In the early 1970s, U.S. distance runner Steve Prefontaine had a basic philosophy: "I can endure more pain than anyone you've met. That's why I win, because I can endure more pain."
 

Cal State Fullerton's Luke Hitchcock, who holds school records in the 800 and 1500 meters, shares the same approach. "I feel I can endure more pain than my competitors and take the race to a place where a lot of these guys don't want to go or can't go."

Luke Hitchcock, center, was the Big West Men's Track Athlete of the Week in May after setting a school record in the 800 meter run. 
 

Hitchcock, a junior from Auckland, New Zealand, is having a remarkable outdoor season. In April, he set a school-record with a 3:41.37 clocking in the 1500m at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa. He broke his own 800m school record this month with a winning time of 1:47.20 at the Steve Scott Invitational in Irvine.
 

He and his Fullerton teammates will compete in the Big West Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Friday and Saturday at Jack Rose Track at Cal State Long Beach. The competition begins at 10:30 a.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Big West Championship Schedule 
 

Hitchcock's chief strengths are his speed and mindset, said Fullerton head coach Marques Barosso. "He has the footspeed of a quarter-miler, so there are few runners who can sit on Luke and outkick him at the end. He's also a strong-minded individual who can separate things and focus on what is at hand."
 

Fullerton assistant coach Jorge Jabaz expects Hitchcock to be a major force at the conference championships. "Luke is ready to go. He has the ability to do phenomenally well. Luke is a savvy racer, aggressive and intelligent, who knows what it takes to win."

Luke Hitchcock is a savvy racer, aggressive and intelligent, who knows what it takes to win," says Fullerton assistant coach, Jorge Jabaz. 
 

Hitchcock's ability to redline, or push his body to the maximum limit, is exceptional, said Jabaz. "That's what it takes to be an elite runner, and perhaps someday soon for him to be a world-class athlete. If he continues to progress, he could represent his country at the 2028 Olympics."
 

In December, Hitchcock suffered a stress reaction in his left shin while competing in Fullerton's season-opening indoor track meet in Reno. His coaches shut him down for nearly three months. "The pain got too much. I can't handle a large volume of workout miles on the track. Instead, I began a cross-training regime centered on a spin cycle. I worked my heart and legs so much that they adapted in ways they had never done before.

"Luke cross-trains as hard if not harder as he does in a track workout," said Jabaz, who is in his first year as a Fullerton coach. "His wattage on the bike is off the charts. It's been really impactful on his running."
 

That was evident at the MPSF Indoor Track and Field championships in Reno in March. Returning to competition, Hitchcock won the 800m race in 1:51.30 to help the men's team win the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship.
 

"I was only back on the track for five days before the meet. That showed me the cross training was working. I know now I'm in the best shape I've ever been in. It's exciting," he said.
 

Hitchcock, who holds the indoor 800m school record of 1:50.97, said he will continue cross training. He praised Jabaz and Fullerton assistant trainer Steve Carranza for their assistance. "Jorge is a great coach. He knows what he is doing, provides necessary workouts and lays it all out for you. Steve keeps me healthy and has been very helpful," he said.

The 22-year-old Kiwi's success extends to cross country. At the Big West Championships in Hawaii in October, he placed third among the Titans and 19th overall. "The races are ten times farther than I run in the 800. But I like helping the team. And the sport gets me fit."
 

Hitchcock said he has been running "since I can remember." After family outings, he recalled, he would ask his father to stop the car and let him out so he could run home.
 

"To the amusement of the neighborhood, little Luke would run along the car. And as I drove a little faster, he would try to keep up. He just loved running," said his father, Greg.

Luke Hitchcock, who says he has been running "since I can remember," jogs barefooted as a 13-year-old. He has competed for New Zealand's national teams. 
 

Auckland primary schools required all students to participate in cross country, Hitchcock said. "I'd win a lot of those races. I started formal training as a runner at 15, and a year later I gave up playing union rugby to focus solely on track. Then I had a growth spurt at 17 and got a lot faster."
 

Running for his club, Pakuranga Athletics, and Macleans College prep, he won numerous medals at national events. Hitchcock was selected to compete for the cross country and track national teams. In 2022, he represented New Zealand at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, where he placed 16th in the 800m with a time of 1:49.20.
 

The 5-foot-10 Hitchcock accepted an athletic scholarship to Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey, but only spent one year there. "The campus was nice, and I had a great time. But I decided it would be better for my running to go somewhere else,' he said. "I hated the cold, especially training in the cold. It would be below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and I'd have to go out and run eight miles. I wouldn't even warm up by the end."

He returned to Auckland, taking a gap year to work and visiting with family and friends. Keen on resuming collegiate career, he searched for a school with a warm climate near a big city, preferably on the West Coast. Barosso liked Hitchcock's running resume and offered him a scholarship.

Hitchcock expects to earn a business degree with a concentration in Information Systems & Decision Sciences in spring 2027. He envisions working for a U.S. based financial-technology startup. "I love business, and I'm passionate about money management. I look forward to putting my skills to the test," he said.

Another passion is surfing. He grew up riding a 5-foot 8-inch fish surfboard, a shorter, wider and flatter board designed for speed and maneuverability. His favorite locale is Raglan, a coastal town south of Auckland known for its long surf break.
 

"I haven't surfed while in the U.S., but I plan to surf this summer in Mexico. I'm going with a longtime friend to Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca."

Luke Hitchcock catches a left-handed break at Whangamatå Beach, a renowned surfing spot southeast of Auckland. He plans to surf this summer in Mexico. 
 

Hitchcock's father, Greg, owned a window cleaning business before retiring. His mother, Jo, is an architect. His parents were recreational runners, and he has an uncle and a cousin who were serious track performers. He has three older brothers -- Bailey, Josh and Dave.

Luke Hitchcock hangs out with his father, Greg, and his brothers Dave and Josh. "Our community follows Luke's running career closely and is imensly proud of him," says Greg.
 

"Luke always enjoyed traveling and has been to 22 countries. He always liked the States and wanted to go to school there," said his father. "Our community follows Luke's running career closely and is immensely proud of him."
 

"For me, running has served as a gateway to a better life and opportunities here in the U.S.," Hitchcock said.
 

He prefers the 800m over the 1500m because he faces a shorter period of pain. "It's basically a sprint. Everyone can have the same 600 split. It's who can keep going for the last 200, which is where I always struggled. Now that I got really fit from cross training, I'm able to push my sprint all the way to the end."
 

Hitchcock said he's performing better in the metric mile too. "I always had speed. But in the 1500, I'm now able to hold speed and push late in the race. It's a big confidence booster going into the Big West Championships."
 

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