West Ranch High School senior Braulio Castillo (17) never did any long-distance running before high school, but what he has accomplished in that demanding discipline since taking it up is impressive. And, so far his senior year, it is phenomenal.

This year Castillo helped West Ranch take second place in the Foothill League cross country finals, coming in first overall, himself. Then he placed seventh (out of 219 runners) in Division 3 at the California CIF Cross Country State Championships on Nov. 29. He followed that up by placing sixth out of 161 runners who finished at the prestigious Brooks West XC Championships on Dec. 6 at Mt. San Antonio College. And on Dec. 13 he competed against the best of the best at the Brooks XC National Championships at Balboa Park in San Diego, placing 47^th out of 50 elite runners.

“I was coming into this season holding league records in cross country and track,” Castillo said. “This season was definitely great, as our team finished second in the league and I was able to come away with the individual title. Using that momentum I won the CIF prelims race and proceeded to get third in the CIF finals race.

“Coming into the state finals I was very confident after getting sixth place last year but, unfortunately, I placed seventh this year, after a rough race. But I didn’t let that demotivate me going into the Brooks Regionals race, where I placed sixth in the entire western region and secured a spot to compete in the national meet, where I finished 47th in the nation and achieved All American status. I am the first individual cross-country runner from West Ranch to qualify for nationals. As I head into track season, I look forward to earning another league and CIF title.”

All this success in long-distance running seemed to arise spontaneously. “I never ran before high school,” he said. “I only stayed active playing sports with my family and working out occasionally. I started cross country my freshman year of high school because I wanted to get good conditioning for volleyball. Volleyball was my main sport, but I had to wait till the spring so, in the meantime, I ran cross country because my brother got me into it. During my freshman year I wasn’t that good but it was during my sophomore year where I made the varsity team for the first time and we went to the state championship. After that I knew I had a future with this sport, so I dropped volleyball and went all in on cross country.

“In cross country I compete in the three-mile and 5K but I especially like the 5K because I feel I’m a better hill and distance runner, so the harder and longer the course is, the better I do. That’s why, in track as well, I prefer the 3,200 (two mile) because it’s the longest event and I feel that’s where I perform my best.”

Of course, nothing so impressive is accomplished alone, and Castillo is thankful for the training and assistance he has received. “My cross-country coaches, Gerardo (Gerry) Perez, Christian Raigoza, Rick Barke, and my track coach, Ryan Painter, are a huge reason why I’m in the position I am today. They truly believed in me and trained me to accomplish things I never dreamed of coming close to.”

West Ranch coach Gerry Perez said, “Braulio is the one who did the work, but his national qualification is the result of years of steady development and commitment. I first moved him fully into distance running as a freshman, and watching him grow, step by step, into a national-level competitor has been incredibly meaningful for me as his coach.”

But success usually begins as home, and Castillo added, “My parents sacrificed so much for me as well and I am truly grateful for all they do for me because I could’ve never made it here without them. But my brother is the person I would give the most thanks to, because he’s the one who got me into the sport in the first place. Always being my biggest supporter and mentor, he truly shaped me into the athlete I am today.”

In terms of the future, Castillo said he plans on running in college, but hasn’t decided where he wants to do that. “I’m in communication with colleges like UCSD, UC Irvine, University of Nebraska and Cal Poly Pomona, and plan to get a scholarship through running to pursue my academic and athletic journey at the collegiate level,” he said. “I don’t plan to run at a professional level, but do see running continuing to be a part of my life. Career-wise, I want to study business and music, as that (music) is another passion of mine.”

Long-distance running has provided more personal benefits and joys for Castillo as well. He said, “I’ve made countless friends and memories due to this sport, that I will surely never forget. It’s helped me become more disciplined as a person and patient with life’s plans. This sport, that will take me to college, will now help me pursue my future and I will forever be grateful to the people who have helped me along the way.”

Of course, Castillo’s parents, father Rene Castillo and mother Lenny Montes, are justifiably proud of him. “It has been an absolute joy as a parent to see my son’s development, not just as an athlete, but more so as a person,” Lenny said. “He has learned so much about who he is and what he is capable of, as well as where his values lie and what truly matters to him. It is an honor and a privilege to see him journey through this next stage of his life, knowing the tough lessons he’s already learned thanks to this sport. He has been pushed physically and mentally, and the toughness he has developed will surely help him achieve any goal he sets his mind to.”