Mario Mendoza Sets Treadmill 50k World Record in 2:59:03!
by Chase Parnell — January 14, 2020
One of the awesome things about living in Bend, Oregon is that cool stuff happens here. A few days ago I heard about Mario’s world record attempt that was to be held just up the road from Bend in a little town called Madras. I jumped at the chance to witness history and was blown away by the experience.
The event took place at Madras High, a school that has a bit of a reputation for being a little rough. It’s made up of equal parts native, hispanic, and white. Mario, who is hispanic himself, has strong ties to this school and wanted to run his world record here to not only inspire the youth but to raise money to support them.
The video below is a decent synopsis of the day (despite my amateur film skills) but I wanted to supplement it with a few key take-aways.
(1) Man, if there was ever a guy who you can’t help but root for, it’s Mario Mendoza. After chatting with him before and after his run, he couldn’t have been any more gracious and kind. He is a genuinely good-hearted dude. This event didn’t have the slightest hint of ego or pride. He poured his heart out for the kids and the kids alone.
(2) These high schoolers just had their worlds turned upside down today. You can hear their cheers in the video, but seeing the intensity on their faces first hand was something I’ll never forget. They were into it! Especially down the stretch. I have no doubt that some of these kids are going to be truly changed by the experience. Mario drops some wisdom on them at the end of the video that I’m sure will be ringing in their ears when they face hard times themselves.
(3) Education is such a selfless and giving profession. Every staff member I met today inspired me. As I mentioned, I don’t think Madras High School is the cushiest gig in Central Oregon so to last as an educator here, you have to have real passion for the community. I got the sense that these teachers and staff were totally invested and bought in to helping these kids succeed in life.
(4) Finally, Mario is fit. The dude just ran 5:46 pace for 31 miles on a treadmill. I took a peak at his UltraSignup. Looks like he’ll be toeing the line at Black Canyon 100k on February 15. Chasing a golden ticket?! I hope so. With all the Ultra Runner of the Year talk lately, I can’t help but think that Mario is starting his year off on the right foot. Maybe 2020 will be the year Mario goes supersonic. Only time will tell.
In sum, from start to finish, I had a blast watching Mario run. His fluid form and high arm carriage, hovering just centimeters away from the treadmill bar the entire time, was a sight to see. He captured the imagination of the entire gymnasium and inspired everyone in sight.
He left me wondering which one of these kids will be the next Mario Mendoza? Which kid will pick up the mantle and look back on this day as the day their flame was lit? What a gift.
A huge congrats and thank you to the newly minted 50k treadmill world record holder, Mario Mendoza.
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Fantastic. Simply fantastic.