TAMPA, Fla. - Ethan Lipham played a lot of sports as a kid.

But when it came time to choose a favorite, running won.

There was just something about putting his feet on the ground that appealed to this Berkeley Prep senior.

“It is really one of those sports that if you put in the work, it pays off,” Ethan said.

Ethan’s definitely put in the work and it is paying off in a big way. He and his Berkeley Prep teammates won the Class 2A-Region 3 meet to earn a spot in the state championships next week in Tallahassee. Ethan’s primed for a big individual performance after he posted the top time of any Bay area runner at the recent FSU Invitational. 

“This is a sport of perseverance and just staying with it,” Berkeley Prep coach Erik Lipham said. “His tenacity and perseverance and just overcoming lots of obstacles would be his greatest attributes.”

As Berkeley Prep’s coach Erik Lipham is witness to Ethan’s hard work. As his dad, he is witness to all of the above and beyond his son puts into the sport.

“The quality time, being able to go to all the meets, these are the things as a dad that you cherish and so I’m really proud of it,” Erik said.

“It’s great to have him as a coach and as a dad,” Ethan said. “He does a great job balancing the two.”

Balance is key when it comes to running because it is just as demanding mentally as it is physically. And throughout his journey, Ethan’s learned to push himself as far as he can go.

“Running’s one of those sports that can really teach you a lot of about yourself and about life,” Ethan said. “That really keeps you motivated to keep going, keep reaching that next level. And it’s really just seeing what your body can do.”