Less than two weeks remain before the inaugural San Jose Earthquakes 5K/10K Challenge at the club’s new stadium site on Sunday, May 27.
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Quakes players Jason Hernandez, Justin Morrow, Shea Salinas, Khari Stephenson, Chris Wondolowski and Sam Garza each ran track and field in their younger days. SJEarthquakes.com spent some time with each of them recently to discuss all things running-related, everything from their days on the oval, to picking on the goalkeeper, to near-unanimous anticipation of watching Stephenson’s Jamaican compatriot and world sprint sensation Usain Bolt at the Olympic Games.
SJEarthquakes.com: What is your background in track?
Jason Hernandez: I ran indoor track for two winters during high school. It was a great way to stay in shape and really work on my technique and things that still help me in the game of soccer today.
Justin Morrow: I ran in middle school, and then my senior year in high school. I just kind of got bored playing soccer a little bit, so I decided to run.
Shea Salinas: I started running when I was very young. My dad was a runner, so he would always take me on weekend 5K fun runs, starting from when I was probably like 10 or 11. I got serious in high school as a track and cross country runner. I thought I was actually going to do that in college, but decided to play soccer because soccer guys just looked cooler in college.
Khari Stephenson: I started during elementary school. Growing up in Jamaica, it’s a big part of the culture, where you have these big meets and run against other schools. I didn’t do it as much in high school (in Jamaica), but when I went to boarding school (Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn.), I started (running track again) to keep myself in shape for soccer. A couple of schools recruited me (for track), including Brown, but I wanted to play soccer.
Chris Wondolowski: I did middle distance in high school (Concord’s De La Salle). I ran my junior and senior year. I knew I had some skills on the track, but my love and passion was soccer, and I wanted to follow that (turning down a track scholarship to UCLA).
Sam Garza: My experience was back in middle school. I think I only lost one race my two years running track, and it was my last race, but it was a great experience. It definitely helped with soccer. They (coaches) wanted me to run track in high school (but I was too busy with soccer). I wish I could have kept going with track, but soccer was my passion. I loved it.
SJE: What events did you run?
JH: I ran the 200 and the 400, so those are more like sprinting races, as opposed to endurance races, which probably would have made sense as a soccer player. For high school, I was pretty quick, so it made sense at the time.
JM: The 400 and 800.
SS: In track, I ran the mile, the 800 and the two-mile, and then in cross country, just the 5K.
KS: The 200 meters, the long jump, triple jump and 4x100 relay.
CW: I ran both the 800 and the 1600.
SG: I ran the 100-meter dash, the 200 meters, the 4x100 (relay) and the 4x200. I was the fastest guy on the track team, so I was a sprinter, and I was always the last leg (on the relays).
SJE: Do you recall any of your best marks?
JH: In the 200, I think I ran a low 22 (seconds). I want to say in the 400, I ran a 50 or 51 (seconds). They weren’t great times by any means, but they were decent.
JM: I ran 1:53 in the 800 and 49 (seconds) in the 400.
SS: My best 5K was 15:28. That was at the Texas state high school cross country meet. In the mile, my best was 4:28. That was my junior year in high school. My best two-mile was 9:51.
KS: I broke the 200-meter record (at Choate), which I think I ran 22.4, broke the long jump (22-0.75) and triple jump records (46-9), and was a part of the 4x100 team that broke the school record. I think they are still standing.
CW: The mile was a 4:15 PR (personal record), and a 1:54 for the 800.
SG: My 100 meters, I remember I ran 11.79. That was the school record. I also ran a 24-second 200. (Editor’s Note: Not bad for middle school.)
SJE: If the players ran a 5K, who would be your favorite to finish first?
JH: In the 5K, I would say (Steven) Lenhart first, Shea Salinas second, (Sam) Cronin third.
JM: Me.
SS: I would say me.
KS: I think Shea Salinas and Sam Cronin would be the two front-runners.
CW: I would have to go with myself. I think I can still hold it down a little bit.
SG: Probably Justin Morrow. That guy is pretty fit.
SJE: Pick to bring up the rear?
JH: To finish last, I’m going to go Jon Busch, or myself.
JM: Definitely Ike Opara, without a doubt, 100 percent in my mind.
SS: Probably Tressor (Moreno).
CW: Can I pick goalkeepers? (SJE: Sure.) I’m going to go (Jon) Busch then, just to rub it in.
SG: Maybe myself. I’m not the best long-distance runner. (Editor’s Note: Safe play by the rookie.)
SJE: With this being an Olympic year, is there anyone or anything in particular you look forward to watching in London this summer?
JH: Yeah, the Olympics are great because you get to see some of the races and things that you don’t normally get to see throughout (non-Olympic) years. I really enjoy the relays. I love the 4x400. I’m also excited to see Usain Bolt. He’s the big name, and I’m sure he’s going to do some great things. I want to see what he has in store.
JM: I will watch the 800, just because it’s a sprint. It hasn’t been in the past, but now it is, with the athletes evolving. I think they’re the best athletes in the Olympics, period, so that will be exciting to watch.
SS: No one in particular, but I definitely always watch the Olympics. I enjoy the swimming events and all the track events.
KS: For sure. Again, it’s a big part of the Jamaican culture. I’ll be watching Usain Bolt. I think Jamaica are going to do well in all of the sprint races, the 100, the 200, both men’s and women’s, and their relays should be pretty good, too.
CW: Yeah, definitely. I love watching all track events, but I’m looking forward to Usain Bolt the most. The guy is just a beast.
SG: Obviously, you watch Usain Bolt. The guy’s a freak. He’s so fast. I’ll definitely be watching him, and (American sprinter) Tyson Gay. Being a sprinter myself, I like to watch those guys.
SJE: Any advice you would like to offer Quakes 5K/10K Challenge participants on May 27?
JH: The task of running may seem daunting, but it’s for fun and it’s a great reason to get out. I’m sure everyone will have fun and really enjoy themselves and push themselves.
JM: Just enjoy it. Enjoy the scenery, enjoy the people running around you, try and do your best, and it will be fun.
SS: Drink lots of water, don’t eat too much before the race and have fun.
KS: Stay hydrated, and stretch.
CW: Get a carbo load, stay hydrated and don’t go out too fast. Pace yourself.
SG: Just go out there and have fun.
SJE: Did you have any pre-race routines, meals, etc., back in your running days?
JH: I tried to eat right and stick with pastas and proteins. I wasn’t into junk food back then. It’s tough to remember, but I don’t think I had too many routines. Just kind of get out there, be focused and run your race. Those were fun days for me and I remember them fondly.
JM: Every race is different. I have a routine now that I do, but when I was running track, I don’t think I had a routine.
SS: I would get really nervous before races, so I would eat very lightly. Otherwise, my stomach would get upset, so just like a banana or something light, and then eat a lot after the race.
KS: I just made sure to stretch a lot so I would be loose and not too tight to cramp up or pull any muscles.
CW: I was pretty bad with it. I probably wasn’t the best example of what to eat right before a race.
SG: Not really. I was pretty confident that I was one of the faster guys out there, so I just ran.
