She Learns the Language of Running . . . in a Hurry

When Martha Pinto and her family moved to Anaheim from Mexico City 3 years ago, she did not speak or understand English.

A teacher at South Junior High School asked her if she would like to run cross-country.

“I didn’t know what she was saying, and I just said yes and started running,” said Pinto, who had never run competitively before.

That was in seventh grade. She won a gold medal in a meet with other area junior highs that year and has been running ever since.

Pinto, The Times’ athlete of the week, is now a sophomore on Katella High School’s cross-country and track teams.

Saturday, she ran the fastest time for girls at the Orange County Cross-Country Championships for the second consecutive year, finishing the 3-mile course at Irvine Park in Orange in 18 minutes 11 seconds. She’s the first girl to repeat with the top time in that race, according to her coach, Mike Cochrane.

“She is definitely the best female distance runner this school has ever had,” Cochrane said. “I think eventually she will prove to be one of the best the (Empire) league has ever seen.

“She runs with the boys because the other girls just don’t have the pace for her.”

As a freshman, Pinto broke the school records in cross-country, as well as the marks for the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

In cross-country, Pinto (4-feet 9-inches and 100 pounds) was the Empire League champion and missed qualifying for the state meet by one place. She was fourth in the Southern Section 3-A meet, and the top 3 finishers advance to the state meet.

She may lose a race, but she never loses her nervousness.

“I just try to run and get it over with because I get so nervous,” Pinto said.

“I stay in front always. That’s my style. I have been trying to start slow and finish fast but I can’t. I just have to start fast.”

Pinto’s English has improved, but she still has trouble speaking at times, she said.

She likes English, French and mathematics and hopes to be an astronaut.

“I like astronomy. I like stars and planets,” she said.

But for now, she has both feet firmly on the ground--and running.

TOP PERFORMERS

Heidi Anderson of Esperanza had 24 assists to help her team defeat Los Alamitos, 15-2, 15-8, 15-6, in an Empire League volleyball match at Esperanza (7-1, 4-0) Thursday.

Michelle Foster, Capistrano Valley High School’s No. 1 singles player, swept her matches, 6-2, 6-0, 6-0, Thursday to lead the Cougars (11-1, 5-0) to a 12-6 victory over Dana Hills (4-1) and into first place in the South Coast League.

Kim Robinson of Newport Harbor High School held off Laura Doering of Villa Park at the tape in the seeded team race to help her team win the Orange County Cross-Country Championship. Robinson, who ran the 3-mile course in 18:22.4, was third in the individual standings.

Martha Pinto

Katella High School

Position: Cross-country runner.

Height, Class: 4-9, Sophomore

Last Week: Pinto won the Orange County Cross-Country Championships Saturday, running the 3-mile course at Irvine Park in 18 minutes and 11 seconds, the fastest girls’ time of the day.

Season: Pinto is undefeated in Empire League competition. She won the Sonora Invitational and was runner-up at the Costa Mesa and Central Park invitationals.