Story and Photo by Marcus Tolero
When sophomore cross country runner Anwar Alghaithy laces up his shoes tomorrow prior to competing at the 2016 California Community College State Championships held at Fresno’s Woodward Park, two thoughts will be in his mind – the course and the fact that this is his final run in Rams’ red, white, and black.
“I’ll miss running at CCSF. I had so much fun with my teammates, and I learned a lot from the coaches. It went by fast, but the memories will last for a lifetime,” Alghaighty said.
While the race will be a sentimental moment to cherish for Alghaighty, he knows that there is a job to be done – competing against the finest distance runners the state has to offer on one of the toughest courses to run.
Woodward Park’s four-mile course is a mix of dirt and paved roads, steep inclines and sharp declines, and variable weather. As with all cross country meets, it is a test of a runner’s knowledge of the course and, most importantly, a runner’s will to fight through pain and exhaustion to finish. According to Cross Country Head Coach Nic Torres, Alghaighty passes both tests.
“Anwar is a gutsy runner. He leaves it all on the track. He starts chewing on his jersey. He starts thrashing – his kick is unbelievable. I just want to watch him compete and have fun,” Torres said. “He’s got nothing to worry about. He lays it all out on the line. Even if he’s dead tired, I know he will be sprinting during the last 300 to 400 meters. That’s the type of guy he is.”
Alghaithy is familiar with Woodward Park’s gauntlet of a course. Just 12 months ago, he was a freshman competing at last year’s state championship where he finished with a time of 5:32.9. With last year’s experience to draw from and with guidance and preparation from Coach Torres, Alghaithy knows exactly what he has to do to run a successful race.
“I will run smart by attacking the hills, being focused, and running at my best pace,” Alghaithy said.
For The last two weeks, Alghaighy and Coach Torres were preparing for Saturday’s state championship. On the eve of the race, Torres is confident that his sophomore runner will be ready.
“Qualifying again for the state meet made him realize how much potential he really has. The two weeks leading up to this race – he’s been working every day,” Torres said. “He understands how good he can be, and I’m just happy to see him put it all on the line tomorrow.”
When Anwar toes the starting line at 11 am, he knows what lies ahead – his future potential.
53rd CCCAA men's four-mile race is at 11 a.m.
Fresno's Woodward Park, Saturday Nov. 19