In the early 2000’s distance runners at San Lorenzo Valley High School dominated the sport. The Barrientos sisters (Alejandra and Raquel) swept the distance running titles for girls and Alex Dunn emerged as the boy to beat.
Today, Dunn is stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash. as an Army specialist ranked line medic for the Second Ranger Battalion. He’ll soon be shipped overseas for his fourth tour of duty.
Dunn’s name litters the SLV record book. As a freshman in 2001, Dunn showed promise, and in the next three years Dunn went on to win cross country titles for the county, back-to-back Central Coast Section titles and the state. On the track, Dunn won the state championships with a 9 minute, 7.84 second 3200 his junior year but fell to the Moroccan wunderkind, Mohamed Trafeh his senior year. As a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dunn would be awarded the freshman of the year award for all mustang runners.
But Dunn came from humble beginnings parents died of separate health conditions when he was in elementary school and he and his sister Sarah were adopted by their home school teacher Mary Dunn.
I caught up with Dunn via telephone this week to find out what he’s up to.
Nathan Beck: So what brought you from Cal Poly to Second Ranger Battalion?
Alex Dunn: During my time at Cal Poly I took an Emergency Medical Technician course that really opened my eyes to the good I could do helping people. I was always intrigued by the thought of the Army and found this was a good way to put the two together.
NB: Do the Rangers keep you in good shape? What is your (Army Physical Training test) two mile time?
AD: Not nearly what it used to be, the days of sub 9:30 two miles are gone. My best time is around ten minutes.
NB: Have you been deployed overseas yet?
AD: Yeah. We are heading over again in a few months. This will be my fourth tour over there, at least they are relatively short tours, four months or so.
NB: Are you going to stay in the service? Will you be a lifer?
AD: No. I don’t think so. When my time is done, I think I will be too.
NB: We all appreciate what you are doing, keep your head down and come home safe, thanks for your time.
AD: Thanks, I will do my best.
n Sports reporter Nathan Beck profiles accomplished athletes from the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley. Know someone he should talk to? E-mail him at na****@pr*********.com.
