How fast will they go?

Defending state champion Margarito Martinez of Leilehua is looking for fast times and a good challenge from Island School’s Pierce Murphy at Thursday’s state cross country championships. The two top runners in the state have pushed each other in the past and are nudging the sport into new territory with their fast times.

Recent state champions dominated and ran away from the competition at past state meets. This one will be much different, as Martinez and Murphy will both contend for the boys title at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park. The girls race starts at 9 a.m. with the boys to follow.

"I’m hoping to give Pierce a challenge, to push each other," said Martinez, a senior. "I’m not really looking forward to beating him, but looking more toward running with him. It’s exhilarating to have someone right there next to you. I appreciate him. He’s always there. He knows how to race, he’s a great racer, the best runner here in Hawaii."

Martinez won last year’s state championship held at Island School on Kauai, while Murphy was second. Murphy, a senior and the state track champion in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters, won this year’s 3-mile ‘Iolani Invitational in 15 minutes, 25.92 seconds, while Martinez was second in 15:51.00. Rarely has there been more than one runner in the state who has gone under 16 minutes at that distance. It’s plausible they can both do that at CORP, a grassy and hilly course. Martinez won last week’s Oahu Interscholastic Association championship at CORP with a time of 15:58.17.

"This year, me and Pierce are just changing the sport for Hawaii," Martinez said. "We’re improving the sport. I just want to make Hawaii into a legitimate running state, for other states to take us seriously."

Martinez came into this season in different form from last year. He was finally able to put in the long mileage during summer workouts, did more weightlifting and also dropped some weight. Coach Shawn Nakata said Martinez, who plans to run in college next year, has emerged as a vocal leader for the team, giving talks to the squad before races and organizing team-bonding activities.

"He’s very dedicated, he’s always giving 100 percent in running," said Margarito’s younger brother and teammate Dylan Martinez, a sophomore who finished third in the OIA. "I haven’t seen him put that much effort into anything but that. He’s done so many sports. He’s even done football. I’ve never seen him so dedicated to something ever in my life."

Surprisingly, neither of the Martinez brothers did well when they each took up running in the sixth grade. But as Margarito started to excel, Dylan wondered if this was something that ran in the family.

"I’ve learned (from my brother) that if you put your mind to it, it’s always going to be the way you want it to be," Dylan said. "If you want to be first, you can be first. It’s all in your mind. He’s taught to be strong up here. Running is all mental. He’s taught me to be strong mentally."

Murphy won’t be the only runner making a name for his small school this week. Parker School qualified its entire boys team by virtue of its runner-up finish at the Big Island Interscholastic Federation championships.

Kamehameha of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu is the defending boys state champion. At last week’s league championships that were both held at CORP, the times of Kamehameha’s and Leilehua’s top five runners were nearly identical. Each team’s top five finishers contribute to their team’s score.

In the girls race, defending state champion Elli Brady is finally hitting her stride. The sophomore ran with injuries earlier in the season, but felt stronger physically and mentally in winning last week’s ILH championship.

Freshman Dakota Grossman of Maui’s Seabury Hall is expected to challenge for the state title. She’s traveled all over to compete against the state’s top runners this year, winning races on Oahu, the Big Island and Maui. The Punahou girls have won the last five state titles. Hawaii Prep, the BIIF champion, raced on the state course earlier this season en route to winning the Honolulu Marathon Invitational.