Ramirez Competes In 5K Road Race in Puerto Rico

Colonial senior Raul Ramirez returned home to native Puerto Rico this past weekend to attend a wedding, but he didn't take the week off though. While down there he found time to run in a local 5k race, El Amolao Bayamon. He says he really enjoyed running there, but the conditions made it a little harder than in Florida.

"It was very hot over there. The hills and the heat made it pretty tough to practice and race, but I started getting used to it little by little."

While Ramirez was in Puerto Rico his Grenadier teammates were competing at the Flagler Spikes & Spurs Classic. He didn't want to go a month without racing so Coach Rene Plasencia told him to look for a local road race. In addition to the heat he says he also experienced many other new things.

"First of all it was a road race and I knew from the beginning it was going to be different. I had never run one before, but I knew what it would feel like from some of the workouts we've done."

Ramirez finished 32nd and has no doubts that he would rather prefer racing on grass to racing on roads. The field he says was very talented and the amount of fans cheering and crowd support was incredible.

"I'd like to thank my coaches for letting me run in Puerto Rico, my family there that supported me, and my friends and teammates that supported me. I owe a big thank you to my mom and dad because they are there for me no matter what."

It was an opportunity he was grateful to be a part of, but says he is now ready to focus on what is most important.

"It wasn't one of my best races, but it was a great experience to run there and it was something new. Now I am happy to be back with my Colonial team after they did great at the Flagler meet. It's time to get ready for North Carolina and Great American in a few weeks. That is what matters now."

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