PHOTO CREDIT: AARON BUI
Every cross country season starts with a question. Who is ready to run fast before the leaves begin to turn? Who took the summer seriously enough to arrive already in shape? And, every once in a while, who shows up in August and immediately changes the conversation?
For El Paso Eastwood junior Noah Garcia, the answer has come quickly. Twice this season, he has stepped to the starting line and twice, he has won.
He opened his 2026 cross country campaign on August 15 at the Canutillo Invitational, covering 5 kilometers in 15:06.00. Six days later, he lined up at Eastwood's 5th Jim Omohundro Stars and Strides race and dropped another 35 seconds. The clock read 14:31.00.
2025 HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' 5K 6A
That wasn't simply another August victory. It immediately put Garcia among the fastest boys in the country this young season. As of August 31, only 14 boys nationally have broken 15 minutes for 5K. Garcia's 14:31.00 ranks No. 2 in the nation, trailing only Robert Jazwinski III's 14:23.85, run one day after Garcia's performance.
The season is barely underway and Garcia is already running at the front of it. But the numbers didn't appear out of nowhere.
A year ago, Garcia began his 2025 cross country season with a time 16:35.81. By the end of the fall, he had carved more than a minute off that mark, finishing the season at 15:20.10 and placing 10th at the UIL Cross Country State Championships. While the progression was obvious, the ceiling still seemed unclear. Then came the track.
2026 HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' 3200m 6A, FINALS 1
During the 2026 outdoor season, Garcia established personal bests of 4:14.86 for 1600 meters and 8:50.65 for 3200 meters. He won both the UIL 6A district and area meets, then finished fifth at the UIL 6A Region 1 meet. At the UIL State High School Track & Field Championships, he returned to the 3200-meter line and finished third in 8:53.74.
Now he's back on the trails and he's running faster than he did at the end of last cross country season. Much faster.
From 16:35.81 to 15:20.10 to 14:31.00.
That's the part of Garcia's story worth watching. Not simply where he is ranked today, but how quickly he has arrived there. He is a junior in the Class of 2028, with two races on his 2026 cross country résumé and two victories beside his name. The national rankings have already taken notice. The stopwatch has, too.
And if the first few weeks of the season are any indication, there may be considerably more ahead.
PHOTO CREDIT: AARON BUI
Every cross country season starts with a question. Who is ready to run fast before the leaves begin to turn? Who took the summer seriously enough to arrive already in shape? And, every once in a while, who shows up in August and immediately changes the conversation?
For El Paso Eastwood junior Noah Garcia, the answer has come quickly. Twice this season, he has stepped to the starting line and twice, he has won.
