BLACKSBURG - Matt Trumbo wasn't supposed to be this good.

He wasn't that good last year, or even at the beginning of this year. Over the past few months though the Blacksburg High School junior has thrown confidence, some hard work and a new coach into a mixing pot to assert himself as one of the best long distance runners in the area.

Trumbo has been involved with outdoor track since eighth grade, but this year he rededicated himself to running. In the fall he ran

cross country and then in the winter he participated on the indoor track team.

"He's become more serious about his running," said Bruins distance coach James DeMarco. "Earlier this year during practice you'd see him running in the middle of the pack with his buddies, now he's way out in front."

Way out in front may not best describe his success, but Trumbo and fellow runner Daniel Hendricks have led the Bruins in the distance events.

Trumbo has Blacksburg High's best 800 meter time at 2 minutes, 5 seconds. Hendricks is faster in the 1,600 and has a 4:45 as compared to Trumbo's 4:51. Along with Josh Sales and Tim Clemens, Trumbo and Hendricks made up the 1,600 and 3,200 relay teams. Trumbo's 800 time has already qualified him for the Group AA Region III meet and the 4 X 400 team's time of 3:36 has qualified it for regionals as well.

"Our 4 X 400 team is unbelievable," DeMarco said. "They finished fourth in the state in indoor and look to compete for states in outdoor."

An Alaska native, DeMarco is in his first year of coaching at Blacksburg High. Trumbo is quick to credit him for his own improvement.

"He's a good coach, I feel like I'm running the same speed as before, but my times are a lot better," Trumbo said.

DeMarco is used to coaching talented distance runners. In Anchorage he coached three nationally ranked 800 runners.

Most of Trumbo's success, though, has come with hard work.

"You don't have to be born with talent to run," Trumbo said. "You just have to run as hard as you can all the time to get better."

Developing into a good runner takes dedication and hours and hours of work, it doesn't just happen over night.

"His work ethic and belief are outstanding," DeMarco said. "He

goes into each meet with a goal, he works so hard because he is goaldriven."

Trumbo's goal this year is to win states in at least one event. He's realistic about his chances.

"I'd like to win states, but it's probably not going to happen," he said. "Placing in states is more like it."

Trumbo loves the competition long distance running brings because the battle isn't just against other athletes. It's also against one's self.

"It's the only sport where you know you are hurting but you just keep going," Trumbo said." In other sports you have a ball to distract from the pain, but in track, it is just you and your body."

Trumbo's favorite part about being on the track team isn't about going to states or winning regionals or even about the competition. It's about

camaraderie.

"I like it because of my team, I've met a lot of nice people and

made a whole lot of friends."

Trumbo has always been talented, just not as an athlete until recently. His academic achievements strongly overshadow his athletic ones.

"Matt is one of those kids who rarely gets a B.," DeMarco said.

Trumbo's scholarship extends to the study of French, his father's native language. The younger Trumbo has excelled at French, once earning the third-highest score in the country on a standardized test. He has visited France 12 times. Next, he intends to learn German and Italian."It's the only sport where you know you are hurting but you just keep going. In other sports you have a ball to distract from the pain, but in track, it is just you and your body."

Matt Trumbo

Runner