Felix Palencia: Today, we’re joined by Joshua Melendez, a standout student athlete at Cerritos College who’s made his mark on both in both cross country and track and field, a three time MVP and two time All Del Rey league selection at St Paul’s High School. I’m your host, Felix Palencia, let’s get into this interview. So how are you, Josh.

Joshua Melendez: I’m good. Yeah, I’m feeling good today so.

Felix Palencia: Yeah, it’s pretty early still, right? It’s about, you know, 12. It’s about noon. So, you know, have you been awake for a while?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, actually, I went for a run this morning with a couple of my teammates. went up by my house. So we just had a quick run. I did that, and then ate, and then pretty much just got ready to come here. So,

Felix Palencia: Right and how long is like, an average run, like, for one of these things, like in the morning?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, so, so usually it varies. So like in the beginning of of when :we’re like, building our fitness, we do less mileage, and at our peak, we do something like average, maybe eight to nine and peak 10 and then, and then, as we taper down into postseason, you could say we start doing less. So like, I started doing seven to eight and then maybe six to five at some point.

Felix Palencia: Okay, so it’s like, progressive?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, it’s progressive, yeah,

Felix Palencia: Yeah. So kind of, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, like, how long have you been running for?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah. So I guess the first time I really started competing and running was in middle school, when I was in about fifth grade. Actually, my parents were the coaches for our team. So that’s like, when I first had some exposure to the competition side of running.

Felix Palencia: Yeah, and like, when you’re in fifth grade, right? Do you, like, kind of see yourself kind of faster than the other kids? Or is it like,

Joshua Melendez: I mean, I was lucky because I guess I kind of have the talent to run, because my sister, my older sister, she was, she was a pretty good runner, yeah, too. So I sort of had the talent, so they expected me to be faster than, I guess the average kid. Yeah, that was running.

Felix Palencia: Okay, so it’s kind of in your genes,

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, it’s kind of, it was kind of already there, yeah.

Felix Palencia: So when did you learn that you were a good distance runner?

Joshua Melendez: Um, well, yeah, like I said, it was in middle school,

Felix Palencia: Middle school?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, when, when I was, when I got to compete, it was when there that I kind of saw, Oh, I’m pretty good at this. And then, and it wasn’t until recently where I was like, Oh, I’m actually way better than I thought I was, or at least what I thought I was in high school.yeah, so, yeah

Felix Palencia: So you mentioned that, right? Like you mentioned that you’re, you’re kind of, you feel like you’re better. What like? What did you like? When did you make this big jump? Or has it just been, like a consistent growth?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, so, so, like, the, the big jump came when I actually came to Cerritos, because the environment, the training, the opportunities were so much better here. So because I had the I guess the talent, just the adding on to that was what helped me progress and helped me realize I’m actually a lot better than I was,

Felix Palencia: Right And like, what exactly made you choose, like, Cerritos College for track and field and cross country,

Joshua Melendez: It’s pretty much my sister actually went here,

Felix Palencia: Right

Joshua Melendez: The my older sister, so we saw her do what she did here. She She came here for two years, got a full ride scholarship to Cal State LA, so from her experience, we were kind of like, oh, we’ll just do that. So it’s pretty much because of what our sister did. We were like, Oh, we could just do the same. And besides, Cerritos is very cheap so, yeah, it’s pretty, pretty much no brainer.

Felix Palencia: Yeah so I think if you could tell the audience a little bit about kind of like your your maybe your personal records and maybe the records that you’ve broken for the school,

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, yeah. So recently, this track season, I was able to break the 3k record for my high school. And then earlier, earlier in the season, I was able to break my PR in the 1500 with a 3:51 and then, which made me a second all time for that, for that event in school history. And then I also broke, I also broke my personal record of of 15:09 in the 5k, now it’s a 14:50 so that’s pretty much the most recent record, my records. And then I. My personal best

Felix Palencia: Is this your first year at first year competing for Cerritos College?

Joshua Melendez: No, this is, this is my second year. I’m a sophomore right now. So this is pretty much my last year here, because it’s only two years.

Felix Palencia: Yeah, yeah. That’s the thing about community college, right? Is like athletes transfer after two years,

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, generally, that’s how it is, but we’re, I’m lucky to be at Cerritos, because just the coaching and everything about it, it sets you up to be able to compete at the next level, like university d1 d2 whatever you, whatever you, you go to, really, it sets you up perfectly. And I don’t think you could really say that about other community colleges like us. Cerritos is really special in that way,

Felix Palencia: Right, right So, so what are your aspirations for transferring, maybe after Cerritos College?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, so, so, yeah, I actually already committed, committed to a school called Benedictine college. So it wasn’t really about the running. It’s more like the academic part of it. My career goals that really led me to it, and just the cherry on top was that I was able to get scholarships in running, academics and and, and I know it would be a good environment for me. So that’s pretty much the aspirations go there do well, hopefully, and then really get the degree to follow the career path I hope to do right.

Felix Palencia: And what are your aspirations f-for after college? Can you tell us a little bit about your career path?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, so my aspirations is hopefully get a theology degree with the focus in secondary education from the University I’m going to transfer to so that I can teach the high school level, the Catholic high school level, theology, religion. So really, hopefully, just to be a teacher, pretty much.

Felix Palencia: Yeah, you mentioned wanting to teach at a Catholic school, right? Are you religious?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was a big decision in the school I wanted to go to as well, because this is a Catholic University, pretty small, maybe 3000 people, yeah. So a pretty small private, private school, I mean, in comparison to, like, the big public schools, so pretty small in that regard.

Felix Palencia: So, yeah, yeah. So what is your student athlete balance like now, compared to high school, like, in terms of, you know, having to balance your classes and.

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, so, so the athletic Part definitely takes, takes up a lot more than it did in high school, because you sort of form your schedule, like your whole schedule, around your athletics, like practice, meets. So that’s the biggest change, is that you pretty much form your academics and really, other parts of your life, around your your athletics. Well, at least if you want to, like do well in it, if you want to really do well in your athletics, then you couldn’t kind of sort of form your whole plan for the day around trying to do whatever you have to do athletically, so, so that’s the biggest change, yeah, so,

Felix Palencia: So when you do compete, like, how does it feel to run against Division One universities and have success like you have this year?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, before, like, my first year, it was, it was intimidating, because I was like, Oh, I can’t believe we’re actually running against like these schools. But now it’s like, Oh, I’ve earned my, my my place to actually be in this, in this, in this race with them, and I’m good enough to actually compete against them. So so that’s the mindset I go into it, like I’ve earned my spot to be here.

Felix Palencia: And can you kind of tell us about some of the events that you do compete in?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, so my main, my main two events are the 1500 and 5k the 1500 is less than a mile, like maybe 100 200 less. Yeah, depends, yeah. So it’s like a, it’s like almost a full mile, and the 5k is more than three miles. So it’s like three point whatever, like 3.2 so it’s not that much more, but it’s, it’s it. Those are the my main two events,

Felix Palencia: Right and which one of those is your favorite to compete in?

Joshua Melendez: Um, well, I would probably say the 1500 because it’s the one I’ve found the most success in, and the 5k is pretty nice to I don’t think I fully figured it out yet, because I’ve only raced it three times this year, so I don’t think I’ve really figured it out, but the 1500 is my is probably my favorite, because I’ve kind of figured out how to how to run it pretty well now,

Felix Palencia: Right and are you hoping to make make state in both of those events?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, yeah. So the 1500 I’m, I’m actually ranked first in the state for the 1500 right now, so at least with that, I hope I’m there, so as long as everything goes well, I should, I should be there and the the 5k because those races, at least in state and regionals, are on the same day. I run the 15 101st and the 5k after. It’ll be a little bit harder, because I’ve already ran a 1500 but the hope is to still be able to run a good 5k to make it, to stay as well.

Felix Palencia: So, yeah, that’s something that I kind of don’t hear a lot about, is like. So you have the if you want to compete in multiple events, you have to do it the same day.

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, yeah. So, so most of the time, like a lot of my teammates, they, they compete in multiple events. Like, generally, the sprinters are sprinters. They, they compete in like three or four events. So they have to do all those events in one day. I mean, they’re spread out, but, but they still have to do and run those in the same day, which is pretty hard. Um, I’m pretty lucky, because the 15 and 5k the 15 is like, one of the first events, and the 5k is one of the last events.

Felix Palencia: So you have that big gap to prepare for those two. Yeah, and like, but what about like, your body? Does it like fatigue? Or do you kind of train so that it doesn’t fatigue? Uh, especially when you’re doing multiple events in one day.

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, that’s that’s like the hope is, to be able to train your body, to to be able to run those two events and not feel fatigued. And I think it really depends on, on what kind of race it is, because sometimes the 1500 slow, but the 5k is fast. So, so it depends on what kind of race is ran on that day.

Felix Palencia: Yeah. So you kind of mentioned, mentioned, like, working out, like, are you more of a speed orientated workout? Person, or, like, a long distance workout? Person,

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, I’d say, I’m say, I’d say I’m a good mix of both, because there, or I’d say, I can maintain a fast speed for a long time, right? Which is why I’m, I’m good saying the 15 105k so I’m not, like, incredibly good at speed, or I’m not incredibly good at distance. I’m just good at, I’m just good enough at both of them to where I could run fast, right? And you’re pretty good. I mean, like first in the state. So, yeah.

Felix Palencia: Okay, so would you ever be willing to go up to the 10,000 meters?

Joshua Melendez: [while laughing] Oh, yeah. So this is, this is one of the questions that sometimes pops up. Man, I never want to run that race in my life. Yeah, like, it’s just something like I don’t I ever want to do. I hope so. So I’d say no so, because it’s just, it’s just absurd. It’s 25 lots around the track, and it’s just crazy. I never want to do that other than that, right? Because, so it’s like a huge it’s, you say that you run the 1500 meters, right? Yeah, and then when you run the 5000 meters, yeah? So that’s a pretty big jump in itself. That’s almost that’s almost like, that’s like, more than three times, yeah, it’s like, so the 1500 is less than a mile, so it’s like 5k is more than three miles, so I’m technically running two extra miles, but the 10k is six miles on the track, and that’s just, yeah. It’s just crazy. I can’t do that. Yeah? I mean, I probably could do it, but I don’t want to do it,

Felix Palencia: Right, yeah so kind of what when you are running, what shoes do you like to wear?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, so we’re pretty lucky because our school gives us shoes. So I wear the dragonflies, and those are pretty good. I mean, they’ve been well done, well for me, and generally I like to use those for the 1500 I’m kind of mixing it up with a 5k to where I’m running. I’ve ran two of my five K’s with New Balance spikes, but now I’ve gotten these new adidas spikes, so I’m going to try to use those for the 5k and then probably for the 1500 because they’ll be pretty good.

Felix Palencia: So yeah, yeah. So you mentioned that Cerritos College gives you some running shoes, yeah, but, but you don’t have to wear. Those, right?

Joshua Melendez: No, you don’t have to wear those. But generally, they’re, they’re pretty good. Like, the stuff they give us is a pretty much like, some of the best shoes on the market, at least. Like, we get training shoes, which is our long, long, long distance shoes that we use for long miles. And then we get the spikes. So, yeah, I mean, you don’t have to use them, but generally they’re pretty good to use,

Felix Palencia: Yeah? So recently, especially in your last couple races, you’ve gotten first so what’s kind of changed from the start of the season to kind of where we are now,

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, that’s a good that’s a good question. So I knew from in the start of the season, I was hoping to obviously improve, but really the change is that I was I was running to I wasn’t expecting to go fast now, like in the beginning of the season, because it’s just the beginning of the season. So I wasn’t I wasn’t looking to go fast, but I was looking to run well, and then once, I guess, that barrier was broken, where I started actually improving in ways I didn’t think I would be able to improve in so early in the season,that’s where, like, it kind of changed me. Like, okay, I’m pretty good, lot better than I was at the end of season last year. I’m already better than that. So, so now it’s just about competingto win, pretty much, like, just just just going into the race competing to win, because I’m I’m good enough to do that now

Felix Palencia: Okay, so, so kind of how much harder do you have to work at your height compared to others in a race?

Joshua Melendez: Um, I mean, not that much harder. I mean, like they have longer strides. If you’re taller, you have longer strides. So you probably just don’t have to move your feet as fast. So, so that’s pretty much it. I mean, I just have to move my feet faster, like, one of their steps is probably, like three of mine. So, so I just have fast, like, leg speeds. So, so it’s pretty much that. But it’s pretty funny, because I am, like, if we go to division one, Division Two meets, then, then I’m generally like, this, the shortest person on the field, like everybody else, is, like, average six, six feet, five, nine, and I’m like, five, six. So, so it’s pretty funny to see me on the line with these guys who are taller than me, but it doesn’t really change that much in the running aspect. Yeah, do you, do you kind of, like, so do you say this?

Felix Palencia: Do you see the same people at the line for most events, especially when you’re running against other schools?

Joshua Melendez: But you guys run the same thing, like the 1500 Yeah, yeah. So, like, in the community college level, like you see pretty much the same people, and you know, from from each event. Like, who’s the fastest you know the person you you’ve seen him multiple times. You’ve heard his name. So, like, you know who, who, who they are and who to look out for.

Felix Palencia: So, yeah. So who on your team do you think pushes you the most?

Joshua Melendez: I would say Tyler. Tyler is, like, probably the one who pushes me the most. He’s he’s really helpful, especially when we do our, our speed stuff. So he’s really helpful for that. And then Jake, Rob, Josh, when we do long distance workouts, those guys are pretty good too. They help a lot. So I would say, I would say that, and then, and it really I guess what pushed me also was the freshmen, because we had freshmen who had really high expectations and and who who are good. So they pushed me to to be better than them, so that they won’t catch up to me, kind of thing.

Felix Palencia: So, so, yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, you’re probably showing them right. You’re probably, you’re probably quicker.

Joshua Melendez: I hope so. I mean, I mean, I hope I’m a good example for them to catch up to, right?

Felix Palencia: And who outside of. The team do you think pushes you the most?

Joshua Melendez: I mean, my parents are supportive, obviously, like, they, they, they’re like, this is your job. So, so you just do what you got to do, and we’ll support you pretty much.

Felix Palencia: Yeah. Okay, now we’re on to the real questions, what’s the shortest distance in a race? Do you think I could beat you in?

Joshua Melendez: Okay, let’s see, it would have to be a sprint. It like, like, 100 200 All right,

Felix Palencia: but no, no, wait, I don’t think, I think after maybe one meter, you already have the edge on me.

Joshua Melendez: Yeah?

Felix Palencia: I mean, people don’t realize that, like, You’re, like, faster than like, maybe 99% of the population.

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, it’s kind of crazy, because, like, in the sport of running, and at my level and our level, we see these guys, and there’s still guys that are, like, way faster than me. But you gotta, like, I gotta remember, like, 99 like, for real, like 99% of the population is actually not as fast as us. So it’s like, it’s kind of crazy to think about that. So yeah, right.

Felix Palencia: [laughing] You’re probably like, the worst person to play and tag like, people probably never tag you like. You’d have to, yeah. They’d be like, I just don’t even go for Yeah.

Joshua Melendez: I think, I think, I think when I was little, that was, I was that guy, yeah,

Felix Palencia: so kind of, if you weren’t running, what sport would you be doing?

Joshua Melendez: I’d probably be soccer. Yeah, because I played soccer for about 12 years, I think so. So it was from when I was little up until senior of high school, so I played for for that long. So if I wasn’t running, I’d probably be playing soccer right now.

Felix Palencia: And what kind of like, why aren’t you playing soccer? You know? Why did you choose running over soccer? Is it just you loved it more? Or,

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, it’s pretty much like I was just better at running, really, and I saw that I could have better opportunities in running, so I just decided to stick with it. And I mean, I like it. It’s fun. I mean, it’s not fun when you’re doing it. Like I actually have a sticker on my bottle that says I love running, but not while I’m doing it. S-so yeah, and it’s become a lot more fun after my two years in Cerritos because of the success, success I’ve had and how I’ve gone,

Felix Palencia: yeah. I mean, one can only imagine how hard you’ve worked to get this level of success, right. I mean, you said that you were talented and that it is in your genes, but like, can you kind of talk about, like, how much you still have to work, even if you are talented,

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, because talent can only take you so far. I mean, you still have to work.Like in high school, I was nowhere near as fast as I was. It was pretty much just my own talent that took me to run fast, but in high school, I was not fast like nobody knew me. I never did anything, I guess, noteworthy. You could say it wasn’t until I came to Cerritos and the training and everything was better that I actually flourished so so from, from, from that experience, I could, I could 100% say that talent can only take you so far. You have to have that, that training to back it up as well.

Felix Palencia: Yeah. So I saw that in your Cerritos bio, you had like that your favorite show was, the was the Clone Wars. Clone Wars. What’s your favorite Star Wars movie?

Joshua Melendez: It’s between Rogue One and Revenge of the Sith, yeah, yeah. So I really like Rogue One because it was just really good. It was actually really good because I didn’t like, I don’t like a lot of the Disney stuff that’s come out, but Rogue One is one of the ones I actually, actually really liked, yeah,

Felix Palencia: That surprised me that you said a licking off, kind of like not one of the numbered films.

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, no. I mean it. I’d take the Star Wars, The Clone Wars, animated series, series, over pretty much any of the Star Wars stuff that’s come out.

Felix Palencia: Yeah. I mean, it’s really good. Yeah, yeah. Did you see that? They, they kind of like, put the episode three back in theaters. Did you see?

Joshua Melendez: Oh, yeah, I did. I didn’t see it, but, but it was big deal, like it. I mean, I think it grossed insane amount of money, yeah, which was honestly awesome to see, because it shows that, like, people actually still love Star Wars.

Felix Palencia: And that’s crazy, because, like, they didn’t even, like, remaster it or anything. They just like, yeah, they just, they just put it in theaters, and people watched it. So, millions of dollars, yeah, so, um, so, what’s your favorite post workout meal?

Joshua Melendez: Um,so,yeah. So, so. Yeah, like, like, the ideal, the ideal meal, I’d say, would be a breakfast burrito from this place called Douglas. Like, that’s what I would love to get. I don’t get it, but, but, like, that’s the ideal thing that I would love to have post workout.

Felix Palencia: What’s in it?

Joshua Melendez: Like it’s just a regular breakfast burrito, you know, eggs, hash, brown, sausage, bacon, and then you have to have the salsa with it. Because I think for breakfast burritos, it’s like half is the breakfast burrito itself, and then half is the salsa. So if the salsa is not good, the breakfast burrito won’t be good.

Felix Palencia: But you say you don’t have that. Is that like, is that like, a Health Choice, or is that just like,

Joshua Melendez: that’s not a health choice I mean, it probably won’t be good to have it all the time, but, but that’s like, like, weekends kind of, kind of, kind of thing. But I think the average meal I have after workouts is like a protein shake, like right after, right after the workout I had, like a protein shake with and then, like a granola bar or a banana, and then I get home, and then I pretty much have whatever my parents made for the day.

Felix Palencia: So, yeah, do you have any pre race or pre meat superstitions?

Joshua Melendez: No, no, I don’t have, like, any superstitions like that,but, but it’s good to be consistent in what you do before you before you race, especially, yeah, it’s pretty it’s good to be consistent, like, you want to do pretty much the same thing. So I guess you could say that’s superstitious, but like, it’s not really. It’s just like you want to stay consistent, because if you stay consistent, you’ll be able to perform at a consistent level.

Felix Palencia: So, yeah, can you kind of tell me, actually, can you tell me your process of what it’s like on a meet day, like, what your process is that morning?

Joshua Melendez: Yeah, I think, yeah. So, so that’s a good Google question, because I think a lot of people would say, at least runners would say the pre race or the the process before your meet starts the day before. It’s not the day of like, it starts the day before, even a week before, like, like, it’s like, a whole thing. Like, you want to, you want to prepare the whole week, or the day before to race. So like the day before, like you’d probably for me the whole week, I’m rolling out, stretching at night, and then, and then the day before, I do the same thing, I get the meal I’m gonna eat right before my race ready, and then the day of, I eat my meal two hours before the race, and then I get ready to race after that.

Felix Palencia: So, so how much before a race do you eat? Like, how long?

Joshua Melendez: Um, generally, like, two hours because, um, I think I’m, I guess I, you could say I’m pretty weird in, right?

Felix Palencia: Well, well, everybody’s gonna take notes on how to do it.

Joshua Melendez: I guess I’m pretty weird in how I eat. Because a lot of my teammates say, like, man, you eat a lot before you’re before you race, even two hours before. Because a lot of my teammates, they don’t eat at all, pretty much anything before a race. Like two hours before the race, they don’t eat anything. Or, like, if they do, it’s like a granola bar or something. But for me, I eat like an egg sandwich, an apple, a banana, a granola bar with electrolytes. That’s, I guess, a lot. But like, for me, it’s worked throughout the season. So, so I gotta eat before, before I race, like two hours before I race,

Felix Palencia: Right and do you still get nervous before meets?

Joshua Melendez: Um, no, not anymore, because,because I’ve seen what I could do and and it’s getting it’s given me confidence to to be able to go into the race with confidence and know that I’m prepared for it. So, so, yeah, I don’t get good nervous before meets generally anymore.

Felix Palencia: All right. All right. Joshua, thank you so much for joining me today. It was great hearing about your journey and all the hard work that you’ve put in. Best of luck to you rest of season, and we’ll be cheering you for everyone listening. Thank you for tuning in. Catch you next time. And Joshua, Is there anywhere people can find you online? Any social media handles you’d like to share?

Joshua Melendez: I don’t even, I don’t even use social media, so I guess, I guess, I guess, if you want to email me or text me, I don’t know if you somehow get my number, I don’t know.

Felix Palencia: Yeah, you’ll see him at the meets. Yeah, go to the meets. All right.