The cross country season is approaching as the lions gear up for another vigorous season. The man behind the cross country team is Carlos Robledo. He started running competitively since the 6th grade. Coach Carlos has been coaching at Lincoln for 20 years coaching cross country, track and field, and girls soccer.

Lion Tales caught up with Coach Carlos to ask him how excited he is for this upcoming season. “Big time, we’ve been going since the early summer. Just practicing and look forward to competition”, he said. If you’re a student who is interested in joining cross country, but is afraid of the intense running, Coach Carlos explains why you should join no matter what the circumstances are. “Everybody’s different. Some kids got talent and they could be very good at it, but they’re afraid to work. Others are absolutely not very good, but for whatever reason they come out, they adapt, their fitness level picks up and it improves. And when you get used to something, it becomes easier. It’s pretty much psychological. That’s what it comes down to.”

As for the runners, they are just as excited as Coach Carlos is for the season to finally start. “I’m really excited, this is my senior year. My last year of running for the Lincoln Lions cross country team”, the 4 year runner Frank Zhou said. When asked on how he got interested in running cross country he says,“Other than competing, I would have to say the people here are really nice. Cross country family is the best family.” Zhou’s goal for this season is to improve from last year when he got 6th place in the BVAL finals.

This season the Lions will be without Jose Piña, who is on a full-ride scholarship to run for the San Jose State University cross country team and is arguably one of the best runners Lincoln has ever had. Last season, Jose had broke the school record in the 3200 meter run with a time of 9:11.57. He broke the 40 year old record that was once held by former Lincoln student and current Leland coach, Rudy Montenegro. Despite losing Piña, the Lions are motivated to win another cross country championship, something they haven’t won since 2013. Their first meet is on September 17th at Montgomery Hill. Good luck Lions!