Running New Mexico Podcast

Episode 60 - Jackie Martinez, NMAA Assistant Director of Sports

This week I had the privilege to speak with Jackie Martinez, NMAA Assistant Director of Sports, overseeing Cross Country, Track and Swim. We had a great talk covering her own running at Pojoaque High School, UNM, and after. We also send a good deal of the conversation talking about the challenges the NMAA faced in trying to put together a season during a pandemic.

She talks about trying to plan for a season in October and then going on maternity leave. We discuss what being at home was like for her family and excitement for the upcoming track season. She also explains how she got involved in the NMAA and her own running now.

As with a lot of these interviews, it was great to sit down and talk with Jackie. You can hear the passion she has for the sport and her excitement for student athletes to be able to get back out there and compete, safely. I hope you enjoy her journey as much as I did.

So tune in, stay safe, wear your mask, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 59 - Rio Rancho Girls, 2021 5A NM XC Champs

This week I had the pleasure to talk with the 5A Cross Country State Championship winning team on the the girls side, Rio Rancho. The girls, Tessa Holderman, Lorynn Trujillo, Violet Francisco, Marleigh Smith and Esther Cameron, as well as Coach Gonzales, talk about the year and how much they've bonded leading up to the state meet.

You can hear how close they are in their conversations and what it meant to be running for each other. The majority of them also not competing for Rio Rancho last year. They talk about getting to know each other, relying on each other, and the fact that running was their only excuse to get out of the house during a pandemic, as one of them said.

In a year without team competition, it was great to hear how they were able to stay close and work together and really bond. They talk about running for the love of it and their teammates. That was what got them through the year, which is any coach's dream, even in the best circumstances. I hope that you enjoy their energy as much as I did.

The weather is getting nicer and it's easier to be outside. May sure you continue to be safe so that these athletes can finish off this strange year. So be kind, wear your mask, and as always, keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 58 - Ric Rojas

This week I got to spend time with Ric Rojas, former Los Alamos Hilltopper and Harvard grad. Ric has been in the running world for a long time, setting New Mexico state track records, competing for Harvard, running professionally, and coaching.

He covers all of this in detail, as he goes through his high school days to professional running. There is a lot about the history of running at the time, including professional runners coming into Los Alamos to train. Ric has a rich story, with some big names, and we don't even get to cover it all.

So tune in and listen to his story and get to know this New Mexican legend. We touch a little about what he is doing now, coaching in Boulder, but if you'd like to know more and hear about his daughter Nell, check out the Grounded Podcast with Dinée Dorame, as they were guests this week as well.

Make sure you continue to be safe and stay strong. We are getting closer to more people vaccinated, which helps us all. So wear your mask, be kind, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 57 - Kathy and Rob Hipwood

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Kathy and Rob Hipwood who have built a powerhouse of cross country and distance running in Los Alamos. Taking over in the mid 90s, they have accumulated 24 state titles, 17 runner up finishes, and 6 third place finishes.

We talk about the program before they arrived, working as assistants, and some of their role models. They talk about their teams asking to be challenged and building relationships as well as so much more.

They are a wealth of knowledge, but listening to them talk about the relationships they've built and the kids' fun run they've incorporated into their home meet really shows the love they have for this sport and, as with most coaches, it goes way beyond finishes.

I really enjoyed just learning how the program formed under them and what advice they would give to coaches rebuilding their programs next year. Rob also gave good insight into when to step back and why he made that decision.

I hope you enjoy listening to their love of the sport and passion for the kids. Let's keep the momentum going, stay strong, wear a mask, and as always, keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 56 - Dr. Ron Maestas

This week I had the pleasure to speak with New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame coach Dr. Ron Maestas. We talk about how he got into teaching and coaching, how cross country was not his first choice, and how much coach Dr. Joe Vigil helped shape his own coaching.

Dr. Maestas took a few detours to get to New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico, but he had an impact on the runners and the community. He coached the men to 3 top 4 NAIA finishes, including a 2nd place finish in 1989.

We also talk about his racquetball career as a solo player and with his son and being a referee for baseball, softball, basketball, and wrestling. He even gives me a lesson on the legendary Ted Banks, former track and field coach at El Paso, who I did not remember.

It was a great conversation, with some wonderful stories that I hope you enjoy.

The weather is warming up and it's a great time to get outside, so be safe, share the paths, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 55 - Erica Larson Baron

This week I spoke with Los Alamos National Lab scientist, Marquette grad, and trail runner extraordinaire. She is a 5 time Pike's Peak Marathon winner, 5 time La Luz champion, 2 time Leadville Marathon winner, 2004 USATF Women's Mountain Running champ, and a member of the 2004 Bronze winning US Mountain Running team.

We talk about her journey from high school running to competing for Marquette. She talks about the struggles of competing at the Division I level while working on her degree. We also talk about getting into chemistry and her move to Los Alamos to work at LANL, which led to her trail running career.

She talks about what running means to her, how she fueled, and what she's been up to recently (recovering from injuries).

It was a really fun conversation and I'm happy to have been able to share her story. I hope you enjoy it as well.

As we get more traction with vaccines, remember to listen to the experts and take care of yourself. With the weather warming up, it's a perfect time to be outside. So take care of each other, listen to your body, and keep running, New Mexico

Photo by Jim Stein

Episode 54 - Julian Florez

This week I get to speak with Julian Florez, former Hobbs High School runner, Glendale Community College, Adams State, and UNM runner. This episode commemorates one year since the 2020 Marathon Olympic Trials, which Julian qualified and ran. We delve into that, the build up, and his routine. 

We talk about running in high school, different colleges, and continuing running post collegiately. He gets into disappointments and triumphs. He talks about his running family and what that means to him, as well as what running means to him. The friendships he's made through this sport that have followed him. 

We also get into his work with Heart and Sole as well as his art, which you can also find in his line at Heart and Sole. Overall it was a fun conversation that I hope you enjoy as well.

Keep working, be strong, be kind, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 53 - Andrea McArdle

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Andrea McArdle. An Ohio native that has been in New Mexico for several years, Andrea has made the move from the track to trails and embraced New Mexican life. She is a member of the Duke's Track Club and Topo Athletics Elite team.

We talk about her helping coach at Rio Rancho High School with Sal Gonzalez (episode 24), and helping Jesse Armijo (episode 51) through his 100 miler.

We talk about her walking onto the Cross Country team at Ohio State, struggling and coming back the next year to try again. We talk about her marathon attempts and her first 50k at Mt. Taylor, which had some interesting weather. 

She talks about what she has coming up this year and so much more. It was a fun conversation that I think you will enjoy.

We are still working through all of this, so wear a mask, be kind, and keep running, New Mexico

Episode 52 - Michael Romero

This week I spoke with the inspiration for the podcast, my dad, Michael Romero. Growing up, I watched my dad compete and push himself. He shared that with me, often with me only half listening, but the stories of the people he competed against and looked up to stuck with me. I always came back to these stories when listening to other running podcasters interview all of these amazing people, but few if any that had ties to New Mexico.

During his competitive years, my dad ran several marathons, including the 100th running of the Boston Marathon. He would push himself to try other runs, like Rim to Rim at the Grand Canyon. We talk about some of those runs, but also his early running years, the people he met through running, his knee injury that took him into biking, and back to running.

We also touch on his break from running after losing his parents and why it was hard to get out during that time. We touched on a few things that honestly, I've never discussed with him before. It was an insightful conversation and I learned things that I would otherwise not have known. So I hope you enjoy the conversation and thank you for tuning in a year of episodes and stories.

Things appear to be looking up, but let's stay vigilant, be kind, and as always, keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 51 - Jesse Armijo

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Jesse Armijo. I last had Jesse on talking about the origin of the Duke's Track Club. You can look back on that episode on iTunes or Spotify.

We talk about his recent 100 mile race at the Coldwater Rumble, the training that went into and moving up from the marathon. He talks about getting the ultra bug and whether or not there will be more ultras in his future.

We talk a lot about the race, the lead up, nutrition, mistakes, lessons, and the lows. But through it all, he stuck it out and finished. If you are interested in taking on this distance, this is a listen for you. If you aren't interested, there's still a lot of good information and a fun conversation. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Duke's are also launching a youth running group. Make sure to check it out.

Take the opportunity to enjoy your day, stay safe, and as always, keep running, New Mexico