Mention `Indian' to someone and chances are the conversation will turn to the likes of Tonto, sidekick to The Lone Ranger, Geronimo, feathered headgear and painted faces.

In sporting terms the likely analogy will be that of a franchise nickname, such as the (Washington) Redskins, (Atlanta) Braves or (Cleveland) Indians.

But all pale significantly in the actual realm of the Native American Indian, a culture of people with a heritage stretching back thousands of years.

It is this cultural banner that Phillip Castillo literally carries on his own two feet from state to state, country to country.

As one of a mere handful of Native American distance runners who compete regularly on the US circuit, Castillo takes with him the weight of a nation within a nation wherever he trods.

Over the weekend Bermuda stood as his oasis, with the International 10K and Marathon providing the stage for him to present a people not so different or detached from the rest of the world.

With crew cut, jet black hair and red skin, Castillo is hard to miss, just as his talent as a runner is unmistakable.

Hence, comparisons of the 28-year-old native of New Mexico to the legendary Jim Thorpe are inevitable. Thorpe, a Native American, was famous for his exploits in both athletics and American football.

And while Castillo will never be mistaken for an NFL behemoth, he similarly reflects the light of the Indian nation.

"Yeah, I get the comparisons a lot, and I do think I carry the weight of a nation and accept it,'' said Castillo, who was 13th in Saturday's 10K and third during Sunday's Bermuda Marathon.

"There's not a lot of native Americans that I know of on the professional running circuit, and there were only two of us at the Olympic trials in Pittsburgh.

"So, I think I do carry a lot of the hopes, dreams and aspirations of Indian kids. We're no different than any city in the United States, we have our problems, the biggest of which are diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

"As an athlete I really try to go into the reservations to try to inspire them to live healthy lifestyles and that's what I promote when I travel.'' Castillo is also an infantryman of the US Army, stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, spending most of his time working with the tanks unit.

However, he originally hails from New Mexico, which contains some 21 different Indian reservations. Castillo comes from the Akima Pueblo sect, near Albuquerque, and still utilises traditional Indian methods in his own lifestyle.

"We've been around for a thousand years and I still institute a lot of my traditional spiritual beings from Akima into my running and racing, and stuff like that ...

"I also travel to a lot of different Indian reservations in the States and speak to kids about alternatives to violence and drugs, and I use running as a tool to influence kids like that, so it's a good opportunity for me.'' Castillo takes time to research the countries to which he ventures, checking out the history and demographics.

As for Bermuda, he said he had been made to understand that Indians had ventured here in days past, making his own trip all the more satisfying.

"I've been looking into a bit of the history here in Bermuda and noticed that there were some Indians that, a long time ago, migrated here, so it's almost like home to me,'' said Castillo.

Phillip Castillo: one of only a handful of native Americans on the professional running cicruit.