Eduardo Garcia wins the 4A Region 1 Championship in Deland
Photo by Ralph Epifanio/flrunners.com
-----------------------
November 20th, 2010. It’s the date of the 2010 state cross country championships but it’s also Mandarin runner Eduardo Garcia’s 18th birthday. He says he’s been looking forward to this day since he saw it on the calendar.
“Ever since the summer when I found out that states was going to be on my birthday this year I’ve been excited about that. I’d like to come home with the win. That’s been my goal this whole summer, this whole year. That’s what I’ve been primarily focusing on, just having the best race of my career. It’s my senior year, my last state meet, I’m going to give it all I have.”
Practices at Mandarin High School have settled down over the past week and a half, as the team tapers down, and gets their minds focused.
“We’ve already put in all the hard work. Right now we’re just trying to tune up for the big race and just make sure everyone stays healthy and out of trouble. That’s the main goal this week and the past couple weeks.”
Garcia is coming off his best season ever, having won his third conference and district championships as well as his first regional title. His season best of 15:21 set at the Hagerty Invitational is good enough for the 10th fastest time in the state. Running in a stacked 4A, he knows he will have to be at the top of his game to get the only trophy he has yet to capture, the state championship.
“Florida this year is deep. Competition is very deep in all classifications. In 4A, Armando Del Valle is having a stellar season going under 15, Ryan Pickering also going under 15, Max Del Monte from Chamberlain is also having a great season as well. I was looking at everyone’s PR and the top 30 are in the 16’s. It’s going to be a quick race and I’m excited for that too.”With so many great runners what is the game plan for such a fast race? Do you go all out, try to pace yourself, sit back and attack? Garcia tells us his strategy for Saturday.
“I’m ready to run any type of race whether it is with a strong start or taking it out more conservative and running a strategy race. I feel now I’m in pretty good shape and ready to run the race that I need to. Typically, I like to go out not breakneck pace, I like to keep consistent, consistent splits, throw in some bursts, negative splits at the mile mark and the latter part of the race, it all depends. I always like to have a good finish no matter what kind of race I run. A good finish is key to my racing strategy, my racing plan.”
How will the outcome of the race affect the birthday boy’s plans?
“Right now, I just want to run states first then afterwards we’ll definitely celebrate my birthday. I want to run the race that I have planned but definitely have plans for my birthday too. Not sure what we’re going to do yet but I’m excited. Depending on how I do it’ll definitely have an effect on my mood.”
After the state meet and birthday festivities, Garcia has postseason plans to run in Foot Locker regionals and hopefully place top 10 and advance to the national meet in San Diego. Last year, he finished in the top 50. Following a brief break and conditioning it will be time for track season. Last year he placed fifth in the mile with a PR of 4:22. He hopes to run under 4:15 this year, in the 9:20-9:30 range for the two mile, and around 1:55 for the 800. Garcia explains how cross training for track and cross country has helped him improve as an overall runner.
“The training for track and cross country make you well rounded runner. In cross country you are mainly focusing on the mileage and building a strong core and base, and getting endurance. In track season you build that speed based stamina and you combine that with the quickness and endurance and it makes you a well rounded runner.”
Although his main focus is on the state tournament, he will shift objectives to college choices. Where will he spend the next four years? Several in state schools stick out for the senior.
“I just took a visit this past weekend to UNF and that was my first official college visit and that went really well. I like to set up some more visits around the state, start filling out recruitment questionnaires and things of that sort. I’d love to go to FSU. I really like there program. This past summer I met some of the guys from the team and they are a really good group of guys, good program, good coach so that’s one college and I’ve been looking at UF too. I’m just keeping my options open but those are some schools I’m looking at in Florida.”
For those coaches around the state who might not know the name Eduardo Garcia, he has a message.
“I’m a very hard worker and a great leader. I work hard in everything I do. I give it 110% effort. I’m very positive and I want to be the best that I can be and help other runners around me become better.”
Getting To Know Eduardo Garcia
What I want most for my birthday this year: I want a basketball hoop. I used to love playing basketball and my hoop broke down a few years ago. I’d really love that I miss shooting around, that’s really relaxing to me.”
Favorite place to eat: “Applebees would be good. I like eating at Applebees. I am a steak kind of guy. I like getting the steak with grilled shrimp.”
Favorite Movie: “Without Limits. It’s the story of one of my favorite runners of all time Steve Prefontaine. It’s a very good example of his life, his running career and all of that. It portrays his life pretty accurately.
Favorite thing to do on the weekends: “Spends time with friends and family, go to the beach, relax, just taking it easy, just doing other things besides running, playing video games, watching television, watching football on the weekends.”
Final Thoughts: “To all the runners out there around Florida stay healthy and do what you need to do. I wish everyone luck the day of states and it should be a good race. I’d like to give a shout out to my team my family, my coaches, and all my fans. It should be a great race to see and watch.”
