Brian Barraza - Running With A Team
"I missed having a team, feeling like what I was doing was bigger than me, and spending time on trips with my friends. I was enjoying the training and the racing, but not the travel. Which is a big part of the gig"
Apart of one of the top upcoming distance running groups in the world, Brian Barraza is apart of this success. Through his time in the sport Barraza has gained confidence from the beginning of his start in high school track and field. Through all the struggles and greatness Brian Barraza shows that same fire today that he had in high school.
Being a young confident athlete, Barraza carried himself with a confident drive to become the best athlete. “My high school career was filled with a naive attitude towards the scope of the running world. I honestly believed that if a college coach didn't come visit you at your house, then you weren't going to be able to run in college.” Having this type of mindset would pay dividends for him, as he says, “This mindset was more of a gift than a curse because I went into every race without questioning if I was going to be able to PR or win.” This wonderful mindset would lead to both of his positive and negative memories during his tie in high school. “As it happens sometimes, my biggest struggle was wrapped up in my positive memories. First, the positive: I liked having something to center my personality on. To walk into a room of people that all knew me as "The Runner". And I loved having something that I felt like I was good at. One final positive, and one that is unchanged to today, is the people. The relationships I have made through running are among the most cherished things in my life.” While Barraza continues saying, “Things got rough my junior year. I'm sure that time has addled my memory, but I recall that year as one thing after another going awry. The biggest was a stress fracture that derailed my track season. The year before I had made a huge jump from 4:44 to 4:22. I was looking to capitalize on that momentum with a big junior year. But without a season, things seemed like they were slipping out of my control. The identity that I was so proud of didn't seem to describe me anymore. I felt like I didn't know who I was without running. Overcoming that was one of the best steps I've ever taken towards being the person I want to be.” Having to refined himself as an athlete was tough but worth it for Brian Barraza to get to the next level in running.
After having successful four years in high school running it was time for Barraza to find a post-secondary school to attend. “I took a few visits to Texas schools before deciding on Houston. My thought process was that I was going to get out of my education what I put into it. I could go to I library and get an Ivy League education or I could go to an Ivy League school and get no education. It just depended on the effort I was willing to put in.” With these beliefs on the academics he would start to focus on what the track and field programs had to offer. “From there, it became a question of where I was going to feel most comfortable and which program I thought would be the best fit for me. After talking to Steve Magness, I knew that I could trust him. And after meeting the team, I knew that I could make Houston my home.” With Houston and the university starting to feel like a place and team that was right for him, one aspect made everything even better. “ To make things better, the men's class that I came in with was very tight knit from the start. Nobody transferred, no one quit the team. Having that group to grow with and learn from set me up very well for the success that awaited me. Again, the positives are the people. I met many of my best friends at Houston.” Having the University of Houston feel so much like home, Barraza would choose to spend the following six years there.
With a bright future ahead of himself, Barraza was ready to take his running abilities to new heights at Houston. One moment during his time in collegiate running career was very special for Brian Barraza. “Breaking 4 will always hold a special place in my heart because that race held a lot of validation, not only for myself, but for Steve. I felt like his history as a prep phenom that ran 4:01 in high school but never got under was something that haunted him. When I crossed the line, I felt like I had gotten us both under 4.” Being able to break four for himself was a great accomplishment but it made it even more special that he could do it under the tutelage of Steve Magness. While their were many other special moments for Brian Barraza including his multiple NCAA Championship appearances, their were some moments where he would struggle. “There are always moments to overcome. My college career was filled with setbacks, both athletically and personally. There were bad races, disagreements with teammates, a pretty impactful breakup, the ever-present school stress, and I'm sure there were other things that could have held me back. But they were all things that helped me grow.” Being able to overcome these tough times during his days at Houston were instrumental for him to succeed both during and after college.
After a strong tenure at the University of Houston, Brian Barraza was ready to compete post-collegiately. Without a shoe brand deal for the first several months and without a team for the first year, Barraza would find it difficult his first year out of college. “I actually did a year post collegiately before I joined Tinman. That was rough. I missed having a team, feeling like what I was doing was bigger than me, and spending time on trips with my friends. I was enjoying the training and the racing, but not the travel. Which is a big part of the gig.” Having to train without the team environment, Barraza would find himself looking for a new team to train with. “Overall, my experience was very positive. I reached out with my running resume and came out on a visit. I had already signed an Adidas deal so there was no other brand in play, but I was thinking about a few other teams.” With a few groups in mind, Barraza would ultimately choose Tinman Elite. “When I got out to Boulder, I had a hard time feeling like myself and it took a long time for me to feel natural. I have a tendency to put people on pedestals and get really intimidated by them. On a team filled with big personalities, I was terrified that I wouldn't be enough. But when I finally let my guard down, I was met by nothing but love and acceptance.” Once Barraza was able to let himself enjoy and befriend the people around him in Boulder, he would start to improve once again on the track.
Brian Barraza throughout his running career was able to find himself when he was surround by teammates who he was close with and had a bond with.The journey to professional running as not been easy for Barraza with many moments where he would have to find himself, but it was one that he has enjoyed with the people around him.
Direct Quotes via Brian Barraza email to Evan Smith
Photos via Tinman Elite's Website, Getty Images and Brian Barraza's twitter.
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