In my HS years Eric Hulst was a stone cold killer. In a year with Rudy Chapa, Al Salazar, and Thom Hunt, Hulst was the guy with the mystique. Laguna. Hat. Sometimes red beard. Bread shouldered and barrel chested. Had been famous since damn hear breaking 9 minutes in the 2 mile as a high school freshman and dueling with Ralph Serna as a sophomore and Junior. 8:44 in HS and boatloads of sub 9's.
Went to UCI and jogged the D2 cross country championships to tie with Ralph Serna and Steve Scott for the championship... then fell of the map. I believe he had some injuries but the main thing is he just didn't like school. Ended up being a construction handy man type of guy and was gifted at making stained glass. Ended up dying of brain cancer in his mid 30s.
Everybody I ever talked to that knew him said he was a little bit different, a free spirited guy, but a really great dude that didn't have an arrogant or mean bone in his body despite his willingness to grind people up on the track.
