When time permitted, running was a release. Nothing more until this fall when she enrolled full-time at Hartnell College and put on a cross country uniform.
"I went back to college to get a degree,'' Diaz Leal said. "I've worked so many jobs. I keep pushing so my son can see there's a better life if you work hard and pursue a college degree.''
The 29-year-old has become the Panthers distance ace and Friday a Coast Conference cross country champion, leading the team to a conference title at Toro Park.
"I really enjoy running,'' Diaz Leal said. "I never really stopped. What's different now is I'm a little more consistent.''
And roughly five minutes faster than what Diaz Leal was 11 years ago when she last competed on the Toro Park course while at Alvarez High.
"All of us work really hard,'' Diaz Leal said. "We push each other. We have a common goal and that is to chase a state title.''
Earlier this year the Panthers were the No. 1 ranked team in state, but slipped to No. 2 after falling to Mt. San Antonio last week -- minus No. 2 runner Yvette Tavarez.
"We ran as a pack for as long as we could,'' Diaz Leal said. "The purpose was to try and get a little closer in time for next week.''
Diaz Leal was speaking about the Northern California championships, which will be held in seven days at Toro Park. The Panthers will be at full strength for that meet.
"We're all working towards the goal of getting back to state,'' Diaz Leal said. "It is out there for us. Today was fun. We accomplished one of our goals.''
That included making it four straight conference titles for the Panthers, who also swept the first six spots and had eight of the first 10 places in the meet.
Diaz Leal also became the fourth straight Hartnell runner to win a conference title, clocking 20:09 over the 3.01 mile Toro Park loop in 85 degree temperature.
"I want to break 20 minutes,'' Diaz Leal said. "We were kind of pushing each other today rather than chasing time.''
When Diaz Leal broke away from a pack of teammates at the two-mile mark, Maria Aceves went with her for as long as she could, finishing second in 20:17.
"We all went out and worked together,'' Aceves said. "We were all together for two miles. The heat wasn't a factor. It's all mental.''
Aceves, a Notre Dame grad, has seen her times drop all fall in her first season for the Panthers. The first six runners ended up 33 seconds a part.
"Coach told us today to visualize a tree or a bush as an opponent to push us,'' Aceves said. "It was nice to get a feel for the course before Nor Cal's. We understand it will be competitive next week.''
Following Diaz Leal and Aceves were Hartnell teammates Olivia Jimenez, Jocelyn Cervantes, Leslie Oseguera and Lauryn Orozco.
While the women put on one of the more dominating performances in conference history, the men where nearly equal to the task, placing eight runners in the top 14.
Including in that group was conference champion Ricky Esqueda, who went out and set a personal best of 20:34 over the 4.01 mile loop.
"It was fun,'' Esqueda said. "I felt in control of the pace at the start. My focus was on the conference title. But I was chasing time. I wanted a personal record."
The San Benito graduate returned to the sport this year after a four-year absence, having attended college in Illinois before personal reasons brought home.
"I was still running on my own back there,'' Esqueda said. "I had some setbacks. I had to get my life back in order, and get out of debt. It helped me grow,''
Esqueda took teammate Sergio Coronel and MPC's Roman Munoz with him through the first mile before pulling away on the hills, opening up a 20 second cushion with a mile remaining.
"Our goal today was to get as many runners in the top 14 as possible,'' Esqueda said. "We wanted to make a statement about our program. We've put in a lot of hard work.''
The Panthers will go into the Northern California finals ranked No. 4 in the state, behind three teams from southern California.
"It felt good running in the front,'' Coronel said. "I left it all out there. After the race, it's a different situation.''
Coronel wasn't going to run this year, as he was set to transfer to a four-year school to continue his education.
"Coach convinced me to come back,'' Coronel said. "I didn't have much of an impact last year. He felt I could help this year. I'm glad I came back.''
Munoz, a two-time state meet qualifier in cross country and track at King City, finished fourth for the Lobos in 21:15. The freshman has been nursing a groin and calf injury.
"I wasn't sure the calf would hold up,'' Munoz said. "It effected me on the hills. That's usually my strong point. I just need to get conditioned for four miles.''
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