1) How did you get your start in running? What was your running experience before high school? Highlights? What were your PRs before HS?
Running became a part of my life before I even knew what a PR was or what times were even good. Watching my dad talk about his high school running days made me curious, and that curiosity turn into a passion of mine when I was 11 years old. I was on a club team called the Solano Thunderhawks where I went to the 2019 cross country junior Olympics in Wisconsin and the 2022 Track and Field junior Olympics in Sacramento. In club I ran the 400m PR: 1:05, 800m PR: 2:27, the 1500m PR: 5:18, and the 1600m PR: 5:45.
2) Who were the runners who helped lead the way for you during your freshman year? What did you learn from them?
Coming into high school my freshman year was already a big change, I had met with Coach Monk and some of my other coaches before the season started so that they could give me a view of what my high school career would look like. I was welcomed into an amazing group of girls and guys where we got closer at our Tahoe team camp. I have learned and grown a lot from the whole girls team, From the girls that have already graduated to the girls I still run with today. we all love to push and grow one another and that’s what I love most about them.
3) What were some of your proudest accomplishments in both XC and TF as a freshman and sophomore year?
My proudest accomplishments in my freshman year was making it to state in cross country. For my sophomore year, it was making it to state in both track and cross country, and knowing how much I have grown throughout the years.
4) Where do you feel like you made the biggest jump as a runner in high school, and what do you think led to that jump?
I think the biggest jump I made as a high school runner is my mentality; being able to acknowledge the difficult moments as much as I do the good ones has helped me learn and grow a lot as a runner. Learning how to stay calm under pressure, trust my fitness and training, and compete with confidence even when things start to feel uncomfortable I feel has allowed me to race to my full potential.
The best race of this past cross country season was state, after a rough season to end in a way that didn’t only show a breakthrough for me but also my teammates (Cooper Stream and Makayla Galvan) and seeing how much the girls team has grown (top 10 in D2) definitely was a huge highlight and a great way to end my high school cross country career. I didn’t have any time goals for the season; my biggest goal was to take all the stress away, focus on doing my best, listen to my coach, and have fun in my final cross country season. (photo courtesy of Vacaville HS)
6) What are you most looking forward to this coming TF season? Who are the runners that you are most excited to race?
Going into track season I’m really looking forward to see what event I’m going to focus on and how well I am going to progress. I am very excited and looking forward to race the girls from my section, they are all super competitive and did really good this past cross country season so I am excited to race them and see what they are going to do in track.
7) What does a typical week look like for you? About how many miles per week? How many workouts? Longest run? Any morning runs? Strength work? Are there any other things you do that you feel really help you race well?
My training weeks vary throughout the season, I typically run about 45 to 50 miles throughout the season. I feel like the workouts that we do to simulate racing help me the most when it comes to race day.
8) Tell us a bit about your coach and how he has helped you achieve what you have accomplished during your high school career.
When it comes to coaching I feel like our program is very blessed. We have many coaches that come out and help everyday. Coach Monk has shaped me into the best runner I can possibly be by not only giving me workouts but helping me become an all around athlete. I have a lot of trust in my coaching and I do my best to listen to everything he tells me to do. Also, Coach Monk is really big on team culture and I think that’s what helps us a lot as a team. (DeLaTorre, Vacaville runner on the front left. Photo courtesy of Matt Miller and Daily Republic.)
9) Favorite XC course? Favorite XC invitational? Favorite XC workout? Favorite long run? Favorite TF event? Favorite TF invitational? Favorite track workout? Favorite free time activity?
My favorite cross country course and invitational is definitely Woodbridge. The flat course is so fun to race at night and the atmosphere is amazing. I also love how my whole team gets to go to Disneyland the next morning! My favorite workout overall is hill repeats and speed work. My favorite track event is the 800m or the 1600m. They are both very competitive events and super fun to race once you get your racing strategy down. My favorite track invitational is Dublin Distance Fiesta. I feel like it’s one of the first times in the season where you can find everyone in the SJS section, and it’s super fun to compete against everyone. I don’t have a lot of free time, so when I do, I like to spend it with family, mainly my brothers.
10) What is most important to you as you decide where you will be competing in college next year?
What’s most important for me as I decide what college I will be attending is looking for a team culture that’s as tight-knit as mine is now.
11) What is your advice for a talented freshman runner who would like to eventually run in college?
My advice for talented freshman that want to compete in college is to take in every moment whether it’s bad or good because it is all valuable. As you grow you will have challenging moments but that’s what helps you grow not the easy times. And don’t let the college process stress you out or affect you, stay patient and always focus on what’s most important for you in that moment.
Thank you very much for your time. AJC
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