In the early 1970s, U.S. distance runner Steve Prefontaine had a basic philosophy: “I can endure more pain than anyone you’ve met. That’s why I win, because I can endure more pain.”
Cal State Fullerton’s Luke Hitchcock, who holds school records in the 800 and 1500 meters, shares the same approach. “I feel I can endure more pain than my competitors and take the race to a place where a lot of these guys don’t want to go or can’t go.”
Hitchcock, a junior from Auckland, New Zealand, is having a remarkable outdoor season. In April, he set a school record with a 3:41.37 clocking in the 1500m at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa. He broke his own 800m school record this month with a winning time of 1:47.20 at the Steve Scott Invitational in Irvine.
Hitchcock’s chief strengths are his speed and mindset, said Fullerton head coach Marques Barosso. “He has the footspeed of a quarter-miler, so there are few runners who can sit on Luke and outkick him at the end. He’s also a strong-minded individual who can separate things and focus on what is at hand.”
Fullerton assistant coach Jorge Jabaz expects Hitchcock to be a major force at the conference championships. “Luke is ready to go. He has the ability to do phenomenally well. Luke is a savvy racer, aggressive and intelligent, who knows what it takes to win.”
Hitchcock’s ability to redline, or push his body to the maximum limit, is exceptional, said Jabaz. “That’s what it takes to be an elite runner, and perhaps someday soon for him to be a world-class athlete. If he continues to progress, he could represent his country at the 2028 Olympics.”
Read more on the Titans Athletics website.