Harlingen hurdler Bermea headed to national track meet

HARLINGEN — It’s been a long track and field season for Harlingen Cardinals hurdler Randy Bermea.

Nearly five months to be exact.

But as the soon-to-be senior gets ready for his final track meet of the season, fatigue and weariness are the least of his worries.

Bermea will run the 110-meter hurdles at the 2011 New Balance Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina today. And for the first time in his track career, Bermea will also compete in the 400-meter hurdles at the prestigious national high school meet on Saturday afternoon.

Bermea qualified for the national meet thanks to his times at the UIL State Track and Field Championships in Austin last month.

“I’m not too nervous,” said Bermea, who was named Male Athlete of the Year at the Fourth Annual RGV All-Star Sports Awards earlier this week. “I think that’s what I did last year when I competed at the regional meet and it affected me.

“I just try not to think too much about it and I go out there and run my own race. I’m relaxed and I’m ready.”

Highly touted since he was a freshman, Bermea really emerged this season as quite possibly the best hurdler ever from the Valley.

At least he is on paper.

At the Meet of Champions in March, Bermea broke a 23-year record in the 110s winning his race in 13.62. A month and a half later, Bermea ran a 36.46 in the 300 hurdles at the state meet to break the 24-year record in that race.

At the state meet, Bermea took second in the 110s and third in the 300s.

Bermea, with one year of eligibility remaining, already owns both Valley hurdle records.

Going to this national meet is a nice reward at the end of a long season, head coach Harvey Noyola said.

“We’ve been at it for five months already,” said Noyola, who previously held the record in the 300s and is also widely considered one of the best hurdlers in Valley history.

“But that’s good, because in college he’s looking at a long season too from January to June. This (meet) is great for him in so many ways.”

Noyola would know. The 1987 HHS graduate went on to a solid career at UTEP and also ran in a national track meet as a senior.

Noyola said Bermea is more than prepared, mentally and physically, to compete against the nation’s best this weekend.

“He’s going to get more exposure.” Noyola said. “This is another big meet for him and it’s important that he gets into that mindset for next year.”

The biggest challenge for Bermea, albeit a welcomed one, is competing in the 400-meter hurdles.

Mostly a college-level race, the 400s are run at the high school level in some states across the country. Texas isn’t one of them so Bermea has focused his training on building his endurance for the added 100 meters in the grueling race.

In comparison to the 300s, the 400s includes two more hurdles and a 40-meter dash to the finish line after clearing the final hurdle.

Bermea nervously smiled when Noyola was breaking down the race at a recent practice.

But only for a moment.

Bermea said he’s ready to hit the track in Greensboro and do what he does best.

As a matter of fact, Bermea and Noyola even have a little wager going in the form of a free dinner.

The first time Noyola ran the 400 hurdles, he finished in a time of 52.80. His personal best is a 50.70.

Bermea’s goal is to finish under 52.5. If he does, Noyola’s buying dinner.

“First of all, I have to thank God for giving me my ability and I trust in Him,” Bermea said. “I’ve never run the 400 but I feel good about my practices the past few weeks. I’m ready.”