Thursday, March 28, 2024

GHS junior’s work ethic compels him to keep moving, Run Carlo Run

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 Carlo Martinez packs a lot into every day.

The Gatesville junior athlete gets up at 5 a.m. most days and literally hits the floor running.

He rarely stops, going from one responsibility to the next.

It’s a long “to-do list’’ that involves sports, studies, camaraderie and a 20-hour-a-week paying job.

The 16-year-old is a runner first. He starts and finishes every day with some kind of testy run, usually something in the eight-mile range.

He’s a dedicated young man that attracts a crowd with his persistent drive to succeed.

He’s won four of five of the cross country meets for the Gatesville Hornets this season. He keeps shaving his times every meet.

On Saturday, Sept. 18, he blazed through the 3-mile course at the Gatesville Bill Bradley Invitational in a time of 15:40. His best as a sophomore was 16:46.

Martinez led from start to finish and beat teammate Luis Macias, who was second, by 47 seconds.

“Right when we started school, he said he’d really worked hard,’’ said Macias. “He’s made his work pay off. He’s really improved.’’

Martinez said he uses running to keep himself focused.

“Running helps me get my mind right,’’ Martinez said. “I’m usually mad or sad when I’m running in the mornings or evenings.’’

The end result is a lot of success in cross country and tennis at the high school level.

“He’s a great kid,’’ said tennis instructor Glenn Vernon. “He’s polite, works hard and he’s turned himself into a solid tennis player. He’s going to make it whatever he does.’’

A lot of his mentors and coaches agree.

“He skipped a Florida summer family vacation to stay here and run and get better,’’ Gatesville cross country coach Elliot Kelley said. “He frequently smiles and talks to other competitors after the race and congratulates them on a great finish or a great race.’’

He plans to dig in and make the most of his chances in cross country and tennis this fall.

It all comes with work.

“When he has a fast and hard track workout in practice and is hurting, he will say I hate you coach but I love you,’’ Kelley said. “He is a really good young man. He works hard and is polite to others. The kind of person you want to be around.’’