Five Things to Know: Sam Ayala
August 30, 2018 | Men's Cross Country
IRVINE, Calif. - He may be a little superstitious, but junior Sam Ayala has found his recipe for success both on the course and in the classroom. Read more about Sam's superstitions, interests and what inspires him.
GOLD STANDARD
Even though I'm a runner, much of my inspiration came from Michael Phelps. I remember watching him dominate the Olympics like no one else has before. I was inspired going into high school to be the best runner I could be and it carried me to where I am today.
MENTAL GAME
"I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious." - Michael Scott (The Office)
I like to only use certain clothes when we do a hard workout because for some reason I believe it makes me run faster.
SCREEN WRITER
In my free time, to get away from everything I get out a pen and paper and write scripts for movies I think should have a sequel. So far my prized work is Ratatouille 2. I call it RataTWOlle.
FINDING HIS WAY
I thought I was going to be an engineer when I was entering college, but I wasn't happy doing it and I didn't know what I expected of myself in the future. Currently, I'm working toward a degree in economics and a minor in accounting. It just goes to show that college is a time to find out what your passion really is. So a tip for everyone reading this, don't be afraid of switching majors, make sure you're doing something that makes you happy!
PRE-RACE RITUAL
My teammate, Hector Garcia, seems to believe eating three bananas 13 hours before his race seems to improve his performance. However, I'm testing how well three kiwis 13 hours before my race will work and I believe it will give me better results.
GOLD STANDARD
Even though I'm a runner, much of my inspiration came from Michael Phelps. I remember watching him dominate the Olympics like no one else has before. I was inspired going into high school to be the best runner I could be and it carried me to where I am today.
MENTAL GAME
"I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious." - Michael Scott (The Office)
I like to only use certain clothes when we do a hard workout because for some reason I believe it makes me run faster.
SCREEN WRITER
In my free time, to get away from everything I get out a pen and paper and write scripts for movies I think should have a sequel. So far my prized work is Ratatouille 2. I call it RataTWOlle.
FINDING HIS WAY
I thought I was going to be an engineer when I was entering college, but I wasn't happy doing it and I didn't know what I expected of myself in the future. Currently, I'm working toward a degree in economics and a minor in accounting. It just goes to show that college is a time to find out what your passion really is. So a tip for everyone reading this, don't be afraid of switching majors, make sure you're doing something that makes you happy!
PRE-RACE RITUAL
My teammate, Hector Garcia, seems to believe eating three bananas 13 hours before his race seems to improve his performance. However, I'm testing how well three kiwis 13 hours before my race will work and I believe it will give me better results.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝. 𝐋𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝. 𝐋𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩.
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