How one man rebuilt his life, 100 miles at a time
Imperfect Paradise
LAist Studios
4.5 • 535 Ratings
🗓️ 16 July 2025
⏱️ 53 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Struggling with addiction and reentry after multiple stints in prison, Cesar Quijano discovers ultrarunning, a hobby that turns into his addiction and salvation. Through Cesar’s story to complete a 100-mile race, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and producer Lucy Copp explore urgent questions around what support people need to successfully transition out of prison and into society.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Support for LAIST comes from CarPros Kia, featuring the 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid with a striking new design and family-friendly seating for up to eight. |
| 0:09.5 | You can learn more at CarPros Kia in Glendale, Huntington Beach, and Moreno Valley. |
| 0:15.1 | LAISD is supported by Elephant Energy. |
| 0:17.7 | Elephant Energy is LA's expert in installing modern and efficient heating and cooling systems, |
| 0:22.9 | the new standard for whisper-quiet |
| 0:24.7 | comfort year-round. They handle |
| 0:26.8 | the design and the rebates to save you thousands. |
| 0:29.3 | Claim your rebates at elephant |
| 0:30.6 | energy.com. This is Imperfect |
| 0:32.8 | Paradise, the show about the gap between |
| 0:34.6 | the dream and reality. I'm |
| 0:36.5 | Antonio Cereidio. |
| 0:43.6 | It's the middle of the summer, 2024. |
| 0:47.4 | Cesar Kejano has been out of prison for two and a half years. |
| 0:49.3 | He's a former heroin addict. |
| 0:51.7 | And he's running the San Diego 100. |
| 0:55.6 | The first 20 miles, that was the first chapter, right? |
| 0:57.5 | Let's call it beginnings. |
| 1:01.9 | The second chapter, that one, the pain really starts. |
| 1:06.8 | The third chapter, man, ultra runners call that being inside the pain cave. |
| 1:11.5 | Ultra runners are people who run races longer than the length of a marathon. |
| 1:16.9 | In Cesar's case, 100 miles in the mountains of East County, San Diego. |
... |
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