I’m Jamin Goecker, a runner for the ASU cross country team.

First off, I’d just like to say thanks for all that SARL did for me. I never competed in high school, but after running a road race as a sophomore in college, I decided that competing as a collegiate runner was something I wanted to do.

SARL provided an encouraging, supportive, and challenging place for me to compete and learn how to run hard in races. More importantly, I learned to enjoy the journey, the long miles between races, along the way.

Without SARL, I don’t know if I would be competing on the ASU team today. I am truly grateful.

Jamin Goecker

I began entering races with you guys back in 2010.  I was an obese person on a diet that needed to get some roadwork in.

Any and every race I entered, I was always intimidated because I knew there were “real runners” that would be finished way before me and was kind of embarrassed at the thought of my last (or close to last) place.

To my delight, I always found the most supportive folks.  Some of those early finishers would stand at the finish and cheer, no matter how long it took me to get there.  Sometimes they would double back after already completing the race and cheer during the actual race, to keep it up, that we were doing a good job.

I can’t tell you what that meant – and still means – to someone like me.

We’ve got some great support in SARL and I, for one, really appreciate it!

 I look forward to being a member of SARL, participating in some races, and volunteering at others.

Kathy Martinez