We caught up with Leo Manzano to ask him a few questions about life on and off the track. Leo talks about his training, pushing Jacob Hernandez to the breaking point at practice and why you should never be late.

It seems like things have been on the upswing after the Hoka One One sponsorship. Take us through what has changed since then that has made all the difference.

For me, the support that I have received from the Hoka One One family has been more than what I could have ever imagined. I am not only speaking of the financial aspect of a sponsorship. Hoka One One believed in me when no other company did, and when I came on board, I made a committment to myself to ensure that I would not take this opportunity for granted. In turn, this sponsorship was like a second chance to go above and beyond. In reality, once I joined Hoka One One everything kind of fell back into place. And then again, even when I was not sponsored, I didn’t stop doing my job and so it was easy to continue on with ensuring I met their expectations. So far, I am happy and I look forward to putting in more work so I can have better results.

Congrats on the 800m win at Texas Relays. After the rabbit dropped off early you found yourself leading, you are usually a runner that will sit at the back and out-kick to take a race. Take us through what was going on in your head when you found yourself leading with 400m to go? Did you have to change your usual mindset?

I was expecting for the rabbit to go through 600 meters. Once the rabbit fell off at 400m (coming through 51 seconds), I ended up at the front. My job at that moment was to act quickly with a new strategy. I have been training well and the good preparation that I had up to that point gave me confidence to stay in the front. I pressed the last 200m and was able to finish the race strong.

Take us through your average daily routine?

6:30-7am: Wake up, gather gear. I have a small snack (a mini breakfast) with coffee
7:30: Arrive to practice
7:40: Start training run or warm up for workout
10:00-10:30am: Usually 2 - 3 times per week, I add a gym session where I do strength work
11/11:30am: Finish Gym session
11:30-2pm: Break, Lunch, Recovery Time, Catch up on Emails,
2:30pm: I head to the University of Texas to meet with my strength Coach Trey Zepeda
5-5:30pm: Finish training session
6:30pm: Dinner
7:30pm: Emails, Run errands
10:30-11pm:  Sleep

When and what do you normally eat while in training?

Mid morning- Fruit, yogurt, Granola, (Omelet with lots of veggies)
Noon- Sandwich with Steamed Veggies
Mid afternoon- Snack P&J Sandwich, Whole Fruit
Dinner - Pasta, Salad, Chicken/Fish

What is your cross training regimen?

I do a lot of general strength work, which could or may not be considered cross training. Most of my time is spent in the gym or on the trail .

What is it like balancing life, training and racing?

I don’t think that work-life balance is actually possible. However, it’s all about keeping up with a schedule and be as focused with the task at hand. I make my best effort to be disciplined because it allows me to maximize my time. I don’t have a boss making me do my work, so I have to hold myself accountable. I have to be strict with myself and follow the plan as closely as possible. However, I also have to remind myself to be flexible enough to rearrange my schedule for last minute things that come up, whether it be last minute races, appearances, or speaking engagements. At the end of the day, it’s all about attitude.

What is your most bizarre pet peeve?

I don’t think I have a bizarre pet peeve. I have several pet peeves, but they are not anything strange or unusual. I do my best to not arrive late and I also don’t like it when others are late. Punctuality is very important to me and it upsets me, maybe more than it should, when people are not on time.

What super hero would you trade lives with and why?

I admire super heroes, but I honestly would not be willing to trade lives with any of them. Though I am no super hero, I am pretty fortunate to have the opportunity to do what I love and I am working towards achieving my dreams, what more could I ask for?

Describe your childhood dream.

A child’s mind has no limits. When I was in elementary school, I dreamt of being an astronaut. And then, a few years later, I discovered my real talent, and my love for the sport took me through a different route.

Describe your fondest race memory.

Winning the Silver Medal in the 2012 Olympics will always be my fondest memory. I had already raced a preliminary and the semi-final race. The final was one of the hardest races I had ever experienced. With 400 meters left in the race, I was no where near the front. It required a lot of work and I still remember telling myself to seize the moment, and my attempt was worth it.

Describe the kind of kid you were in high school.

I was very friendly and outgoing. I really enjoyed everyone’s company.

Tell us about your favorite memory with one of your current or past training partners.

I loved the toughness, competitiveness and work ethic that Jacob Hernandez, my past training partner, brought to the group. We would both feed off each other and put each other through intense pain in workouts. We did a particular workout with 400s, our last 400 was in about 51 seconds but I pushed right past him. Immediately after the 400 Jacob went over and started throwing up. He then started punching the ground. I admired the competitiveness in him.

Describe your favorite workout?

6x1000 then 5-6 300s

If you could give one piece of advice to any runner, what would it be and why?

I think that enjoying the training and the races is the number one priority, regardless of the result. I think that if you do your very best in anything you do, you are more likely to enjoy it and be successful.

Describe your favorite place to run or train.

I love the Lady Bird Lake trail, it runs through downtown Austin for over 10 miles. It’s very peaceful and seeing so many people enjoying the outdoors has a motivating effect on me.

Describe your pre-race ritual.

I am Catholic and after doing my part ensuring that I have prepared myself as best as possible, I ask God for his blessing. I do the sign of the cross and pray for strength.

What does racing/training look like for you in the next 6 months

I am spending my time in the gym 4-6 times a week and I do my running workouts every morning.