The Story Behind Emmanuel Perez's Emergence This Season

Oct 17, 2023

* Emmanuel Perez at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic earlier this season.

Photo Credit: Raymond Tran / MileSplit

"And in my head at first I'm like, 'Oh this guy's delusional, he's not going to run these.' But now look at him. He's proving me wrong."

By Tomoki Chien - California MileSplit

- - -

Emmanuel Perez came out of nowhere. He never ran for a club team, didn't run cross country his freshman year and wasn't even much of an athlete before high school.

"I was a chunky kid back then," Perez said.

That is, in fact, how he earned his nickname "Big Manny," which has been used to distinguish him from Cathedral High School's other top runner, Emmanuel Hernandez, who is dubbed "Little Manny."

Perez, ranked No. 14 on the most recent MileSplit50 national individual rankings, is now one of the top runners in the country and is looking to repeat his CIF State Championship Division IV title and make a strong showing on the national stage in December.

He's had a hot start to his season, winning the Cool Breeze Invitational, placing third at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, and, most recently, setting a 5K personal best of 14:42.6 to finish second at the ASICS Clovis Invitational.

It's been a rather remarkable ascent for a runner of his background, given the fact that many of the state's top runners competed at the club level and have trained for nearly twice as long as he as.

"When Manny wants to achieve something, he puts his mind to it," his older brother, Angel Perez, said. "I think a lot of people don't really realize how hard my brother has worked."

Hard work isn't exactly a rare commodity among the upper echelons of any sport, but it's fairly obvious that it may be Perez's strong suit. The results speak for themselves.

"I've never once seen him say, 'Oh I want to give up' or 'I want to just be done with running,'" Hernandez said. "He just kept grinding and grinding to the Manny he is now."

For Perez, running is something of a family business -- but not in a traditional sense.

Angel, 22, who ran for St. Matthias High School ('19) and later at the junior college level, serves as his de facto coach, crafting Perez's workouts and training him one-on-one.

Perez's parents aren't wealthy. His father is a diesel technician who built up his own shop after moving to the United States and his hard work there has inspired his sons as they've grown older.

"To make my parents proud -- that's my number one goal," Perez said. "My parents never gave up trying to give me a better future."

"I've never once seen him say, 'Oh I want to give up' or 'I want to just be done with running,'" Hernandez said. "He just kept grinding and grinding to the Manny he is now."

It is, frankly, hard to imagine what more Perez can accomplish at the state level, short of repeating his individual title and leading Cathedral to a podium finish. He is now set on making a statement at Nike Cross Nationals this year -- though he first has to qualify.

"He doesn't panic ... and he doesn't get as rattled as other guys," Cathedral coach Martin Farfan said. "He just has to run his race at nationals."

Woodbridge and Clovis no doubt served as good tests for Perez, just as the Mt. SAC Invitational this weekend will add to the list.

At Woodbridge, Perez took a gutsy early lead but was out kicked by Dana Hills junior Evan Noonan and Ventura senior Anthony Fast Horse.

At Clovis, he -- once again -- underestimated Fast Horse and was beaten on the course's only major hill.

These early moments have been learning tools. The key at nationals, Perez said, is for him to "cover the moves" and go with the competition when he's challenged. The fitness is there, he said. He just needs an extra mental edge.

On paper, it may be a stretch to say that Perez can contend for the national individual title.

But then again, he does have a history of making big leaps.

"He believes in himself a lot," Hernandez said. "I always ask him, 'What are your goals?' And in my head at first I'm like, 'Oh this guy's delusional, he's not going to run these.' But now look at him. He's proving me wrong."

For all the talk of Perez's toughness and work ethic, those close to him describe him as a humble and "mellow guy" when he's not competing.

Farfan says Perez often insists that the team stop at Olive Garden after meets.

Hernandez said that one time, Perez left to "call my mom," only to return 20 minutes later with 120 chicken nuggets.

"He's just a happy-go-lucky guy," Farfan said.