Step by step

By Steve Kim

Daily Bruin Contributor

She has a light, petite frame with a light, petite voice.
However, her achievements are anything but.

At first glance, one wouldn’t think of her as tough or athletic,
but like the old saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its
cover.

Barely a sophomore, Kim Mortensen is the top female cross
country runner at UCLA, and she is touted as the next potential
leader of collegiate women’s cross country.

Mortensen became interested in distance running as a child,
influenced by her father, who ran competitively as a student.

"I saw how much fun my brother and sister had with it so I gave
it a try," Mortensen said.

After that, she kept running – and winning.

Rated as the best high school distance runner in the nation,
Mortensen was the apple of every recruiter’s eye. Instead of
joining the highly reputable and defending national champion
Stanford squad, she decided that UCLA was going to be her
school.

"In my recruiting trip, I got to know the girls," Mortensen
said. "I was so welcomed. That’s one of the main reasons I came
here."

Entering her freshman year as the high school national champion
brought along expectations of great performances. But Mortensen
didn’t feel pressured by others.

"I was very nervous about college racing because it was all new
to me," Mortensen said. "I was also away from my family. The whole
world was changing around me, and the pressure I put on myself was
the only pressure I felt. I didn’t feel any pressure from my team
or my family or anyone else."

She lived up to her high expectations, though, winning every
race with the exception of placing second at the last two meets,
including the Pac-10 championships meet.

"As far as I’m concerned, she absolutely lived up to the level
of our expectations," UCLA head coach Eric Peterson said.

Then came the troubles with her hamstring. At the NCAA
regionals, she missed qualifying for the NCAA championships.

Though she continued to train after the fall cross country
season, Mortensen opted to redshirt for the track team the
following spring.

"Kim was the best high school distance runner," Peterson said.
"All that means is that she was running at a high level for a very
long period of time. When you keep your body that fit for that
long, it really is not uncommon to have a bad break like that.

"The season ended on a bit of sour note. But when you look back
on the rest of the season, she won, convincingly, every race she
entered and placed second two times before her break."

Mortensen spent her time wisely, using her break to nurse her
injuries.

"I had some physical therapy, worked it out, and rested …
Definitely rested," Mortensen said.

Having put her injuries behind her, Mortensen can now
concentrate on this upcoming season.

"I think this is going to be a learning season again for me,"
Mortensen said. "I just need to run the first couple of races, see
where I’m at, and then make a realistic goal."

Mortensen may seem like the average student trying to get
through classes and just have fun, but her workload is anything but
average. To her coach, her work ethic is what sets her apart.

"Her work ethic is one of the strongest I’ve ever seen in a
young athlete," Peterson said. "She is so willing to work hard, she
knows exactly what it takes to get herself to run faster. There
aren’t a lot of people who are willing to do that. Most people want
to be good. What sets Kim aside is she is willing to do what it
takes."

With her diligence and determination, many believe she has the
ingredients to battle for an individual national title. Even with
all the praises, Mortensen is not one to ponder on her
greatness.

"I’m still so far from where I could compete as far as being
mature and running. I’m still learning," Mortensen said. "I just
take it one step at a time, one day at a time, and thank God for
what I have right now."

Because she hasn’t competed since her injury, Mortensen says she
can’t say how much she has improved over last season. But Coach
Peterson has confidence in his top runner.

"She’s healthy," Peterson said. "Her fitness level is very high
right now."

As for this season’s outlook, Mortensen is enthusiastic about
her team.

"We’re such a young team and we have so much potential, which is
really exciting," Mortensen said. "If we get our heads together and
work really hard, I think we can make it to the nationals. I trust
my coach and his judgment. I hope for the best and keep praying. If
that’s where God leads us, what an awesome experience that would
be!"

THE PLAYERS KIM MORTENSEN

• Women’s cross country
• Sophomore
• 5’3"

Mortensen was the No. 1 runner for UCLA last fall as a freshman.
Hamstring problems at the end of the season placed her 25th at the
NCAA District VIII Championships, and she therefore did not qualify
for the NCAA> The same injury forced her to redshirt in track
and field last spring. However, Mortensen has recovered from her
injuries and should be ready for the fall season.