Track talk with Mario García Romo: mindset, balance and taking rest seriously.

Words by Louise Hough. Photography by Colin Wong and García Romo family archive.

There isn’t a wisp of a cloud in the sky as the blistering August sun beats down on thousands of spectators in Budapest’s National Athletics Stadium. The still air hangs as a thick blend of heat and anticipation. The constant hum of murmurs from the crowd is punctuated by the occasional eruption of cheers. On the track, the final heat of the 1500m race is poised to unfold, another decisive step towards determining the roster for the upcoming Olympics. Toeing the starting line and flanked by his competitors – some of them his OAC teammates –  is Spanish middle-distance runner Mario García Romo.

García Romo is enjoying an impressive start to 2023. He became the new Spanish record-holder for the mile, running 3:51:79 at January’s Millrose Games in New York. In June, at the Bislett Games in Norway, he joined the 1500m sub-3:30 club alongside OAC teammates Yared Nuguse and Olli Hoare. “It was an amazing moment. I always thought that it was just Olympians and world champions who could make that time, so it was a nice surprise, that’s for sure.”

García Romo’s story began in the Villar de Gallimazo in Salamanca, Spain a rural village of just 200 residents where life was marked by the peaceful rhythm of the surrounding nature. García Romo would carry this calm with him traveling the world as an athlete, along with the support of a tight-knit community. Without many children his age to play with, the few friendships he formed were close. The quiet hills and winding roads offered an endless landscape to explore – one that quickly became the backdrop to an evolving love of running.

While at school, running offered García Romo a counter-balance to the complex thinking of his favorite subject – chemistry. “I was always fascinated by science as a kid. I must have been 9 or 10 years old – I remember reading about it and thinking it was just so cool. Then in high school it turned out I was actually quite good [at chemistry], so I decided to focus on it. Running always complemented my schoolwork. It helped me relax after studying, and studying was something to do when I was recovering. It was the perfect equilibrium.”

García Romo’s love of science and dedication to running eventually earned him the chance to study in America. He began studying at the University of Mississippi in 2018. “My first year in college, I studied Biotechnology. It was definitely a challenge. Getting accepted to the degree course was super hard because I was against some of the best students in Spain and the grade requirements were really tough.”

The university – known as Ole Miss – is renowned for shaping some of the best professional sports players in the world, and García Romo soon contributed to that reputation, under the guidance of coach Ryan Vanhoy. “I would wake up at six in the morning to train on the track, then I’d go to class from nine to two, rest, and be back in the lab from five ‘til nine. It was hard, but the run in the morning was not just my training time, it got me into the right mindset.”

Adapting to North American college life wasn’t without its challenges. From the quiet farmlands of Villar de Gallimazo and his friendship group in high school, the adjustment to the thousands-strong university city was significant. “When I left home, I was definitely sad – it was one of the hardest moments of my life. I was a long way from home, but it was still amazing. 

“At the football games or even just walking through the campus and going to the library – I felt like I was in a movie. And it was the first time I was exposed to so many different cultures. I met people from all around the world – Australia, New Zealand, all over Europe, and African countries too. I didn’t expect that from one city in the southern states. Hanging out with so many people was definitely a culture shock, but incredible. But when I first got to Ole Miss, my English wasn’t very good. For the first couple of months, I struggled to communicate at all.”

Once again, García Romo turned to running to connect with his surroundings. “Running can be an individual sport – and I guess it is sometimes – but at college, on the track, it was a team sport. So that was my social time. And I’m glad it was because I think I would have gone crazy otherwise!”

Following a successful track career at Ole Miss – including securing the NCAA indoor mile title in 2022 – and completing his science degree, García Romo moved to Boulder, Colorado to join the On Athletics Club. With the guidance of Coach Dathan Ritzenhein and Assistant Coach Kelsey Quinn, he found himself in the fast lane to success on the track.

“Training with the OAC is a different game. I went from being one of the best in college, to racing against people who are all competing for world titles and the Olympics. It’s a more intense schedule and a lot of travel. It’s just a different standard. It definitely keeps you on your toes.”

“My biggest takeaway from college was that if I can learn a language, start over, make new friends, and still have an amazing time, I can do this too.” 

In the high-altitude haven of Boulder, García Romo quickly found his footing, forming connections within a team where a balance of camaraderie and competition evolve promising track careers into legacies in the making. “Everybody's close. We hang out together as much as we can – obviously, we are usually very tired – but what I love the most is those moments cooling down together after a hard workout. Just jogging with your friends and sharing the feeling of runner's high.”

“When we compete, it’s totally comfortable. Because we train together every day. I remember there was a point when Olli, Yared and I were literally one behind another [in an elite race]. Running together keeps me calm because it just feels like any other day of training, but in reality you're running a 3:29 1500m – which is really cool when you think about it.”

After an intensive season of training and competition, García Romo approaches the off-season with purpose. It’s an opportunity to find balance and recharge both physically and mentally, embracing life off the track. 

“I like to disconnect from social media for at least two weeks. [Social media] is definitely a great thing because it connects you to many people around the world, but sometimes you are exposed to a lot of trolls. I remember seeing my name in tweets and people just giving bad opinions about me, even when I was having a good moment. There can be 20 good comments, but it’s the one bad comment that catches your attention.”

“Recovery to me is realizing that there are other things in life. It’s not all about sport, it’s also about having good connections with your family, your friends. If I'm thinking about track and field 24-7, that doesn't allow me to connect with people who are important to me. I don't want to be on Instagram thinking about track or wondering what my competitors are doing.”

There’s boundless research showing how mindfulness practices can give a competitive edge to athletes, enhancing focus, reducing stress and increasing mental resilience in the face of performance anxiety. The key to García Romo’s mindset? Meditation.  

“I try to meditate for 10 minutes each day. The past five years have gone so fast. I’ve had so many experiences already. It’s important to me to stay calm and present, to process it all, and stay focused on the things that really matter. And I often have moments of doubt in a race, but that's where it’s most important to be able to just observe those thoughts and let them go. And instead focusing on the good things.”

At the startline of the 1500m in Budapest, despite the chaos of the crowd and the soaring heat, García Romo is calm and focused.

“Qualifying for the Olympics is a dream I’ve always had. It’s nerve-racking to think about because it’s so hard to qualify. But at the same time, I feel calm about it. I already see myself running at the Olympics. I can visualize myself there, and feel it. For now, I’m just going to focus on the training and races, and enjoy the journey.” The starting pistol fires and he takes off.