No rest for the weary Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS — It never really clicked in my mind what people meant when they said Vegas is the city that never sleeps, until I was unable to sleep in Vegas. After 72 hours of living a 21-year-old’s dream of freedom, I realized that in the Sin City there are no limits to what you can experience. I don’t think I could have lasted any longer. Vegas was not reality to me. It was almost a never-ending waking dream, probably because Vegas didn’t want me to sleep either.

Juarez coach now trains long-distance runners at UTEP

EL PASO – The violence that overwhelms daily life in Ciudad Juarez didn’t stop Pedro Lopez from helping others pursue the dream of becoming world-class runners. But now he dreams of the American dream. “The violence in Juarez is crazy. It became a crazy city. I remember when I was young and I could go out at whatever time and come back home late and not have any problem.

Miners Coach Floyd finds his place in Haskin’s legacy

EL PASO, Texas — Moving from one place to another can be stressful, but when Tim Floyd returned to UTEP to coach Miners basketball he came back home to familiar faces and open arms.

More then 30 years ago, Floyd was given an opportunity to assist legendary Miners Head Coach Don Haskins. Now Floyd made the decision to come back to follow in Haskins footsteps as Head Coach of the Men’s Basketball team. Floyd says Haskins wasn’t just a boss to him, but more of a father figure. Losing his own dad at the age of seventeen, Floyd says he looked up to Haskins as a second dad. Living in Hattiesburg Mississippi until he turned 18, Floyd attended Louisiana Tech College and then moved to El Paso where his grandparents were born and lived all their lives.

UTEP runner Kitria Stewart’s legs are all in her mind

EL PASO, Texas — My heart is racing. My mind replays the race over and over again 30 minutes before it begins, with me envisioning how I will perform. A part of me is very confident, telling me I will run well, while the other part doubts my ability to finish the 800-meter run. The gun goes off. Eight competitors bump and push at my side and I gradually move with them through the first lap.  One more to go.