If you’ve ever competed in a Vail Recreation District trail race, there’s a good chance you’ve lined up next to Jason Macaluso. The 23-year-old has been a regular fixture at the local series ever since he started his running career at Battle Mountain High School.

“I love seeing Jason out there for every race,” said Vail Recreation District sports coordinator Wyatt Smith. “Seeing him come back each year, beating his course records, is always a highlight.”

“I like every race,” Macaluso said of the series. “No favorites.”

Macaluso also likes running. A lot. In fact, of all the legendary talents Huskies coach Rob Parish has guided — from two-time Olympian Val Constien to Gatorade runner of the year Porter Middaugh and three-time state champion Will Brunner — Macaluso stands out as someone who has stewarded his gifts to the max.

“He’s such a great example for a coach to talk about with other young athletes,” Parish said of Macaluso, whom he called “the ultimate plan follower.”

“If you do what we tell you to do, this is how it can work out,” the coach continued. “He’s super regimented (and) not only dedicated in the training, but on all the pieces. He’s done that for a decade now — and he’s good.”

Macaluso grew up in Aurora; his family moved to the area 12 years ago so his older brother could ski race at Ski and Snowboard Club Vail. His parents, Paul and Kris, were runners who met at a race.

“So it’s always been a part of his life,” Paul Macaluso said. “He loves to run. He really uses running as a way to relax and just kind of get the big picture in life. He really embraces the running experience. He’s very passionate about it and talented as well.”

Macaluso completed his first 5K as a Husky freshman in a time of 26 minutes, 34 seconds. Throughout his career, Parish said Macaluso was loyal to the team and committed to the process.

“He was coming to all the summer stuff, doing all the trail runs with us,” the coach said. “He was, especially in the later years, extremely determined.”

Going into his final year, Parish remembered one summer trail run where Macaluso stunned one of the team’s top runners by dropping him halfway through a climb. Parish said the moment was emblematic of how Macaluso had been diligently putting in the work and making the most of his abilities.

“All that he cared about was grinding,” the coach said. “If we’re supposed to do 27 pushups, (he’s) going to do 27 perfect pushups.”

By his senior year, he was a top-5 runner for Battle Mountain, one of the top-10 teams in the state. In his final race, he notched a 16:19.98 personal best at the Nike Cross Southwest Regional — a 10-minute improvement from his first competition. In 2019, he joined Colorado Mountain College’s first cross-country team. Under the guidance of Darren Brungardt, Macaluso got down to 10:16 for 3,000 meters and ran in the National Junior College Athletic Association DI cross-country championship. All the while, he and his parents made attending the Vail Trail Run Series a family affair.

“I love the father-son duo,” Smith said. “In 2024, Paul was sidelined with an injury and still came to cheer on Jason at every race. Now in 2025, Paul is back on the trails and it’s great to see them both win their age groups.”

It happens fairly frequently. They both won their respective age groups at the Boneyard Boogie in May and the Vail Hill Climb earlier this month. Jason was just three seconds out of first at the 10K at 10,000 Feet on Saturday.

“It is a very special… I really enjoy those moments when we share the podiums,” Paul Macaluso said. “It means more to me to make the podium because he did, too.”

Jason’s fitness continues to improve, too. His time in the hill climb was 59:03, 20 seconds faster than the previous year.

“It was good,” he said of his fourth-place overall finish. “Going past the bottom of Avanti Express, I picked up the pace.”

“His freshman year, I never would have guessed he’d be 23 and one of the top endurance athletes in the valley,” Parish said. “It’s a testament to his commitment.”

These days, Paul Macaluso works in Denver during the week and runs with Jason during his son’s weekend recovery workouts.

“Me and my wife ran together when we met and now to run with Jason, it’s almost like going to heaven and coming back to earth,” Paul Macaluso said. “It’s just an incredible thing to have your son to run with.”

While Dad is OK completing the same route every day, his son enjoys diving into Google Maps to plan unique, long excursions in the mountains. He normally logs between 8-11 miles a day, but has been known to explore for 15 or more on occasion. In a day and age where burnout is common, Parish is inspired to see one of his athletes continue such a passionate pursuit of excellence well past his prep playing days.

“It’s really cool to see. We always say our three goals at the beginning of each season — one of those three is to develop a lifelong enjoyment of running, fitness and being outdoors,” Parish said. “Macaluso has just embodied it and now it’s just a part of him.”

In addition to the Vail town series, Macaluso also competed in the GoPro Mountain Games 20K. He was 13th overall — tops for Eagle County finishers.

“The second lap was pretty brutal,” he said.

At some point, Jason Macaluso said he’d like to try a full marathon, but he’s been calculated in upping his mileage.

“I’ve always tried to let him realize that if he wants to be a lifelong runner, he has to take care of his body and be in it for the long haul,” Paul Macaluso said. “I realized it’s Jason’s form of peace and I don’t want him to get overuse injuries.” 

During the school year, Macaluso works at Red Sandstone Elementary, serving lunches to students.

“Which is a tough job,” he said. “I love the teachers (and) love the kids.”

He also loves his afternoon routine.

“I love to go for a very lovely run after work,” he said. “It’s just transformed my life.”