McFarland's Garica is All-Area Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year
| Friday, Dec 31 2010 09:51 PM
Last Updated Friday, Dec 31 2010 10:01 PM
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FRESNO, CA. 11/27/10 SPT EPZ XCOUNTRY DIV3B 1 McFarland's Erik Garcia, right, crossed the Division III Boys race 17th with a time of 15:45 during the Division III Boy's race at the CIF state cross country championship held at Woodward Park in Fresno, CA. on Saturday, November 27, 2010. (ERIC PAUL ZAMORA-THE FRESNO BEE)
Erik Garcia has all the first-place finishes and team-leading performances you might expect from one of the fastest cross country runners in Kern County.
He claimed the individual crown at the Wolf Pack Invitational in September, won a thrilling county championship race at Hart Park in October and took 17th place at last month's CIF state title meet, by far the best effort of any Central Section participant in the Division III boys' race.
But the extraordinary thing about the McFarland standout, and the fact that's probably most deflating to the local long-distance community, is that he's only halfway done with high school.
"Some of my friends say, 'Why don't you just become pro already?'" Garcia said. "I'm always talking about running, and that's what people talk to me about. But sometimes it's like, 'Can't you talk to me about something else?'"
Of course, there's plenty of fodder for discussion when it comes to Garcia, The Californian All-Area Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.
As a freshman last season, Garcia charged onto the high school scene by winning the Division IV section race and leading the Cougars to second place in state.
"I told him last year, 'You're gonna be one of the greatest runners at McFarland in all our years of cross country,'" coach Joel Lopez said. "He works extremely hard, and he's a leader by example."
Meeting those lofty expectations was difficult at first for the sophomore, who said his worsening asthma not only made the constant workouts more challenging but also his times less outstanding.
In the second half of the season -- after he began using a different inhaler and started eating fruit instead of chips and other junk food -- Garcia built toward a 15:45 finish at the state championships that topped his freshman finish at Woodward Park by about half a minute.
"If I improve 30 seconds from this year to next year and next year to (2012), I could be under 15 minutes," Garcia said.
Lopez said he and Garcia discussed that possibility the night before the state competition in Fresno and added that he's considering a schedule next year that would include two practices on some days, in part to boost Garcia's chances of achieving those goals.
Garcia said his aspirations felt more tangible after his season-ending personal record.
"With my state time, that puts confidence in my mind for my track season and for next year for state," he said.
Two of Garcia's most exciting wins in 2010 came against Shafter senior Jesus Villalpando. He edged the graduating runner by 1.3 seconds in September, then eked out a paper-thin victory by 15-hundredths of a second in the county championships despite a face-first dive by Villalpando at the finish line.
"I wouldn't let myself lose," Garcia said after the race.
Garcia is McFarland's first Runner of the Year selection in boys' cross country since Octavio Ruiz claimed the honor in 2005.
The school, however, has a history of producing remarkable runners. The Cougars, who won the D-III championship this year, boasted six Runners of the Year between 1993 and 2000.
"He had a fabulous season," Lopez said. "You don't want to put too much on him because kids can break down, but he's ready to do some wonders for our county in the next two years."
