Milesplit Arizona Cross Country Journals
US#1 ranked Bernie Montoya appeared on the Arizona cross country scene during his sophomore year. The sport made such an impression on him, he traveled to Foot Locker Nationals to watch Billy Orman complete. Bernie's junior year brought him National attention as he finished his cross country season with a 12th place finish at Nike Cross Nationals. During the 2012 track season Bernie broke Billy Orman's 3200 meter track record with a time of 8:48.25 finishing 2nd at the Arcadia invitational in California behind Futsum Zienasellassie (Indiana). In June Bernie received an invitation to the prestigious Dream Mile running against the best in the country and taking home a win with a blistering time of 4:01.32. His time gives him the record in Arizona for the mile and puts him at 3:59.92 if converted to a 1600. During the Olympic Trials, Bernie won the Nike Elite Camp mile in 4:08.01 after taking a 2 week break from his season. This last Saturday, Bernie and his team traveled to Califonria to compete in the Central Park Invitational finishing 1st with a time of 14:39.70 (35 seconds faster than the next fastest competitor) over the 3 Mile course. With the season at the mid point Bernie has plenty of running to do and will share his season with us through his journals. Keep checking to see how his season is progressing!
Bernie Montoya (profile)
(Sr., Cibola High School)
Journal Entry #1 (October 9, 2012)
Hello runners of Arizona and across the nation! Milesplit has given me the honor to write a journal about my background and my training.
As a young kid I never had an interest for running, but I was very active and never really stayed still. Day after day it was always go, go, go so much so that it wore people out. In 6th grade, I found an interest in football. My family was more than willing to get me involved, so I started putting my all into it and practicing to reach my goal of becoming the star of my high school team. I did get involved in track in middle school, but it was just more for fun and to stay in condition for my goal.
When I got into high school, I was in for a rude awakening, I had never played football in pads so it was entirely new to me. I quickly found out that it was different than what I imagined it to be. All the time I had put in practicing in the park with friends, studying the game, and playing flag football could have never really prepared me, and I quickly became disillusioned and lost. Playing time was very little, but my coaches noticed one thing that did stand out about me, speed.
If there is one thing that I have been blessed with - it is “speed”. After football practice we would run a workout called “gashers” were we would sprint to one line back and forth and I would always push myself in the sprint workout and try to be the first one to finish. The football coaches would soon realize that I had potential to be a much better runner than football player. They actually contacted Mr Norton, my high school’s cross country coach, who then called me out of class and was wondering if I was interested in joining the team. Although things weren’t going as I hoped in football, I have never quit anything. I made the decision to finish out my season on the football team, plus cross country was never something I had considered or looked into, so the plan was to return to play football my sophomore year.
However I would lie if I said Coach Norton (photo left with Bernie after Sole Sports race) did not spark my curiosity. I starting actively following the team’s progress, and found my passion. I would go on to see Cibola’s, my high school, cross-country team earn 2nd place at state behind Ironwood Ridge High by a few points. I could not resist the urge to be out there running with the pack.
After the football season was over, another opportunity presented itself, the Mt SAC for Foot Locker west regionals. Cibola’s team invited me to go to California to run it for fun. I had a great time with the guys and soon realized the cross-country team was truly different then the football team. Mt SAC was my first cross-country race ever and yes it was brutal! Nothing could have prepared me. I am truly surprised I decided to do cross-country after that race, however I did well. It fueled something in me to want to train............ to want to do better.
I was obviously done with my football plans so I decided to stick with running and train with the team the remainder of my freshman year by joining track. It ended up opening a world of opportunity that would allow me to showcase my talent. My first year on the track team, I represented Cibola High at state in the 3200,1600 and a leg in the 4x800. I ended up finishing both individual races in 7th place. After a good solid year of training over the summer, things started clicking and from there my running career would launch into something truly special!
My Junior year was my best season to date. I got to see the fruits of my training and conditioning. It has inspired me to keep working hard, and showed me that I have the potential to pursue this passion far beyond high school.
My training is based on not cheating myself, in my runs, in my workouts, and in my diet. I always strive to push myself. I tend to be extremely self-demanding and my own worse critic so I am not satisfied If I know I could have given more. I also believe it’s the little things that improve our performances such as sleep, nutrition, drills and stretching. I use these four little things that help make a big difference in my running. It’s the little things we do that can mean the difference in a PR, in placing, or a championship.
Running has truly changed me to become a better person in life. It has taught me to be a true student athlete and to manage my time wisely. Let’s face it, we are still in high school not professional athletes we have to find the balance with school, family, friends, and just being a teen.
One thing that I am glad to have and in my opinion is the key to my success is the huge support of my coach, team, City, State, and my family. In a way it makes me proud to go to these big races and represent. This season I know a lot of eyes are on me but I have to put that to the side and still have the mentality of an underdog that is still fighting his way to the top of the mountain. I am grateful and humble for all the accomplishments that I have achieved. I want to wish everybody the best of luck in their cross-country season and just have fun with it! We will see what happens this season but I am very excited for the up coming races!
Take Care
Bernie Montoya