Oct. 18, 2004

University of Texas-Pan American cross country runner Bertha Castillo (Mission, TX/Mission High School) has already launched a successful first season, but the Lady Broncs' freshman is continuing to prove with every race that her future will be equally as bright.

Castillo has already shown this season that she plans to be a top performer for the Lady Broncs. In her first four collegiate races, she has been the top runner for the UTPA, including a fifth place finish at the Whataburger/UTSA Invitational and eighth at the Texas State Invitational. She was recently named Independent Runner of the week on October 12th, and the rookie is looking forward to improving with every performance through setting some demanding goals for herself.

"In Independent, I want to finish top 10 and top 20 in regionals," Castillo said.

However, her goals on the track aren't the only goals she has set for herself. She has yet to declare a major, but in her general studies, she is striving to perform at that same level in the classroom.

"I hope that I can meet the demands of all my classes and keep a 3.0 GPA," added the UTPA freshman.

UTPA was a good fit for Castillo because she could compete at the highest level of collegiate competition while staying close to home with the constant support of her family behind her. Not only is her family a big support for her, they are also her greatest inspiration.

"My mom and my sister are my biggest fans. My brother and sisters were all runners, and that's really how I became interested in the sport," said Castillo.

Her desire to follow the family tradition began in the third grade where the passion for running began. As she got older, the distances became longer and she developed a focus on cross country running. With the Lady Broncs, she will compete in distance runs for both the cross-county and track teams.

"The coaches here have been awesome. The surge workouts we do to get ready for competitions have helped me improve," Castillo commented.

Along with the development workouts she does to prepare to compete, Castillo also endures hours of strenuous practice during the week.

"Right now, I run 11 miles on Sundays along with workouts during the week," but she looks at it as a way to succeed in meeting all her goals. "I always want to improve and want to become better in the years to come," Castillo added.

The Lady Broncs' rookie is currently preparing to compete in the Independent Championships coming up on October 30th. The Championships will be held in Corpus Christi, TX, where a solid performance would take her another step forward in attaining her goals for this season.

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