Cross-country athlete Cesar Mireles has finished first for Bakersfield College’s men in the last four consecutive races the team has competed in.
Sophomore Mireles, 18, has finished first for BC multiple times, yet he believes he could finish better. He said, “I want to improve my times, probably in the mid-20’s,” referring to the time between 20 minutes and 21 minutes.
Mireles began running track after conditioning started for the soccer team at Golden Valley High School. As a freshman, Mireles discovered he actually liked running better than soccer.
He said, “It was just to condition, but I liked it better.”
Mireles is originally from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, and his biggest accomplishment after high school is making it to college and on the BC cross-country team.
Mireles finds inspiration in the late American distance runner, Steve Prefontaine. Mireles said, “I sometimes watch his videos on YouTube before a race.”
Mireles also enjoys music to prepare for a race. Mireles listens to Eminem and Lil’ Wayne because “Eminem is the most creative rapper, and Lil’ Wayne is the best rapper alive.” He adds, “I just like their style.”
In Mireles’ off time, he enjoys doing relaxing activities and playing video games, “like Call Of Duty.” He adds, “and just hang out with family.”
Mireles said he wants the team to do well overall this season. However, Mireles said about the last part of a race, “I’m just trying to pass the guy in front of me.”
Mireles finished in eighth place out of 110 runners and first for BC men in the 4-mile race at the Western State Conference preview meet at Glendale College on Oct. 10 with a time of 21 minutes, 39 seconds.
BC’s Eayoall Atsbeha finished 10th overall and second for BC men with a time of 21:55. BC teammates Elliot Blakeslee, Chris Sanchez and Jose Alvarez finished in the top 50. Host Glendale won the men’s team score, and L.A. Valley’s Andrew Salg finished first overall, with a time of 21 minutes.
For the BC women, freshman Emilley Leming finished seventh out of 102 and first for BC women in the 5-kilometer (3.1 mile) race with a time of 20:46.
BC teammates Lorin Maki, Wendy Trochez, Samantha Pounds, Mariela Sanchez, Brenda Serrato and Erica Garcia finished in the top 60. Glendale also won the women’s team score as Glendale’s Katie Dunn finished first overall with a time of 19:03.
On Oct. 18, Mireles finished ninth out of 189 and first for BC men in the men’s 4-mile race with a time of 22 minutes, 43 seconds at the Santa Barbara Invitational.
At Shoreline Park, BC teammate Atsbeha finished 20th overall and second for BC with a time of 23:05, and teammates Blakeslee, Sanchez, Cordova, Singh and Rodriguez finished in the top 100 to score BC men in ninth as a team.
Riverside won the team score, and Sequoia’s David Sanchez finished first overall with a time of 22:10 seconds.
BC’s Magee finished first for BC women, and teammate Leming finished in the top 40 in the women’s 5k. BC teammates Maki, Garcia, Pounds, Mariela Sanchez and Serrato finished in the top 110 to score BC women in eighth.
Orange Coast College finished first as a team.
OCC runner Crystal Reed finished first overall with a time of 18:20, and the rest of the OCC team finished in the top 30.
The men’s and women’s cross- country teams will compete Oct. 28 at the Western State Conference championships in Santa Maria.