WILLIAMS, CA (MPG) – In his novel Once a Runner, author John L. Parker, Jr., himself a collegiate harrier, wrote, “You don’t become a runner by winning a morning workout. The only true way is to marshal the ferocity of your ambition over the course of many days, weeks, months, and (if you could finally come to accept it) years. The Trial of Miles; Miles of Trials.”
Such is the story of those brave few who are all guts but get little glory, toiling daily to shave mere tenths of a second off a time in events that test a person’s mental as well as physical fortitude.
Among those in that dedicated group of athletes is Williams’ Isabella Santillan, who saw all her hard work pay off last month when she signed on to run cross country and track at San Jose State University.
A state qualifier in cross country as well as the school record holder in the 800 and 1600 meters, Santillan, who plans to study kinesiology, was also entertaining offers from UC Merced and Azuza, but ultimately felt that San Jose was the perfect fit.
“I thought that the team had a great culture and the coaches were very welcoming,” said Santillan. “Even though I will miss Williams a lot, I like the big campus and the size of the team. Also it’s a good distance, not that far away.”
Perhaps the only female runner from Colusa County to run for a Division I school, Santillan said she owes a great deal of her success to her father, Phillip, who has been there every step of the way.
“I want to thank my dad. He has always been there and even stepped up as my running coach, even though at first he didn’t know that much about it.”
Another person in Santillan’s corner as she heads to the South Bay is Williams’ athletic director Dan McDonald, who has the utmost confidence that she will do her alma mater proud.
“Isabella is a true student-athlete that balances her dedication to academics with commitments to extracurricular activities,” said McDonald. “She is always striving to be the best version of herself. The Williams High School athletic department wishes Bella the best in her collegiate academic and athletic career.”
Santillan should begin her first collegiate cross country season early this fall.