California-native Benny Madrigal describes his childhood in one word: active. He played nearly every sport imaginable, and by high school, he focused exclusively on running, both on the track and cross-country. Benny earned all-American honors and went on to attend Fresno Pacific University where he continued running and earned all-conference honors.

Following graduation, Benny began coaching fellow runners and took a position as a long-term substitute teacher in a special education classroom. As he was adjusting to professional life, the then 22-year-old was blindsided by a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.

Fortunately, Benny didn’t lose his competitive nature and soon found a supportive health care provider that helped him to manage his diabetes properly. He began training again and his career continued to advance. When it came to competing, Madrigal knew he needed to take it slowly and focused on setting realistic goals and taking small steps.