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CHICO — For Chico High cross country’s Mario Giannini, the key to success is putting in the miles and staying consistent with it.
Giannini learned this a couple of years ago and now runs a minimum of 50 miles each week to train for competition. He has placed what he called lofty goals for himself for his senior year, aiming to place first in the division three cross country state championships and get as close to 15 minutes flat in the 5 kilometer race as possible.
Saturday, Giannini placed first in the division three medium school level competition at the Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park. Giannini finished the 5,000 meter race in 15:26.6, defeating the second place finisher by 2.1 seconds. The time was the fastest ever by a Chico High athlete and the third fastest by a Northern Section runner on the state meet course at Woodward Park.
Giannini said the race was one of the biggest accomplishments of his high school career, and his coach Kevin Girt said Giannini won by running a “perfect race,” starting in ninth place after the first mile, and trailed the first place runner entering the final quarter mile of the race.
“Upon stepping onto the grassy area that marks the last 150 meters to go, Mario dropped the hammer and gained 2 seconds on the previous leader,” Girt said.
Mario said he came into the race with no expectations, no goals, but just wanted to race and compete. He feels that was his key to Saturday’s win.
Despite missing his junior year of competition due to the pandemic, Giannini did not miss a beat and trained throughout. He would go on runs with his brother Charlie Giannini, a former Chico High runner now competing with the Chico State cross country team under coach Gary Towne.
Mario said Charlie’s success was his inspiration for beginning to compete in cross country in junior high. When Mario was a freshman and Charlie was a senior at Chico High, the two placed first and second at the Northern Section 3,200 meter race, one of the most special races for Mario.
Mario said the relationship between the brothers is extremely friendly. The two are competitive but “not so much that it makes me dislike him,” Mario said with a laugh.
Mario said he hopes to continue his running career into the collegiate level like his brother has done at Chico State and stay competitive as long as possible, but sees running as a way to stay fit for the rest of his life.
While Mario loves the actual activity of running and the parks he gets to experience on runs, the people Mario has met and got to spend time with has been his favorite part of his high school experience. Mario said the biggest difference from his freshman to senior year as a runner has involved his teammates.
“Freshman year I focused a lot on myself just trying to do self improvement,” Mario said. “At this point all of my team at this point, they’re all of my buddies so it’s a lot about helping the team get better.”
Girt said Mario leads by example, which is shown by his weekly mile habit and his diligent strength and abdominal exercises he does each day.
“He is a humble success, never looking to take glory from his teammates, but they have all seen the fire he flashes when he wants to win a race,” Girt said. “His strength is inspiring and intimidating to his teammates and the people he competes against … Mario is a rare athlete who deserves all the glory and recognition he gets. It is because of Mario, and others like him, that Chico High has seen an unparalleled level of success in recent years.”
Prep Athlete of the Week has begun once again. To nominate an athlete from your school to be highlighted based on performance or why one makes a team special, coaches are being asked to email sports@chicoer.com by the end of the day Saturday for the chance for them to be selected the following week.
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