A race is not just about speed; it is about endurance in the final stretch. For distance runners, victory can be a wide margin or a dramatic photo finish.

The adrenaline rush and the wait to see if that final push pays off define the Cerritos College Men’s Cross Country team, one of the state’s top community college programs with numerous titles.

Joshua Morales is a standout student-athlete and a humble yet great leader on the team. He is making history on the course while maintaining a high GPA in pursuit of a Business Administration degree.

His hard work led to a historic moment on Oct. 18.

He saw the finish line and focused on the time, “I saw my time and I saw that I was I was on pace to run what I wanted to run.”

His finish was enough to break a record that has been untouched since 2012.

Morales initially did not know that he had broken the record. “It feels pretty good. I didn’t even know about the record, but then when I finished, the coach told me that I had broken that record,” he said.

Joshua Morales is now cemented in Cerritos College history.

Morales may have broken an individual record; he says one of the reasons he is successful is because of the team’s powerful brotherhood.

An example of this was at the Oct. 3 race, with him finishing first and two of his teammates claiming second and third.

He sees them more than just teammates, “I see them as my brothers.” This connection transpired in their course success.

Bryan Ramos, cross country coach, spoke on Morales’ leadership, “Joshua leads by example and is very humble in his accomplishments. He is a quiet leader but speaks up when needed. When he races well, it leads to team success!”

Everyone on the team shares the same driven goal of winning the state championship this year.

“Seeing how hard my teammates work just drives me to want to do better for everyone around me as well,” Morales said.

The team’s chemistry helped them finish second at the South Coast Conference Championship on Oct. 31, with Morales finishing second in the four-mile course.

Being a record-breaking runner and a committed student requires immense daily discipline.

Morales balances his days by relying on his time management.

He wakes up early to do his school work before heading to campus and doing his training runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., including intense running for miles. After practice, homework and his job keeps him busy until midnight.

He manages cross-country travel and school by planning, knowing class assignments are often due on weekends.

“That’s why I like to do my work early in the week, get it all done, because I know during the weekend, that’s when we’re all like all we’re focused on is the race.”

His dedication helps him both in school and cross-country, tackling it all.

He expressed, “The mental strength that I’ve gained from the sport has definitely helped me persevere through things that are not related to the sport.”

Morales is not finished making history at Cerritos. He is focused on bringing more attention to the program and setting a higher bar.

Focused on his sport, “ I want to go for more score records as an individual. I have my eyes on like three more records and be on the podium as an individual as well.”

He has individual goals and wants to use that platform to promote the cross-country program.

As a Business Administration major with a concentration in Computer Information Systems, he strives to make a long-term career out of it.

“I want to go into a field where I can work around like those computers and also be like the manager, the lead of that, so I can foresee the whole thing,” Morales said.

One of the biggest decisions he faces is finding the best university to transfer to that will allow him to grow as a student and a star cross-country athlete.

“I just want to transfer to a good school, and that one that’s best for me, and I can continue my academic and athletic career and grow, just keep growing as a person over there.”

From breaking a more than decade-old record to leading the pursuit to the State Championships, Joshua Morales represents the determination of a true champion.

He has a disciplined vision for success both on and off the course, and he is running toward a promising future.