June 24, 2010

Mark Vela has always been known for his whole-hearted commitment to the task at hand. That dedication is as evident today with Vela serving his hometown as a Laredo Police Officer as it was in the days that he ran cross country at Texas A&M International University.

Vela was the cornerstone of TAMIU's early men's cross country teams. He achieved an outstanding career that included trips to the 2003 and 2005 NAIA National Championship meets. Vela's 26:12 effort at the 2005 NAIA Region VI Championships was a school record at the time and it now stands as the second best 8K in school history.

While living the dream of serving as a police officer, Vela reveals in a recent interview that he still feels the desire to compete against himself and others in the sport that he loves.

What has been your career path since leaving TAMIU?

In December of 2006, I was hired as a police officer for the City of Laredo. In January of 2007 I attended the police academy and became a sworn Texas peace officer in May 2007.

What is most rewarding aspect of your career in law enforcement?

The biggest reward I get from my job is bringing justice to the victims and showing the community that we are here to protect them when they are in need. It rarely happens, but it's always nice to hear "thanks" from some of our citizens on random occasions. What can I say? I love my job and take great pride in working with some of the finest officers in Texas.

What was the highlight of your TAMIU Cross Country career?

The highlight of my running career came in November 2005 at the NAIA Regional Championships in Shawnee, Okla. As a senior I went into this particular race with a tremendous amount of pressure, knowing this was probably the last college race of my career. Coach Benny Rodríguez prepared me all year for this particular race, one last chance to possibly earn a slot to run in a National Championships. Our region was strong that year, but the perfect Oklahoma weather and a year of solid hard work helped me cross the finish line in a 10th place finish in a personal record and new school record of 26:12. My 10th place finish secured me a spot on the Men's All-Region Team and earned me a bid for the 2005 NAIA Cross Country National Championships in Louisville, Ky. The feeling of accomplishment and joy that day was indescribable; it felt great knowing that all the hard work I put in had finally paid off at the end. Being the first athlete in TAMIU's history to compete in the National Championships is something that I will always cherish. Being able to compete in the 2003 and 2005 National Championships are some of the proudest moments of my life. It was truly an honor to represent TAMIU on the big stage.

What was the biggest disappointment of your TAMIU Career?

The biggest disappointment of my career came at the 2004 NAIA Regional Championships in Shawnee, Okla. I had a good race, placed 12th in the Region but missed the cut to the National Championships by four spots. I was devastated that day and weeks after. Falling that short only made things worse. Luckily I had the support I needed from my family and friends to put it behind me and start mentally preparing for the 2005 season.

Do you still compete in cross country events?

Every now and then I make the trip to Austin to compete in races with my lifelong friends and Laredo Heat Running Club teammates, Augustine Contreras Jr., Oscar Vela Jr. and Benny "The Jet" Rodríguez. Even though I'm not as fast as I was, I still get the same sense of accomplishment every time I race. Anything you would like people to know about your life or future plans? I plan to continue to run and continue to serve as a Police Officer as long as God allows me to. I would like to quote the great Steve Prefontaine:

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."

Mark Vela Facts

Started running cross country: Freshman team at J.W. Nixon High School in 1995 under the direction of coach Danny Gutiérrez.

High School: J.W. Nixon High School (1999)

Bachelor's Degree: B.S. in Criminal Justice (2006)

Parents: Oscar and Crisanta Vela.

In the books: Vela holds three of the top-10 8K marks in school history. He competed in the NAIA National Championships twice, finishing 143rd in 2003 and 160th in 2005.