The Tarahumara Indians say do it barefoot. The Tao Te Ching says to leave no tracks. Hunter Johnson says bring it on.

With a new season ahead of him Johnson, and the men’s cross-country team are eager to continue their quest for the state championship.

After finishing 10th in the state last year, Johnson felt accomplished but with a burning desire for greater accolades yet to come.

“We want to place at the top three at state meet,” Johnson said. “This year we’ve got a few new guys that are really fit and ready to go.”

After being placed on a red-shirt status last spring track season due to a mild hip & back injury, Johnson found himself losing the progress he had made in his freshman year.

“I was really out of shape,” Johnson said. “It hit me hard because I had big goals for the season. it was hard to stay motivated, but I kept working hard and knew it would pay off.”

Starting early in his youth, Johnson began running competitively for Torrance High School under the tutelage of a former EC Warrior, Israel Pose.

“I was never that great at any other sports, but I thought I might give running a try,” Johnson said. “I had a lot of fun with it and kept working every year and ended up being the top guy at Torrance.”

The self-proclaimed distance specialist gives credit to his high school coach for his work ethic and dedication to the sport, as well as his desire to one day become a coach.

“He ran for Torrance and El Camino just like I did and he was a very successful runner,” Johnson said. “He really inspired me and helped me develop my love for running.”

Dean Lofgren, cross-country coach, also coached Pose and had approached Johnson early on about possibly running as a Warrior.

“He kind of knew about me because of my high school coach,” Johnson said. “Dean always comes out to a lot of the high school meets.”

Although Johnson has the state finals in his cross hairs, he hasn’t neglected the importance of team camaraderie.

Taking part of the annual Redondo Beach 10K, Johnson and his teammates participate in it each year. In this race, the team is bound together with a tether and runs the entire course as a single unit or “centipede” as it is commonly known among runners.

“We try and keep everyone together and run as hard as we can with everyone cheering us on, it’s a lot of fun,” Johnson said.

Universally admired and respected by his fellow teammates, Johnson puts his team before himself, making sure everyone is focused and prepared before every meet.

“We run together almost every single day,” Teddy Kassa, 19, freshman, cross-country teammate. “He’s a good leader, works very very hard, and doesn’t take the easy way out.”

As a seasoned runner, Johnson’s role as a leader has also been growing since his humbling injury taught him the importance of conditioning, both mentally and physically and many on the team have been turning to him for advice.

“He accepted all the freshman with open arms right off the bat. He’s really dedicated and you can ask him anything,” Michael Nakahara, 19, freshman cross-country teammate, said.

Now healthy and ready for the challenges ahead, Johnson is feeling positive about the season and eager to compete against the rival Cerritos College, LA Trade Tech, and Mt. SAC squads.

“The team is on an upswing and we are really excited for the state meet this year,” Johnson said.