Background: After running cross country and track at Steele Canyon High, plus playing soccer, Cooper, 18, sampled his first multisport event last month, the Imperial Beach Duathlon. The San Diego State freshman won the male 16-19 class, finishing the 1-mile run, 15-kilometer bike and 5K run in 58 minutes, 56 seconds. The runner-up in his division finished more than 12 minutes back.

All out: Late in the Imperial Beach Duathlon's 15K bike, Cooper, who didn't have clip-on bike shoes, pedaled so fast that he fell off the bike. With about a mile to go in the bike he threw up.

Quotable: About pushing himself so hard, Cooper said, “I just love it. You get the runner's high, which is better than any other feeling.”

Quick hits: Cooper is the freshman intern for the Associated Students of SDSU. He wants to be president of the organization by the time he graduates. He's majoring in civil engineering, will race his first triathlon next month (Mission Bay) and works part-time at a gym.

Run, Forrest: Cooper plans to run his first marathon next summer. “I want to see how hard I can push my body,” he said.

Faves file: Cooper's favorite bands: blink-182 and Nickelback; favorite TV program: “Smallville”; favorite book: the Harry Potter series.

– DON NORCROSS