James Barron | The New Mexican

RIO RANCHO — Shaun Murray is still telling Fred Baca he's not crazy for being a cross-country runner.

He's still waiting with 800 meters to go in a 3-plus mile run, telling Trevor Serrao and T.J. MacAllister to push past the pain for a little while longer.

He's still enjoying Saturday mornings at a meet.

Murray, the late assistant cross-country coach at St. Michael's High School, passed away on Nov. 1, 2007 after a yearlong struggle from head injuries he suffered in a motorcycle crash.

The image of the 6-foot-1, 240-pound Murray no longer looms near the finish line, but his presence was felt Saturday morning by the Horsemen as they prepared for the Class AAA Boys State Cross Country Championships at Rio Rancho High School.

He was as strong as ever when St. Michael's completed its championship 3.04-mile run by taking five of the first 17 spots and scoring 53 points. It was 31 points better than Zuni, last year's champion.

In fact, he's still listed as an assistant coach for the boys and girls team on the New Mexico Activities Association Web site. It's because his words and wisdom remain.

"He told me four or five times, 'You are not crazy for doing this,' " Baca said. " 'This is something unique. This is something different. This is something you have to be strong to do. It's going to be worth it.'

"He really re-affirmed my faith in this sport. I battled with it, about whether it's worth my time to do this. He reassured me it was."

It was when Baca pulled up after..... READ MORE