Alex Domiquez-Morales, top runner for the men’s cross country team, has set out to do some significant things with his life and to be somebody.

Morales, 20, is a sophomore at Mt. Hood Community College and is all about doing something meaningful with his life. He is studying medicine and hopes to one day become a nurse or doctor. He wants to attend a college that has a solid nursing program.

“I want to be a nurse. That’s a good program I’m looking for. If I can be a doctor it’s going to be cool but my first goal is nursing,” said Morales.

This year will be his last at MHCC and he’s looking to go on to a university.

He wants to continue his cross country running once he transfers. Some of the schools he is looking at are: University of Oregon, Washington State University and the University of Portland.

“Universities want a good runner. So the good runners can go to the good universities. Bad runners, I have no idea,” he said.

Morales began running in 2002. Watching the runners in the Portland Marathon inspired him to be a runner. He saw how strong they had to be, to be able to run 26 miles, and he knew that he had it in him to be just as strong.

Whether it’s studying or running, Morales has a lot to deal with. He makes sure to get enough sleep and eat healthy so his body can deal with all the the physical strain that he puts it through.

Staying focused is one of the first and foremost things on the mind of the cross country runner and he strives to keep as in sync as he can.

Morales was born in Morelos, Mexico, and moved to the United States by himself when he was 12. He lived in California for a while working a full-time job before moving to Oregon when he was 15.

It was at this time that Morales started attending night school. A teacher from Marshall High School helped him enroll. He had no previous education up to that point. The cross country runner was able to earn his high school diploma in two-and-a-half years.

Four years ago Morales lost 40 percent of his hearing after being beaten by people who were after his car. Now he needs hearing aids to make up for what they took from him.
Morales is not content with dwelling on the past, though. For him it’s all about looking towards what is yet to come. When Morales gets a break from school or training, he likes to play soccer, guitar and practice Kung Fu.