Better Attitude May Help Bruton Fulfill His Ability

Carmi Bruton shows up like the wind. On some days, nothing can overcome him. And on other days, he simply isn't there.

Bruton is a runner, by instinct. He says he doesn't do it to win, or to record the fastest time. He just runs because it's fun. When Bruton wants to win, he just does. And when he decides he is not running, nothing short of setting him on fire will move him.

``He's just a raw talent with beautiful speed,'' Juanita track coach Russ Vincent said. ``You know it's there . . . . it's pure and natural. He's just very fast.''

Bruton is a natural. By his own admission, he is not nor has he ever been in shape. He just runs. And like most things that occur naturally, he does it on his own terms.

``You could say I'm locked in my own world,'' Bruton said. ``I don't pay attention to who is around me. I just run.''

Bruton, who will be a senior at Juanita High School this fall, has made a career out of unpredictable performances.

Two weeks ago, he won the 200-meter dash at the Junior Olympics in Lincoln, Neb. His electronic time of 21.1 is an all-time state best, one that is long overdue, say his coaches.

A few days earlier, at an invitational meet in Eugene, Ore., Bruton ran the 100 in a hand-time of 10.22 seconds, which translates to a state-best 10.3 seconds.

``I'm impressed, but not surprised,'' said Crickett Marshall, a former sprinter at the University of Washington, and the current sprint coach at Juanita.

``He has made a total, 360-degree turn mentally. That's where he was defeating himself 75 percent of the time. He is the fastest high-schooler in the state. ''

Bruton's victory in the Junior Olympics perplexed him. ``Weird,'' is what he called it.

He said he doesn't remember the race, but that he was told he was in last place going into the turn. He doesn't remember how he got to the finish line first.

Strange as it seems, Bruton's coaches say he lacks mostly in confidence and conviction. If winning were important to Bruton, they say he would never lose.

Marshall has a story about Bruton's last state meet. He ran undefeated through the KingCo Conference meet and the district meet, and suddenly just before he was about to take the start line for the 200, he told Marshall he couldn't run.

``I knew Carmi was afraid and nervous,'' Marshall said. ``He came up to me and said he couldn't run, that his nagging injury was bothering him. I knew he was running too well to be hurt.''

Marshall coaxed Bruton to the line, and he finished fourth. He never mentioned the injury to Marshall again.

If Bruton's summer times hold up until next spring, a state championship is a foregone conclusion. Should Bruton be free of injury his senior season, it will be the first full season he has competed in.

He missed three weeks last season because of a pulled hamstring, an injury he suffered in a track meet during a cold April day.

He ran track his sophomore year, but quit the season early.

``That's been his history,'' Marshall said. We had our differences, because I didn't feel he gave us his all, but we got that straightened out.''

`` He needs to believe in himself more. When he gets ready mentally, he can go to any college in the country. ''

Marshall said Bruton's attitude seemed to improve when he was put in the 400 relay, where his teammates depended more on his performance.

At the moment, track is his only sport. He wants to play soccer.

Bruton plans to take on track full time and train indoors during the fall and winter with the Federal Way Track Club.

Vincent hopes with added endurance and confidence, Bruton will develop into a world-class sprinter.