Senior Stories: Hunter, Overcoming Injuries
Hunter Rosales-Flores, a five-time LA Marathon finisher, has recently graduated from Sotomayor Magnet High School and was awarded the SRLA Scholarship this year. This scholarship will help fund his academic journey at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he plans on studying Nursing. Learn more about Hunter’s SRLA journey in his own words here.
Hunter wearing his high school graduation outfit as the Class of 2024.
People might say that the ability to run comes naturally, but I believe that this is arguably one of my best skills. In 2019, I reached out to the coach of the Students Run LA (SRLA) team at my school. Feeling eager to try out but intimidated by the great number of kids I was competing against, my mile time, 15:32 of the 16:00 minute pace, barely making the cut, secured me a spot on the team. In time, I realized this was something I really wanted to do. During the week, we practiced together three times, but I had not felt this was enough for me to improve. Every weekend, I would wake my dad at 6:00 A.M. the day before our hosted weekend practices. I would train by the beach, improving my speed and agility, for four hours. Despite the early mornings with rough weather, I worked tirelessly to drop my pace in and outside of the program and that season I ran my very first marathon. I decided to continue this program and juggle other sports and extracurriculars but in spite of this, during the 2022 LA Marathon, I fell, causing me to sprain my right ankle and ACL. This was one of the worst injuries I experienced. The pain I undertook from this injury was excruciating and recovery felt like years.
Even so, if there was one thing I learned through running before my injury, it was endurance which I chose to apply as I eased my way back into running. On top of training for my fifth marathon, today my mile time stands at 8:00. I continue to apply endurance not only when it comes time for my races and other sports, but outside of the skill as well. Running a marathon is a test of human endurance but the ability to do well in running is one I have rightfully obtained.
Hunter representing UCLA in style with his hoodie.
“In 2021 I spent my time recovering from a torn ACL injury. Despite any of the obstacles I faced I always managed to push through and aimed to keep running.”
The cap of Hunter’s high school graduation outfit.
Additionally, being a part of this program has built my social interaction skills when talking to my sponsors, reaching out to the people who have donated, and meeting new runners at the start of a race. As a person who deals with anxiety and depression, this opportunity that was offered to me stood as a stepping stool for me to improve myself as an individual who deals with both and provided me with a greater advantage to better myself.
To all of my lower classmen and even rising seniors, I'd just like to say keep working hard. SRLA is a program offered to many of us lower income and at risk, middle and high schoolers. I never came from a lot. In fact, I participated all five years with Sotomayor Arts and Sciences Magnet's SRLA team. I was never the fastest on my team, joining in 2019, I started the program with over a 15 minute mile pace and if that wasn't something to stop me from running, just two years later, in 2021 I spent my time recovering from a torn ACL injury. Despite any of the obstacles I faced I always managed to push through and aimed to keep running. Eventually I was able to work my starting 15 minute mile to my fastest being timed at 8 mins and also recover, fast and safely to continue running with the program.
If I were to look back at myself, going into middle school or high school, I would've never believed if someone told me that I've ran five marathons so far or even got into my dream school, but here I am. And if I could make it to this point in my life with this many accomplishments, so can you. So keep working hard, I know it can be tough right now but, the hard work pays off in the end, and you too can see that one day. I mean after all, we're not just training for a marathon, we're training for our lives.