Richard Medina

Position:
Distance
Height:
5-5
Weight:
null
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Grand Junction, Colo.
High School:
Grand Junction

PERSONAL BESTS

INDOOR

3,000-Meters: 7:53.02 (2012)

5,000-Meters: 13:57.20 (2011)

OUTDOOR

800-Meters: 1:55.76 (2013)

1,500-Meters: 3:48.50

5,000-Meters: 13:44.34 (2011)

10,000-Meters: 29:14.91 (2011)

BIG 12 SCORING

2008 (I) 5,000-Meters, 4th (14:18.64)

2008 (O) 5,000-Meters, 4th (14:40.92)

2008 (O) 10,000-Meters, 5th (30:44.46)

2010 (O) 5,000-Meters, 2nd (14:07.23)

2010 (O) 10,000-Meters, 5th (29:28.18)

2011 (I) 5,000-Meters, 6th (14:03.32)

2011 (O) 10,000-Meters, 4th (29:16.42)

MPSF SCORING

2012 (I) 3,000-Meters, 3rd (7:52.03)

PAC-12 SCORING

2013 10,000-Meters, 5th (29:42.14)

HONORS

Seven-time All-Big 12 Performer

All-MPSF Performer

All-Pac-12 Performer

2010 All-American (Outdoor 5k)

ACADEMIC HONORS

Academic All-Big 12 (2010, 11)

CAREER UPDATE: Richard Medina became the second fastest CU performer in the indoor 3k in 2012. He also ranks 13th on the indoor 5,000-meter top performers CU record book, 13th in the outdoor 5k and 12th in the 10k. He has earned seven all-conference honors (two indoor, five outdoor) and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships twice in the 5k, earning his first All-America honor in 2010 when he finished ninth.

2013: Indoor: Did not compete.

Outdoor: Medina came back for his final season with CU after receiving a medical hardship waiver and ran several distances during the campaign. He recorded a season-best in the 1,500 (3:51.78) at the Nike Stanford Invite (3/29), which was 12^th in his section. One month later at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invite (4/28), Medina ran a season-best in the 5k, clocking in at 13:45.50 for fourth in the second section. At the Pac-12 Championships, Medina recorded a fifth-place finish in the 10k, finishing in 29:42.14. The final race of his career was a 23^rd-place finish in the 5k at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships (14:28.26).

2012: Indoor: Medina only raced once during the indoor campaign, but he made it count as he became the second fastest 3,000-meter runner in CU history. Medina raced the 3k at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships, finishing in 7:52.03 for third place. It was the fastest time by a Buff since 1998, only behind Olympian Adam Goucher. Medina improved his PR by almost 30 seconds as his previous best was 8:23.74.

Outdoor: Did not compete.

2011: Indoor: Medina recorded the then-third fastest 5k time for a Buff during the season when he finished the Husky Classic (2/11) in 13:57.20. At the Big 12 Championships, Medina scored for CU in the 5k, placing sixth in 14:03.32. He also competed in the 3k, but did not score as he crossed the finish 15^th overall (8:23.74).

Outdoor: Medina started the season at the Stanford Invite, running a personal best 29:14.91. Medina placed third in the second section and the time was the 12^th best on the CU performers list. He recorded a personal record of 13:44.34 in the 5k two weeks later at the Mt. SAC Relays (4/15), placing sixth in the Olympic Developmental section. The time made his the 13^th fastest performer in school history. Medina scored once again for the Buffs at the conference championships, this time placing fourth in the 10k (29:16.42). He advanced to the NCAA West Preliminary Championships in the 5k, but didn’t advance to nationals after placing 31^st overall (14:13.13).

2010: Indoor: Medina ran in one race during his redshirt sophomore indoor season. He raced to a time of 14:04.24 at the Husky Classic (2/13) and placed 20^th overall. It was the fastest time by a Buff for the 2010 season.

Outdoor: Medina got back into the swing of things during the outdoor season. He ran the fastest 2010 times for a Buff in the 1,500 (3:48.50) at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invite and the 5k (13:48.26) at the Mt. SAC Relays. At the Big 12 Championship, Medina raced the 5 and 10k, just two days apart. He placed fifth in the 10k with a time of 29:28.18. Medina dug deep during the 5k, looking to win it all, but was passed in the final 200 meters to finish second with a time of 14:07.23. Medina advanced to the NCAA West Preliminary finals in the 5k by finishing seventh (14:02.30). At nationals he fought hard but just missed scoring for the Buffs as he was the ninth person to cross the finish (13:55.66). Medina was named a USTFCCCA All-American in the process.

2009: Redshirt. Did not compete indoor or outdoor seasons.

2008: Indoor: Medina concentrated on the 5,000-meter run during the indoor and outdoor seasons. He placed first at the Air Force Invite with a debut of 15:23.50 at altitude. Four weeks later he earned his first all-conference honor by taking fourth in the 5k (was also 20^th in the 3k). Medina earned his PR of 14:04.65 just one week later at the Seattle Last Chance Meet, but did not advance to nationals. His mark put him at 11^th in the top 5k indoor performers at CU.

Outdoor: Medina continued to excel during the outdoor season. He took second at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays in April and recorded a PR of 13:51.58. At the conference meet, he took fourth in the 5k (14:40.92) just two days after placing fifth in the 10k (30:44.46). Medina’s Mt. SAC Relays time qualified him for nationals and he placed 24^th in the prelims.

CROSS COUNTRY: (2011) Medina returned to the line-up after missing a season and had the best season of his career. He started off by winning the Rocky Mountain Shootout and then placed fourth at pre-nationals. Medina led CU at Pac-12s with a third-place finish while the team captured the team title. He was sixth overall at regionals and earned All-American status by placing eighth at NCAAs while helping the Buffs to a third-place team finish. (2010) Redshirt. Did not compete. (2009) Medina was consistently the second or third Buff to finish the race. He started the season at the Rocky Mountain Shootout with a fourth-place finish. At pre-nats, he took 17^th. Medina was named all-conference after finishing 12^th at the Big 12 Championship and earned his third all-region title with a sixth-place finish. He finished the season with a 57^th-place finish at nationals. (2008) Medina had a few setbacks, but was able to help the Buffs when needed. He came out strong at the Big 12 Championship by placing 15^th to earn his first all-conference honor. Two weeks later, he moved up to eighth at regionals to take his second all-region honor. At the NCAA Championship, Medina placed 64^th, an improvement of 114 places from last season. (2007) Medina quickly earned a spot on the varsity roster by placing seventh overall at his collegiate debut, the Rocky Mountain Shootout. He was the fourth Buff to cross the finish. Medina also scored for the Buffs at pre-nats (81^st/fifth score). He would be the sixth racer for CU in the next two meets. He just missed all-conference honors by placing 17^th overall at the Big 12 meet, but earned all-region honors by placing 22^nd. In his first nationals, Medina was 178^th and was CU’s seventh man.

HIGH SCHOOL: Medina did not start competing in athletics until his sophomore season. He was a four-time 5A state champion on the track and in cross country. Medina won his first title during his junior year in the 3,200-meter run. He finished in 9 minutes and 13 seconds setting a GJHS record, which he lists as the biggest moment in his high school career. As a senior, he won the 5A state cross country title, finishing the 5k course in 15:19 and another school record. At the state track championships, he won the 1,600 in a GJHS record of 4:16 and the 3,200 in 9:15. Medina was also successful at the Foot Locker Championships. In 2005, he placed 28th in the Midwest region. He improved to eighth-place in 2006, qualifying for the national competition where he would finish 18th overall.

HIGH SCHOOL BESTS: 1,600-meters: 4:16; 3,200-meters: 9:13; 5,000-meters: 15:18.

ACADEMICS: Medina graduated with degrees in Spanish and economics. He was a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and had a greater than 3.00 GPA. Medina was a member of the 2010 and ‘11 Academic All-Big 12 Second Team.

PERSONAL: Richard Medina was born on June 15 in Torrance, Calif. to Martin and Rose Medina of Grand Junction, Colo. He is the oldest of four. Martin is just 10 months younger and was also a member of the CU cross country and track & field teams. Stephanie and Charlie are the youngest. Medina is bilingual (Spanish). He had never participated in sports until he began running for the cross country team his sophomore year. Medina lists his hobbies as mountain/road biking, camping, reading and hanging out with family and friends.