Folsom Athlete of the Week: Maya Barragan

Maya Barragan's senior cross country season couldn't have gone much better. Barragan had two goals at the start of the season; she wanted to place in the top-10 in the Capital Athletic League championship meet, and she wanted to break 19 minutes in a 5,000-meter race. In the league finals on Oct. 31, Barragan achieved her first goal by placing fourth. A few weeks later, Barragan helped her team qualify for the CIF State Cross Country Championships, after the Eagles earned the third and final qualifying spot in Division II at the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships. At Woodward Park in Fresno on Nov. 30, Barragan and her teammates placed ninth in Division II at the state championship meet. On that day, Barragan achieve her second goal of the season, as she finished the 5,000-meter course in 18 minutes, 47 seconds. Vista coach Robert Grove called it the race of her career. "Maya really stepped up in a championship race," Grove said. Folsom Telegraph: What are your hopes/plans for after graduation? Maya Barragan: In the fall, I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at Notre Dame de Namur University. FT: Do sports run in your family? MB: Yes, both my parents, my sister, and a few other relatives are runners. FT: How long have you been running and how did you get your start in it? MB: I've been doing cross country and track since sixth grade, but I was introduced to the sport when I was very little. I spent a lot of time watching my parents' race when I was young, and it inspired me to follow in their footsteps. FT: What do you like about cross country? MB: I love the team aspect. I'm a competitor, and when it comes to racing, I like knowing my teammates are counting on me to perform. It motivates me to push myself in races. FT: Some people say running is a stress reliever. Others say running is a good time to think about things. What does running do for you? MB: Running is my constant. I know that no matter where life will take me, and no matter what crazy things happen to me, I'll always have running to remind me of who I am. FT: What were your individual goals at the beginning of the season? MB: I wanted to break 19 minutes in the 5k, and I wanted to place top-10 at league finals. FT: Coach Grove said you ran the race of your life in the state finals. How important was that race to you? MB: It was the last cross country race of my high school career, and I wanted to do well for my teammates. My team is so special to me, and I knew I had to race well for them. FT: Was it your best race of your career? What made it so special? MB: Yes, I think it was the best race of my career so far. At the beginning of the season, my personal record was 19:23, and I knew that a 24-second PR would be really hard to do, but I knew it was possible. I chipped away at my goal all season, reaching 19:14, but I wasn't satisfied. Finally at state championships, I ran a 27-second PR, and I finally reached my dream of running below 19 minutes. FT: You have run a lot of good races and been on a lot of great teams. Do you have a most memorable moment? MB: My most memorable moment related to running was my junior year at state championships when my coach told my teammates and I that we were the Division III state champions. We all screamed and hugged each other. I won't ever forget that moment. FT: What will you remember most of your days running cross country at Vista? MB: I will remember the incredible friendships I've made over the past four years. I've grown so close with my teammates and my coaches, and they're some of the most hard working, and special people I've ever met. FT: Have you ever been involved in any other sports? MB: Yes, I played soccer all throughout elementary school and for my first year of junior high. In seventh grade, I joined the school's mountain bike team for two years. I stopped biking in high school so I could focus on running. FT: What is your favorite subject/class in school? MB: I really like science classes, specifically, earth science and forensics. FT: Favorite music? MB: I listen to nearly every type of music, but my current favorite band is Brockhampton. FT: Favorite Food? MB: Pickles have been my favorite since I was little. FT: Do you have any pets? Tell us about them. MB: I have a very large black cat named Bagheera. He lives outdoors and he's very sweet and cuddly. FT: Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time? MB: In my free time, I like to write and record my own music, spend time with friends, and take naps. FT: What inspires you in sports? MB: A desire to be the best version of myself that I can possibly be. FT: Is there a particular job or profession you'd like to have after college? MB: After college, I'd like to become a Physical Therapist.