Staff Spotlight Julio Lopez
Our Staff Spotlight for the month of July is on “kid at heart” and weekday cartographer, Julio Lopez. An avid reader, Julio enjoys “heading to a local bookstore and stocking up on books” to build his home library. He also spends his free time touring museums, kayaking, playing board games, keeping up with his favorite sports teams, and he is a “big fan of jigsaw puzzles.”
When asked where he can be found on a weekend away from Bishop’s Events races, Julio says: “100% I am still outside going for a hike. If not going for a hike, I am waking up early to catch an early morning match in the Premier League of the best team out there, Tottenham Hotspur. Woot! Woot! [Or] looking to see if the Nationals or Capitals are in town to catch a game. #letsgocaps.”
You’ve likely seen Julio out on one of our courses “repping Flyers and Capitals gear”—showing “love for both [of his] cities”—or sipping on a Pepsi: “If you see a Pepsi can laying around, chances are I am there working.” JULIO LOVES PEPSI! In fact, he says, “if I ever pass out during a race don’t give me water, get me a Pepsi and I’ll bounce back.” On a hot day, Julio also says “some wooder ice hits the spot” with a snack of Ritz peanut butter crackers if he is “lucky” enough to “get some at the end of the race.” If he’s hungry for a full meal, it “has to be tacos. I love all the assortment of tacos,” he says.
Julio has been with Bishop’s Events for 2 years and has done it all, “from working registration to being on the course.” Every staff position appeals to him as long as there remains “the action of staying busy.” Often stationed at key aid stations and turnarounds, Julio enjoys seeing “the bright smiles of the runners after they’ve ran miles and see an uphill, I know that has to be their favorite part.” During this time of the year, when “the gnats come out,” Julio gets a kick out of watching runners earn PRs “trying to outrun” the insects.
Julio’s favorite Bishop’s Events course is “the Manassas Runway 5K because who doesn’t want to be on a runway blasting ‘Danger Zone’ by Kenny Loggins?” Outside of Bishop’s Events, Julio’s favorites to run include the Army Ten-Miler and the Rocky Run in Philadelphia. Julio notes that being involved in the running community “has taken me to places I normally wouldn’t have ever gone to. From wineries to state parks, these places I’ve been to in the last couple of years have been memorable and [I am] looking forward to new locations in the future.”
Bring a Pepsi and meet Julio at one of our upcoming events!