Day 6: Running Into Jose Munoz

Last May I ran the Illinois Half Marathon in Champaign, Illinois.  Besides days of soreness, I also got a t-shirt out of the deal.  It's one of those really awesome not-cotton t-shirts.  I wish I had the name for it, but I don't know what they're called.  It's somewhere between cotton and silk.  For blog's sake, we'll call it an athletic shirt.  Well anyways, I wear this athletic shirt a lot.  It makes cotton feel like wool.  Athletic shirts give you the comfort of feeling topless while still allowing you to enter gas stations and other places of business. 

Back to the story. I was wearing this shirt at the grocery store today.  The cashier asked me if I was doing the race again this year.  I asked him if he was referring to the one in Champaign, thinking perhaps he was mistaking it for another race.  He then told me he finished third in the marathon race last year.  The joke was on me.  We then started talking more about it and he introduced himself-- Jose Munoz.  He began telling me about how he ran for Team World Vision and how he had also just received a sponsorship from Mizuno.  He was super friendly and told me about his website, http://www.josemunozrunning.com/.  I had forgotten my camera at home and asked if I could come back and get a picutre with him and talk more about things.  He agreed and I raced (no pun intended) home with my dozen glazed donuts to get my camera.  I imagine the lifestyles of a college student and a professional runner are much different, and I bet glazed donuts are one of those differences. 

I got back with my camera just in time to bother Jose on his break.  I had checked out his website while I was at home, which I highly recommend you also do.  His story is unbelievable.  I admire Jose for 3 BIG reasons.  1.  He remembers God in all that he does and has amazing faith.  2.  He sets big goals.  3.  He doesn't wait for his goals to come to him, he works for them. 

Upon talking to him some more and snapping a photo, he told me about the Olympic Trials he would be running in January 2012.  I wish Jose nothing but luck as he continues to strive towards his dream of the Olympics.  Once again, please checkout Jose's website, it is absolutely awesome.  And check out the amazing work that Team World Vision does.  If you're looking for a cause and some motivation to ever do a race--or anything for that matter--  Jose and Team World Vision are great examples. 

Here's to you, Jose.  Maybe someday when we're old and you've finished your gold medal-winning career, we can sit back and split a dozen.