October Athlete of the Month: Toby Vera Paez
Photo from Hamilton XC—Vera Paez stands centered.
Congratulations to October's Male Athlete of the Month, Tobias Vera Paez! Paez is currently a junior here at Hamilton and runs for the boys varsity cross country team. After an invigorating season, the team recently competed at sectionals, but sadly fell short of qualifying for state. Paez is one of the top runners on the team and is excited for what next season will bring.
Fellow runner Vaughn Ybarra praises Toby stating: “If I had to describe Toby, I would say that he is incredibly intelligent, kind, and hardworking. He is strong and willing to put in the work that helps him go further than others. I’ve seen him flourish over the years, especially this season as he begins to scratch the surface of what he's capable of. I know he will do great things next year.”
Congrats to Paez! Read more to hear from him:
How long have you run XC for and why do you run?
I have been running XC since 7th grade at Templeton and as soon as I joined I knew it was the sport for me. The practices were fun, my teammates were fun to be around, and above all else it helped me do some physical activity instead of sitting at home. My initial reasons for running were mostly to stay fit, but as the years passed by I began to take more interest in the competitive aspects of XC and this year I wanted to win with the team and make it to state.
Who is your athlete role model and why?
My athlete role model would probably be Noah Bilstad, a past Hamilton XC runner who I ran with for two years and was very dedicated towards the sport. He would always show up to practice no matter what and did the extra stretching and workouts without fail even if others wouldn't, and I try to live up to his work ethic when I train.
What is your main goal this season?
My main goal this season was to make it to state and our team fell short of that goal by 4 points at Sectionals.
What are your future plans involving XC?
My future plans in XC are to make it to state next year as a team, but if we can't make it as a team I want to be able to qualify individually. I also plan to run a sub 15:30 5k and hope to be one of the top 2 fastest runners on the team.
Do you play any other sports and if so what?
I don't participate in any other sports except for Track in the spring, but the distance runners train during the winter and summer too in order to stay in shape for the upcoming seasons.
Besides XC, what are some of your other hobbies?
Some of my other hobbies are reading, hanging out with my friends, and going on hikes on the weekend at nearby parks.
What are your pre-race rituals?
I don't have many pre-race rituals that I can think of, but I usually roll out my muscles the day before and the day of the race along with carb-loading the two days before the race to make sure I have enough energy.
Do you have any teammates, coaches, parents, or other people in your life that have helped as an athlete?
There are many people who have helped me succeed as an athlete, such as my parents, my coaches (Eric Loferski and Marcus Paulson), and my teammates. They cheer me on when I race, help me out during practice, and make sure I do what is necessary to improve as an athlete. I appreciate them a great deal and don't know what I would do without their support, especially when I am struggling because of school or other things going on in my life.
