This week I had the pleasure of speaking to one of the best coaches in the state, Coach David Nunez of Organ Mountain High School.

Coach Nunez recently retired from coaching and teaching after 35 years of commitment. During our time we talked about his start in running and the amazing coaches he got to learn from and on to his own start to coaching.

He told me what it means to be a coach and what he learned from the first time he was called coach to now. We also talked about what went into his decision to retire. It is not something he took lightly and you can still hear his passion for the sport as we talked.

We briefly spoke about a couple of his great athletes that are graduating this year and what it has been like to coach athletes of that caliber. I'll have to have him back on to talk about some of the actual training they were doing.

I really enjoyed our time and I hope that you enjoy it as well. I can understand how his passion has helped his program over these years.

It's been a few months, but I hope that this is the start of getting back on a steady schedule. In the meantime, enjoy this episode and hydrate as we start hitting these higher temperatures again. By smart in your training, listen to your body, and keep running, New Mexico.

Patterson Yazzie III, a remarkable 24-year-old Navajo runner, motivates others through his running, weightlifting, and storytelling. Initially, running helped him lose weight, but it ultimately played a vital role in saving his life. Patterson's diverse pursuits include podcasting, as well as being a devoted brother and uncle. His impressive running career encompasses a wide range of distances, from 5Ks to 50-mile races, including celebrated marathons in Boston, Chicago, New York, and Berlin.

We touch on all of these topics in our conversation and more, including putting his goals out there for everyone to see. He's chasing big things and I think that's great motivation for all of us. Patterson has a great attitude and tons of energy that make him a great follow on his own podcast, PY3. I hope you enjoy the energy and the first episode of 2025.

We are coming off of our first major cold snap of the year and it looks like the temperatures will be rising to something a little more moderate (at least in the Duke City). Personally, I will always take the cooler weather over the summer heat, but either way, make sure you dress appropriately, hydrate, and listen to your body. Good luck with your own goals in this new year. Be kind, help each other out, and keep running, New Mexico.

This week I had the pleasure to talk with Jeff Cuno. He is a trail runner and founder of Primal Genes Coaching. He was 3rd at this year's Mt Taylor 50k and has a couple of fastest known times to his name.

This week I had the pleasure to talk with David Krummenacker. He graduated from Las Cruces High School, ran for Georgia Tech, and went on to have a great professional career. He was a two time NCAA Indoor 800 meter Champion, a three time US 800 Champion, and a World Indoor 800 Champion. He holds an 800m best of 1:43.92 and a 1500m best of 3:31.91.

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Anicka Newell. She is a Highland High School graduate, with a state championship in the pole vault in 2009. She went on to have a great collegiate career at Texas State University winning two outdoor Sun Belt Conference pole vault championships. She has since competed professionally and has represented Canada in two Olympic games in 2016 and 2021. She is currently preparing for the Canadian Olympic Trials June 26th-30th.

We talked about her time at Highland in Albuquerque and the coaches that influenced her. She talks about her preparations and teaches me a lot about pole vault in the process, including the joys of traveling with a 15 foot bag of poles.

She talks about coaching younger athletes and how that has influenced her own preparation. We also talk about the newly announced Grand Slam Track and the exclusion of field events. She also talks about how tough it is being an un-sponsored athlete and how a league like what is proposed could help athletes like her.

It was a really fun conversation and I learned a lot about an event that I don't know enough about. She is a wonderful person and I hope you'll join me in cheering her on with her trials and hopefully on to Paris.

I am so happy to be back at the podcast, talking to passionate people and building connections within our sport. We've got a lot of amazing people doing some great things. I hope you enjoy this episode and the little break in the heat we got with the rain. Stay motivated, listen to your body, and keep running, New Mexico.

The podcast is coming back!

I've got a few guests lined up and I'm talking others. It may not be weekly, but the goal is at least two a month.

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Pablo Vigil. We talk about his humble beginnings in the Mora Valley of North New Mexico and how running helped propel him to greater things.

He went to school at Adams State in southern Colorado, which has a long history of New Mexican runners, which we touch on. He also talked about learning from the great Coach, Dr. Joe Vigil. Pablo talks about this time and what it meant to learn from Coach Vigil.

He goes on to talk about his journey into marathon training and how he got involved with Frank Shorter's training group in Boulder. It's a fascinating story that he says changed his life.

Pablo also talks about getting into mountain running and touches on how different it was then to now. At the time, it was a great way for him to extend his running career.

We also talk about his journey into teaching and education. It was a fun conversation that I hope you enjoy and get something from. Pablo is passionate about running and really wants people to find what inspires them.

This heat has been rough. There's not much you can do, other than try and run early or late. Listen to your bodies and slow down in the heat. Stay hydrated, stay cool, and keep running, New Mexico.

Photo Credit: Alexis Berg