Running Down a Dream
by Emma Dixon
Running takes passion, resilience, and commitment. Runners dream of completing their first marathon while training hard and focusing on a finish time. It typically takes years of dedication, training in all types of weather and at all hours of the day. So imagine running your first full marathon – and beating your own pace – all before your 12th birthday.
That dream recently came true for Evan Cepeda, a sixth grader at Tuskawilla Middle School.
Evan, 11, started running at age five, when he joined Eastbrook Elementary School’s cross-country running team, just for fun. From the start, he was hooked and began running with his father on a weekly basis.
Now, six years later, running is part of Evan’s daily life. He is captain of Tuskawilla’s junior varsity cross-country team and remains undefeated, securing first place in all four of his school races this past semester.
He also recently completed his first marathon (26.2 miles), finishing first place in his age category and 14th overall in the Central Florida Legends Skunk Ape Full Marathon, with a time of 3:28:17 (three hours, 28 minutes, 17 seconds). Evan crossed the finish line holding hands with his trainer and #1 fan – his father Eurides – who took second place in his age category and 15th overall. Eurides finished a mere fraction of a second behind his son.
“We both felt exhausted but so happy to finish!” says Evan.
Eurides, an information assurance engineer at Lockheed Martin, and his wife Stacy, a configuration manager in the United States Navy, have three boys, Evan, Easton (9), and Emmett (7). Eurides and Stacy, who met while playing on a coed softball team, have been married for 13 years.
The Journey Begins
Eurides, 47, began formally training his son after Evan placed third in a fourth-grade race.
“His true competitiveness emerged after the race,” says Eurides, “when he said, ‘Dad, I’m tired of not coming in first place. Can you train me?’ And that moment marked the beginning of my journey as his coach.”
Add Eurides, “That summer, I dedicated myself to learning everything I needed to support Evan’s dream. The following school year, at just 10 years old, Evan achieved his goal, securing first place with an impressive 5:55 mile.”
The father-and-son team now train year-round, running five to six times a week in peak season. Eurides mixes up the sessions, creating custom workouts tailored to his son’s condition.
“We’re always listening to how his body feels,” says Eurides. “We do body checks during and after every run. If there are any signs of a potential injury, we skip the run and focus immediately on treating it.”
Running has formed a special bond between the two. During training, as they run at a conversational pace, the pair discuss a wide range of topics including how their day went, vacation plans, stories from Eurides’s childhood, and life goals and dreams. Eurides says running brings more than physical health benefits to his son.
“I’ve witnessed Evan’s growing confidence. He’s realized he is capable of doing hard things and has learned that not everything comes easily,” says Eurides. “However, with dedication and hard work, he can reap the rewards. His mental strength and toughness have grown significantly, building resilience that empowers him to overcome even the toughest challenges.”
A Race Ready Family
Running has now become a Cepeda family tradition.
“His brothers look up to him,” says Eurides. “They’ve actually joined Eastbrook Elementary’s cross-country team, following in his footsteps, and recently asked me to train them to run faster. I’ve created their workouts and assigned Evan the responsibility of leading his brothers’ training, while I tag along on their runs to ensure everything goes smoothly.”
Now that Evan’s mom has also started training, running has become part of the entire family’s lifestyle and is a way for them to spend more time together.
For Eurides and Evan, finishing the Central Florida Legends Skunk Ape Full Marathon was a high point in their running journey.
The pair had planned on a 3:30:00 pace, but they did better than expected, finishing at 3:28:17. After all the training through heat, humidity, rain, and early morning starts, they had surpassed their goal and were ecstatic.
“I told Evan how proud I was of him and how amazing he is, giving him the biggest hug!” says Eurides.
Evan has no plans to slow down and recently finished in first place in the Cross Country District Championship JV boys race, held at Lake Mary High School. Competing against the top runners from all the schools in the district, Evan led his team to victory in his final race of the season.
One of Evan’s biggest goals is to eventually compete in the Olympics and bring home a medal.
“I want to inspire kids of all ages to run,” says Evan. “But mainly, do whatever makes you happy, follow your dreams, believe in yourself, and never give up, no matter what anyone says!”