Running to the beat: The unlikely harmony of a track star and jazz musician

On his morning runs, 16-year-old track and field star Milo Mandolini puts in his earbuds and turns on Bill Wither’s “Lovely Day.”

The 1977 hit, one of his running playlist favorites, is the perfect positive boost he needs for the day’s busy schedule ahead, filled with school, track and field, and music — and not just the music he listens to.

But more on that in a moment.

The Sabino High School sophomore and varsity athlete spends most of his time outside of school divided between his two passions: music and running, where he’s become an essential part of each community.

“The community has to be the main thing (I love),” he said. “The people I run with, not only on my team, but on other teams and the people I get to meet while doing track and field, the places I get to go.”

Track and field might only be about a month into its season, but Mandolini is already having a season for the books.

Last month, he took home three first-place spots at numerous invitationals, including first in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:20.91 during the Willie Williams Classic at the University of Arizona on March 21.

The week prior, he took home first in the 1600 meters with 4:39.12 at the Nighthawk Early Bird Invitational.

And at the beginning of the month, he snagged first in the 800 meters with a speedy time of 1:57.95, beating out three seniors, at the Levi Wallace Foundation Tucson High T&F Invitational.

Not to mention numerous second-place wins, too.

“I was his coach during his first cross country year and I just remember him turning up the first day and he was just like, this gangly kid … I was really excited to potentially coach him,” said Grace Parker, Sabino’s head track and field coach. “My first impression was being kind of shocked that he just had so much potential in other areas that he hadn’t really pursued before.”

Mandolini was adopted from Ethiopia when he was 13 months old and began competitively running in the third grade after he was inspired by his older sister competing at track and field meets.

Soon after, he started his own track and field journey. He eventually added high jumping to his skill set, but mostly for fun and not for sport.

“I always loved the atmosphere and watching the events and that kind of motivated me to do it, because I wasn’t that into running,” Mandolini said. “But watching all those meets, watching kids that are years ahead of me, it really motivated me.”

After finishing his sophomore track and field season, Mandolini has training plans for summer break, including hoping to compete at the Nike Outdoor Nationals and joining a track club organized by a local Junior Olympian.

“It’s an honor (to coach him) and a little daunting because he has got tremendous potential and how far he goes is limitless and up to him,” said Mo Brown, Sabino’s assistant track and field coach. “And I feel it’s kind of my responsibility to make sure I train him well, to push him to his limit, but not beyond. And more important than anything, maintain a passion and a love for the sport.”

Mandolini says he feels like his season is going “really well right now” and he’s progressing in the sport.

But track and field isn’t the only activity Mandolini is making moves in.

When he’s not running and winning local track meets, chances are you’ll find him at the Tucson Jazz Institute.

Mandolini is a part of TJI’s Ellington Big Band, one of two top high school jazz groups in the U.S. His primary instruments are the saxophone and clarinet, but he also plays the trombone, trumpet and tuba.

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Much like his track and field journey, Mandolini was inspired by his sister, who played in her school’s band. He joined band in fifth grade and eventually joined the TJI Ellington Big Band during his freshman year of high school.

“I wasn’t quite sure, because it seemed like a very daunting experience at first; they were really good,” he said of joining the TJI Ellington Big Band. “And when I listened to them for the first time, just to see what it was like, I’ve never heard a high school jazz band that good, but it kind of motivated me to want to be as good as them and to be in the same band. … And even now I’m not even close to the best player in that band, but still, I’m very, very happy to be surrounded by those people and really amazing instrumentalists.”

Music isn’t just a side hobby for Mandolini; it’s something he can see himself doing for the rest of his life, he hopes.

Although he’s only a sophomore and his high school track and field career is just starting to take shape, he already has big athletic and academic goals for after high school.

He aspires to attend Stanford University and compete in its track and field program. Wake Forest University is another option, he says, emphasizing that a college’s education component is just as important as its sports program to him. He currently has a 4.0 GPA in school.

“I would love to go to college for running, mainly, and get an education,” he said. “To really get an education first out of the college I go to, for sure, because obviously, there’s not much money in running. And then whatever I pursue, which I’m most likely thinking is a science (degree) of some kind, like chemistry, or something like that. I’m hoping to get a degree in that and then look for jobs, if running doesn’t work out after college.”

His college dreams may be a few years away, but Mandolini isn’t slowing down as he works toward his goals.

He’s taking it one step, one win, one busy, lovely day at a time.

“He’s driven, I mean, he’s just so good at setting goals in a way that I’ve never really experienced with an athlete I’ve coached,” Parker said. “He’ll turn up to the meet one morning and he’s like, ‘Coach, I’m gonna run a 1:56 today.’ And then he goes out and does it. And obviously, it comes from the training and it comes from just being really confident in yourself and your abilities and trusting your training, as well, but I think he’s really driven to achieve his goals.”

Fast Five with Milo

What’s your favorite running shoe?

Brooks Ghost shoes.

What songs or artists are on your running playlist right now?

“Hit ‘Em Up” by Tupac, “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers and “Rapp Snitch Knishes” by MF Doom.

If you could run anywhere in the world, where would you like to run?

I would say somewhere in Europe, mainly because I want to visit places over there. I love traveling. I ran in England in the countryside and that was a great experience I had there.

What’s your go-to post-run meal?

A Chipotle burrito with steak, brown rice, black beans, sour cream cheese, lettuce, guac and pico.

What’s your favorite class in school right now?

AP music theory.