April 3, 2006
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Michael Padilla is one of the most successful cross country and track student-athletes in West Florida history. He is a three-time All-Gulf South Conference runner. He holds the school record in the 5K and 10, as well as the 1500, 3000, and 5000 meters. Now, you can learn more about Padilla both on and off the race course.
Nickname: just simply "Padilla"
Date of birth: September 20, 1984
Siblings: brother Joseph, 23, sister Samantha, 18
First job: Unique Concrete Coatings......I made decorative concrete patterns for rich folks for about four summers.
Worst job: McDonalds for five months. Needless to say, I don't eat there anymore unless I really have to. And if I do, I stick to the salads.
Why did you start running? I actually started to run to lose a little bit of weight. I lost a little, but instead I got muscle and got faster. So I figured I better stick with the sport because I found out that I was kind of good at it.
Most exciting cross country moment: My cross country season in 2004 when I qualified for the NCAA Division II National Meet. I would say that it was the happiest I had ever been. I worked and trained so hard for it and it all paid off in the end.
Most embarrassing cross country moment: At the 2005 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Meet, I got ninth to last because of a stupid heat cramp. I wasn't properly hydrated, and I got a heat cramp. I ran six or seven minutes slower than what I should have. The irony is that I am an exercise science major, so I should know about being properly hydrated, but I didn't do it......oh well!!! I just had a great time being in California, and LA at that!!!!
Funniest Teammate? One of my best friends on the team, Brian "Red" Gowin is the funniest guys on the team. He went to high school with me and he is the grade below me. I was the one that actually got him into running and to come to West Florida to run with me. I love that kid, and I am always so happy for him when he runs well. You would have to know Red to know why he is the funniest guy on the team!
Pre-race rituals: About an hour before every race, I go on a mile or two warm-up run and then stretch and do some leg swings. But the most important part of my pre-race "rituals" is that I pray to God for everything he has done for me and for giving me the opportunity to do what I love to do. It is because of him that I run and go to college. I run every race for him, and he is what makes it possible. I then cap it all off with an Our Father and then I am ready to put fire on the track!
Favorite college class: Dr. Cosio-Lima's Exercising Testing and Prescription Class is where I have learned most in my major. I learned more from that professor than any other teacher I've ever had. She has had a big influence on my success as a student and as an athlete.
The best movie ever was: Top Gun hands down. Because of this I am going to be a pilot in the best military service in the World.....The United States Marine Corps. Oorah.
If you could meet someone, living or deceased, who would it be and why? Steve Prefontaine. He was a runner for the University of Oregon in the early 1970's, and he is the reason why I love running. He ran every race like it was his last and gave it everything he had all the time. His legacy and motivation plays a great role in my success as a person and as a runner. If there is anyone I could be like, it would be him.
Favorite vacation destination: I love running in the mountains of Las Vegas, New Mexico. I have a lot of family that lives there and I visit them almost every summer and train a little in the mountains and hang out with the family. The elevation is killer though on the lungs when I run. I always consider quitting running when I train there because it is so hard to run in those conditions. But in the end, it makes me a stronger runner.
Biggest pet peeve: People that smoke around me. Also, people who run that don't give it there all at all times in track workouts, and then in the last interval of a workout they decide to sprint and beat everybody. I call it "sand-bagging." Yeah, I guess that would be a pet peeve on mine, just give it your all at all times.
What is the hardest thing about being a student-athlete? The hardest thing about being a student-athlete is making time for me. I'm either in class or running. I don't get to study as much at home or do homework at home; I have to do all of that between classes. By the time I get home after practice, it is already 7:00 pm or 7:30 pm. By then, I'm beat and tired and all I want to do is eat and go to bed. So time management is a big thing when you're a student-athlete. Running takes up a lot of my time!
Best advice given to you: "Just go out there and have fun." If you live by that, then you won't set yourself for success or failure. If you had fun and gave it a good effort, then that's all you could ask for. And if you end up doing better than you thought, than that's even better!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a running program? Make sure your running for the right reasons. People ask me all the time why I run. My answer to them is that first of all you have to find a reason why you want to run; something that keeps you driven to succeed. My reason for running so much is that I love to compete and race people. And I know the only way to compete at a high level is to train hard. Only I control how good I'm going to be in this grueling sport. The more time and effort I put into it, the more I get out. So, the best advice I could give is, only you can control how good you are going to be. The more you put in the more you will get out of it in the end. Just go out there and have fun!!!!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years: In ten years, I will be an F-18 jet pilot in the Marine Corps and my dream is to be on the Blue Angel demonstration flight squadron. That is where I see myself in ten years, and yes, I will probably still be running.
