By Kelsey Coen, Oct. 10, 2023
With two impressive back-to-back performances, Cal Poly Pomona runner Daniel Echeveste earned his career’s first two Runner of the Week awards.
Echeveste earned the first award of the 2023 season for his runner-up finish at the Seawolf Invite in Fresno Sept. 2 where he recorded a personal-best time of 20:02.1 in the four-mile race.
Not letting anything slow his roll, Echeveste won CCAA Runner of the Week again two weeks later for his 17th overall finish at the UC Riverside Invitational Sept. 16 with another personal-record time of 24:10.9 in the 8K run. Echeveste’s time was the second-fastest among NCAA Division II runners and third-best out of all non-Division I collegiate student-athletes at the event. Overall, 215 competitors completed the invitational 8K alongside Echeveste.
While Echeveste excels as a runner, cross-country was not always his primary sport. He started wrestling at the age of 5 and picked up boxing a bit later.
Eventually he had to choose a main sport to focus his limited time on, and the choice was a difficult one for Echeveste.
“Running is a little different — nobody tells you to go out for a run,” said Echeveste. “Well, they do, but you can easily go behind a corner and hide in there for a couple hours and then come back. But it’s really up to you to actually do the work and put it in. And if you really want to take the next step, you do extra stuff as well. I think that’s what really set the difference for me.”
Echeveste’s passion to always push himself is yet again clear in his decisions. He said that the need to self-police and be accountable as a runner made every success feel so much more deserved. The freedom Echeveste feels when running is what calms him on a stressful day.
Echeveste has been running since his freshman year of high school. Before graduating from Bonita High School in 2021, he collected four years’ worth of varsity letters for both cross-country and track and field along with a few awards.
Echeveste’s progression as an athlete, however, came to a halt when the COVID-19 pandemic began. The pandemic canceled his junior-year season.
Then, before the team could restart the season, Echeveste caught the virus. The next season was a struggle to return to his form before the pandemic began, but eventually, Echeveste managed to replicate his previous success and finish out his high school career strong.
As a third-year Bronco, Echeveste’s progression shows no signs of slowing down with these dual awards being just the latest achievement under his belt.
“Athlete of the Week is something that all my teammates around me have gotten,” said Echeveste. “I have always strived to be one of those people as well. It’s not something I look forward to during the week. I am just doing my job for my team, making sure that I get everything done, and Athlete of the Week just happened.”
Echeveste is not alone in this momentum.
“A lot of us have really put in the work this offseason,” said Echeveste. “Most of us put in over 40 miles a week during the summer. I remember several of my teammates saying they feel a real difference in the overall vibe of the team.”
In a stellar display of leadership, Echeveste steered the CPP men’s cross-country team to a triumphant first-place victory at the season’s inaugural race in Fresno. The Broncos’ remarkable journey continued as they secured an impressive fifth-place finish in Riverside, outpacing seven formidable Division I competitors.
“I’m just really proud of my team and the way they worked this summer,” said Echeveste. “The motivation is as high as ever, and I am really proud of myself. During the offseason, no one knew who was going to be the top runner. Everyone has been working so hard, and it really has made a difference.”
This passion for success persists off the field. As a third-year kinesiology major, finding time for everything will always be a struggle.
Echeveste said he finds it difficult to balance his desire to join various clubs with his dedication to running since the sport demands a significant amount of his time and focus.
During his leisure moments, Echeveste prefers to unwind and spend time with loved ones, including his girlfriend, friends and family. He enjoys simple pleasures like sharing a meal or exploring nearby places.
Echeveste takes every part of his life with the same amount of passion and drive that he puts out on the course.
“I have this book, ‘Relentless’ by Tim Grover,” said Echeveste. “I read not every night, but once in a while I will read a chapter or two. It just really tells me about motivation and how to keep things going. One thing it mentions is being a cleaner, which means trying to be the best at everything no matter what it is. It just gives me a bit of extra knowledge that I have in my mind.”
This motivational mindset is clear to see in Echeveste’s running career. Since enrolling at CPP in 2021, Echeveste’s times have been steadily improving in all areas. Starting with a 25:23.3 time in the 8K in 2021, Echeveste has knocked over a minute off that time coming in with a 24:10.9 this season.
A similar progression carries over to his 10K times from a 32:00.8 in 2021 to a 31:21.8 in 2022.
As Echeveste finishes his kinesiology degree here at CPP with the hopes of becoming a physical therapist or trainer for an NFL team in the future, he shows no signs of slowing down on and off the track. With the rest of the season still to come, there are likely more awards in the future for this Bronco.
Feature image courtesy of CPP Athletics
