Issue Date: 10/26/09
Cross Country: 'Your sport's punishment'
Avilez brothers excel, run through the competition
By Jeremy Leal
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Palomar has a sibling duo of its own. Alex and Cameron Avilez are both rare talents that together are leading the Comet's cross-country team to success.
The Avilez brothers began running at a young age. Alex, a 20-year-old sophomore, started running at age 6. He was an influence on his younger brother Cameron. Cameron said that he saw Alex running and he wanted to be like him. From this point on, they shared a passion for running.
Alex said that they don't talk very much during practice but have mutual respect for each other when they are training. Cameron said that they sometimes have differences, but running was always a meeting point for them.
"We do our own thing in training, but we talk about how we are feeling," Alex said.
Alex has been the top Palomar runner in all five of the Comet's meets this season. Cameron has finished in the top three for Palomar in the last three meets. Alex's best time is 20:45 at both Brubaker Invite and the Foothill Invite, while Cameron's best is 21:16 at the Brubaker Invite. All of Palomar's meets are four miles long.
This success can be attributed to the hard work that the Avilez brothers, as well as the entire cross-country team, put in while training.
"You just have to do it. Get out there and train," Cameron said.
There is a quote about cross-country that states this: "My sport is your sport's punishment."
The cross-country team practices everyday at 6:50 a.m. These practices consist of four-mile runs at race pace and 400-meter repeats among many other exercises that prepare the team for their intense meets. Cameron also dedicates an hour every night to strengthening his core.
"I am training while other people are looking at YouTube," Cameron said.
Alex said that it is not only physical strength that a runner needs to succeed, but mental strength, as well. Alex dedicates a majority of his time to reading. There are many books that respected cross-country coaches have written that Alex studies to improve. While Cameron said he doesn't read as much about running as his brother, he does watch films.
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rey sanchez
posted 10/28/09 @ 1:18 PM PST
i liked this article because like them i share the same sport of interest cross country i run for vc jags in hi school and the fact that they train so much everyday is a lot i hope they make it were they want to go =)
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