Nikolas Madera
July 19, 2025 - 03:06 PM
Nikolas Madera, a distance runner, first chose to study French with the goal of competing in the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, a renowned ultramarathon that begins in Chamonix, France. What started as a practical decision soon turned into a passion - he quickly fell in love with the French language and now considers himself a lifelong learner.
Nikolas' Language Journey
I started distance running in 2021 after joining the Army and soon set my sights on the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc—a legendary ultramarathon through France, Italy, and Switzerland. To prepare, I took French 1 in 2022, believing that understanding the local language enriches the travel experience. I hope to stand at that starting line one day, able to connect with the French-speaking community. As a future healthcare professional, majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics, learning languages also helps me reach and support more people.
The French accent and spelling are the two things I've always struggled with. Coming
from a Spanish-speaking background, everything is spelled exactly how it sounds! In
French, that is not always the case. As far as the accent, I've accepted I will likely
never sound like a native French speaker. This just means I have to place more effort into the mechanics and grammar of the
language to make up for it. Play to your strengths while also working on your weaknesses.
My girlfriend understands a bit of French from her high school classes. I share what I learn with her, which gives both of us a bit of extra practice. As far as career and personal growth, I plan to keep practicing my fluency to the point where I can pass the Army's Defense Language Proficiency Test. This is an asset in any Francophone country and comes with a decent pay bonus. I will also be able to leverage my future career in these countries after graduation.
I want to encourage Mt SAC peers to pursue their passions unwaveringly and don't be afraid of big challenges, which for me, are running that famous race and learning a new language. Don't worry about the time it will take or the money you could potentially make doing other things. The time will pass anyway. If you love what you do, pour your heart and soul into it. The money will come eventually.
Inspired by Nikolas' story?
