5-5 and stick-skinny, freshman Steven “Stevie” Sum does not appear to be an athlete, never mind an incredible one.

Yet beneath the seemingly frail exterior is the fastest runner on the school’s cross-country team, and this year, he may become the fastest freshman in the entire country.

“I definitely would say he’s one of the best in the U.S. [for his age group],” said Brad Armstrong, Sum’s personal coach. “He could be anywhere from 1-10 [in ranking].”

Armstrong, math teacher Audrey Warmuth’s husband, coaches elite middle/high school runners, some of whom are Junior Olympic champions.

Under Armstrong’s special workouts since sixth grade, Sum’s mile time improved dramatically from 4:59 in seventh grade to 4:42.5 in eighth grade.

In seventh grade, Sum placed third in the Junior Olympics 3km cross-country championships. Freshman Samuel Blake from Westmont High School, another Armstrong trainee and Sum’s good friend, took first place.

“Although Samuel has been a 2-time national champion in cross-country,” Armstrong said, “this year in track, Steven has won every time they’ve raced. As a result, Steven has proven himself to be one of the top milers in the nation.”

Although Sum is only a freshman, his remarkable ability is well known in running circles.

“Stevie is one of the best runners to come into Saratoga [High] in a while,” said cross-country coach Dan Ambrico. “I definitely expect him to become a leader.”

However, Sum is not as outwardly confident in himself as others are in him.

“I feel very flattered,” he said, “but I am also a little nervous about living up to such high expectations.”

Although some may take his meekness as a sign of low confidence, Armstrong says otherwise.

“The two extra races he ran for the Junior Olympics were just to show that he could compete with anyone, anywhere, any time he wanted, and neither of these races was even close. It was a long track season for Steven, and he really didn’t have to prove anything anymore to anyone, including himself. He ran with confidence in every race, and deep down he knew he would win, which is why he did. This is Steven’s unique trait—he has that quiet confidence that catches his competition by surprise.”

Sum’s impenetrable inner confidence stems from hard work. On average, he runs about five miles a day at a six minute mile pace. The longest he has run is about 10 miles.

Although Sum’s youth, work ethic and innate talent provide the tools to excel at any level, some worry that a growth spurt might ruin his running career.

It can cause your body’s muscles to “physically stretch out to fit your bones,” said junior cross-country captain David Zarrin, whose running career faltered due to a growth spurt. This causes muscles to “get pulled more easily,” leading to higher stress and injuries. However, he adds, everyone’s “blueprint” is different.

In the future, Sum said, he will continue running merely as a physical exercise, and he is not sure whether or not he will run competitively in college.

“I like running because it’s fun, good exercise, social and satisfying,” he said. “But it’s not my top priority. [My parents and I] value academics more than running [because] they have greater impact on college [applications].”

Like all freshmen, Sum has set goals for high school but none of them have anything to do with running.

“I’m looking forward to freedom and driving,” he said, smiling. “Driving’s more efficient, and I’m lazy.”