Whether he is bombing hills on his longboard, bicycling on the open road or sprinting by competitors on the track, Empire’s Caleb Dusek likes to go fast.
The 17-year-old cross-country runner won the Division III, Section III championship last Saturday in 16 minute 13.4 seconds. He could follow that up with a state title this weekend.
“I think its gong to be a pretty close race and I am going to go out there and try my best at it,” Dusek said. “I know what to do to win, I just have to stay focused and stick to the plan.”
Saturday’s state cross-country meet is being held at Cave Creek Golf Course in Phoenix. The first race is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. (Scroll down for a complete event schedule)
The Star caught up with Dusek as he prepared for his final race of the season. Here are four things to know about the Empire senior:
People are also reading…
1. It runs in the family – literally
Dusek says his inspiration to start running was because of his parents, who are active runners. They also participate in triathlons and enjoying biking.
The senior has been running track since the sixth grade and fell in love with it after he joined the team in middle school. He said it wasn’t easy for him at first but he worked hard and improved.
“It was hard for me at first and I needed a lot of practice,” Dusek said. “But by the end of middle school I was pretty good at it so I decided to keep doing it through high school.”
But Dusek didn’t pick up cross-country until his sophomore year of high school.
2. His ‘senior’ status is motivation
Dusek says his sectional championship was a “special” win because he had one last shot to make it happen.
“This one was pretty special to me because it was my senior year so it was my last chance to win the meet,” Dusek said.
This will be the last year Dusek has the opportunity to run for Empire coach Margarito Casillas who he has had for the past three years. While Dusek goes off to college, Casillas is expected retire from coaching,
“I just wanted to go out there and run my best and try to win it for him,” Dusek said.
Dusek says he is considering attending Arizona or NAU next year and hopes to receive an offer from one of those schools if he can perform well at the state meet this weekend.
He says either way he plans on running next year no matter what school he decides to go to.
3. He’s more than just a runner
Dusek says that when he isn’t running he enjoys longboarding.
In the offseason I love to longboard around my neighborhood,” Dusek said. “It’s relaxing for me.”
Dusek also plays the drums in his church band and will occasionally play bass as well.
He considers himself an outdoorsman who enjoys hiking, biking, and camping.
He is also very interested in engineering academically and says he could potentially want to major in that field in college.
“Going into college I want to pursue something in engineering. I’m in calculus right now and it’s going pretty good.”
4. Track over cross-country?
Although this weekend will be the last time Dusek runs a cross-country race for Empire, it won’t be the last time he puts on the uniform. Track season is coming up and he’s looking forward to it.
“I like track a little better as far as events; I really love running the half mile in track,” Dusek says. “As far as the team, I like the cross-country team better. It’s a smaller group of people more close knit and a really good atmosphere. It’s more competitive.”
CROSS-COUNTRY STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Cave Creek Golf Course in Phoenix
Race schedule
Division I girls: 8:30 a.m.
Division IV boys: 8:55 a.m.
Division I boys: 9:20 a.m.
Division IV girls: 9:45 a.m.
Division II girls: 12:15 p.m.
Division III boys: 12:40 p.m.
Division II boys: 1:05 p.m.
Division III girls: 1:30 p.m.
