around me. Maybe I
was lucky growing up on the ranch and
being able to see so much life, beauty,
and peace. I’ve always felt my best be-
ing connected to what is around me and
as I learned and explored more about
what this was the answers came. This
relationship helps me because I don’t
go into a day, nor into a race, trying to
find any answers or happiness from
it. I already have everything I’ve ever
wanted within me and through that joy
and peace I believe I’m able to focus
more on helping others find it. In an ultra
race, it really helps me because there
is a point where you’re stripped down
to the raw and are tested as to whether
you will give up or keep digging. When
I’m able to stay focused on faith the
answer is easy because I turn to a place
where I know I’m doing something that
God created me to do, so I keep push-
ing. Suffering, perseverance, and grit,
are also part of faith and I’ve felt the
closest to God on a mountain than I do
anywhere else.
You have a strong work ethic, where
did that come from? How has that
helped you in your athletics?
I have my parents to thank for that. My
dad grew up on a ranch outside of the
town and they were dirt poor. I mean
really poor to the point where he didn’t
even know cars existed until he was 8
years old. When he came to the USA he
took the opportunity to work hard and
provide for his family. My mom grew up
in the Bracero Program where her entire
family would work 6 months in the USA
and then they would go back to Mexico
for 6 months. They would work in the
fields picking cherry, tomatoes, squash,
apples, you name it. Drawing inspiration
from them has helped me tremendously
because when I had the chance to do
something well I took advantage of the
opportunity and gave it my all. If I knew
getting up at 6am before school to put
in an extra morning run was going to
help then it was a no brainer. I remem-