Mike’s Legacy
The following are testimonies from a few of Mike’s athletes.
Mike was my coach through most of my high school (Del Norte) and college (UNM) running career. He is among the most humble, talented and inspiring people I’ve ever known. Mike was a selfless and generous soul who taught me many competitive and life lessons to include patience, control, discipline and leadership. Mike always saw the best in his athletes and the best in people. Mike is a visionary. Whatever I was thinking, Mike was thinking in much larger terms. He instilled confidence, affirmed my dreams and raised the bar in a matter of fact way. ‘Mike said it, therefore it must be true. Let’s go do it!” It was because of Mike that I ran faster than I should have, competed more fiercely and discovered things about myself that impact me to this day. Mike taught me that everything is possible.
Andy Zimmer
Del Norte High School ‘83
I am one of the very fortunate athletes to have had the privilege of having Mike as my coach. What an amazing and unselfish man. Mike has always been willing to pass on his knowledge and encouragement to any athlete willing to dedicate his time and hard work. He's always done so with no expectations. He has always taken great pride in his athlete's. His joy has always come from the joy and accomplishment of his athlete's PR. While his athletes are decorated with blue ribbons and gold medals, it wasn't about that. It was always about family, hard work and fun. I first met Mike as a teenage middle distance runner with the Duke City Dashers and later ran with Mike’s local club, “Nosotros.” The group featured olympic hopefuls and high school aged rivals and friends. Mike welcomed anyone who was willing to work hard. I was able to achieve record under Mike’s direction and went on to have a successful career at New Mexico Military Institute and UNM on scholarship. While I am proud of my accomplishments as a track athlete, the work ethic taught me by Mike, and his encouragement and unselfishness was key in the successes I have seen in my work career, as a parent and as a coach. The trajectory of my life was altered in a positive way by Mike. There is no way to quantify how grateful I am to him…
Will Sisneros
El Dorado High School ‘84
Because of Mike’s background as a US Marine and training while working, he was able to identify with me and recognized the challenge of working in the Military while trying to train for an Olympic team. Although I was a good track runner in College, training with Mike as Coach elevated my running to higher levels. Mike encouraged me and gently guided me to opportunities. It is because of Mike’s steady encouragement and excellent coaching that not only made me a good athlete, but a balanced person who cares for others. It was never all about running for Mike, it was about Life, and being a help to those around us. All of the athletes coached by Mike, were taught by his example, to help one another. Mike transformed young runners into balanced, caring people.
Bryan Kelchner
US Air Force
I remember a tall man in a yellow marine T-shirt, green shorts, wearing marine military boots with a big smile and always wearing a baseball cap; this was our PE coach, Coach Mike. I was in third grade Kit Carson elementary deep in the South Valley. Mike was known as the crazy gringo that would run down the ditch banks in his marine boots along side 10 little Mexican kids. Not sure why we were running; Mike would just smile and say it’s good for you and it’s fun. For me, that’s where it all started; I was Mike’s first athlete, Mike was in my life for over 50 years. Mike had a way to motivate you and make you believe you’re good as anyone else; if Mike told me I could move a mountain, I believed it. (Goals - Plan - Training - Follow through) Mike kept a notebook and memorized everything I did, splits, best times, best races. There was a time I’d “had it,” I wanted to quit college, was fed up and I came home from Colorado, went to Mike’s house and sat there; just talking to Mike for hours about how I felt, didn’t want to go back to school. Mike listened to me, never said anything negative about my situation. “Well let’s see, too bad your school is not on the quarter system, that way you could take a quarter off and not lose any school credits.” Mike has a way about him when he is coaching you or giving you advice and trying to make a point; he would tell you a story, a long story, you start to wonder what he’s talking about or where the story is going. But then, it comes full circle, and everything makes sense. Well, Mike pulls out a notebook from one of our meetings and shows me my Goals - “finish high school, go to college, go to the Olympics” - Plan: what will it take to achieve, training - training hard, trust in what we are doing - Follow through - believe in what you have done to get where you are at. So, when I left Mike’s home that night back to school I went. Mike influenced me to be my best, always. What I have learned from Mike, I can, will and have passed on. We accomplished many milestones together. My greatest honor was being Mike’s best man at his wedding.
Jerry Arguijo
Valley High School ‘
I first met Mike as a 14 year old age-group runner just prior to my freshman year in HS (1980) I could not understand how this "man" could run so much and never get tired. For some reason Mike took me "under his wing" and would invite me for weekend runs, help me get to practice and began to show me the joy of running that I still value and appreciate on my daily runs to this day almost 40 years later. I have had an amazing running career, but none of it was as important as the what Mike taught me: Pursue your dreams and if you don't make it, keep trying. With Mike’s help I eventually achieved 3 time World Master Mountain running champion. My running career has spanned close to 4 decades now, all because Mike shared his love of the sport with me. He taught me that I could enjoy what I do and at the same time perform as a professional. I work as a Physical Therapist and am grateful for the "coach " that told me in HS , Simon you need to get good grades, even if you run fast you need an education. Somehow Mike always had a way of getting thru to people because he generally cared about them.
Simon Gutierrez
Del Norte High School
Photo of Mike with Chuck Aragon and daughters, Alexa and Danielle Aragon.
Mike was my coach as an age grouper 14-16 with the Duke City Dashers, and again as a professional with Athletics West . He was a big reason I was able to experience success in the sport, and love the sport today. Mike had a way of making you believe in yourself. He did it with hard work, and not just bravado. He helped many of us reach our potential, and was known around the country for his ability to get the most out of his athletes. Mike was willing to coach anyone with desire, regardless of ability. Because of this commitment to his athletes, he is one of the most beloved coaches in the sport. Mike shared in the success of many NCAA All-Americans, Olympians, as well as age group champions. Mike has had a big part in the success of his athletes both on and off the track; Mike taught life lessons that we draw on today .
Chuck Aragon
Los Lunas High School ‘77
Photo of Roberta Ortega and Vanessa Dominguez, MM Scholarship Awardee 2021.
I was an average athlete in high school. I played soccer. It was not until I reached college, that I realized long-distance running was really my strength and I took up running to stay in shape and run local road races. After college, I returned to NM for law school and wanted to continue running, but in a team setting with coaching. That’s when I heard about Coach Mike Mittelstaedt and Nosotros Track Club. Mike welcomed me to the “team,” and treated me and the other self-defined “B-level” runners like his elite athletes. Mike provided me with the coaching and mentoring that I never had. Mike encouraged all of us to keep pushing ourselves to be our best and to be proud of our accomplishments, no matter whether it was placing in a race or running a new personal best. Most importantly, Mike was the catalyst to fuel my love of running and to always pursue a new goal with direction and passion - whether athletic or personal. I will always appreciate that Mike lit a fire in me with the coaching and guidance he provided.
Roberto Ortega
Albuquerque Academy ‘78
What I most remember about Mike was his style; how humble, kind and willing he was to give his incredible insight and clear instruction to help me train and compete at a higher level as I reached for my athletic goals. Mike always had a story about his own training and competing experiences that he then wove into instruction to help me become a better athlete. Mike was an athlete’s coach. It seemed he was always looking for an opportunity to make you train harder or compete with greater purpose. He truly was one of a kind.
Stan Whitaker
Sandia High School ‘75