Tanner Martin: Staying Home

Tanner Martin has signed to run where his father coaches--Adams State University. Contributed photo.

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Tanner Martin's best marks:

800 meters: 2:00.78

5K cross country: 17:32

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I'll get what appears to be the question with the obvious answer out of the way first: Why did you choose Adams State?

Why Adams State? I want to be a part of something great. It's been my dream to run at ASU. I have followed the team and been a part of the Grizzly tradition all my life. The chance to have my Dad as a Coach is an incredible opportunity, as I have seen his success with many different athletes. Also, I have witnessed the success my sister had at ASU, and I wish to accomplish the same. I am looking forward to training harder than ever.

What do you plan to study at Adams State?

I plan to study political science and hope to pursue a law degree following my undergraduate work. This is a great department at ASU, and I am excited to be a part of this program.

You caught a lot of people off guard this spring, perhaps because you didn't run track last spring (2014). Were you injured last spring or ...?

In the Spring of 2014 I had some health issues and opted to recover and train in preparation for my senior year. I took this time to improve and made large gains that were an important part to the success I had in my senior year.

Your favorite race would appear to be the 800 meters. Are you hoping to stay with that race in college, or do you see things pointing in a different direction?

Moving from Coach De La Cerda's training to my Dad's I plan to move up in distance. I will turn my attention to the 1500 and 5k. Also I plan on learning how to steeplechase as this is an event Adams State consistently produces high-powered athletes in.

Your cross country times in 2014 were a substantial improvement over 2013. What did you do differently this year over last for cross country?

I would say the biggest reason for the improvement from 2013 to 2014 is coming into my own both mentally and physically. Both my sister and dad helped me throughout 2014 to improve and learn what it takes to become a great runner. Also having the chance to work with Coach De La Cerda all summer long was a big key to success in my eyes. I could't have asked for three better people to help me reach my goals. Finally, I can not thank my teammates Isaiah De La Cerda and Oscar Martinez for consistently working me hard and pushing me day in and day out to reach my full potential.

Pick a favorite memory from your high school career to share with us.

My favorite memory from my high school career is a incredible one. Our team entered the State Cross Country Championships knowing we could win. It was up to us to deliver on this day. At the half way point, near the top of the hill, I began to throw-up and then struggle. But moments later my teammate Miguel Baltazar pulled alongside me and touched my hand. His encouragement was what I needed to get moving again. On the back side of the hill, together we passed as many runners as we could. As we entered the stadium, our Coaches and families were yelling that we were winning the team title. We put 6 runners in the top 20, making this the highlight of my high school career.