He has the work ethic to prepare, the mental toughness to endure, and the competitive desire to finish.

In short, Josh Martin is the complete package when it comes to running cross country.

To be sure, the Aberdeen Central senior is blessed with physical talent as well, but it’s the elements that aren’t necessarily visible to others that help to set the defending Class AA state champion apart.

“He’s a competitor. He may be the one of the best competitors I’ve ever been around,” said Central boys’ coach Greg Murley. “In the last 100 meters of a race, if he has a foot in front of you, he’s a hard kid to pass.”

Last year Martin ended up winning a battle with Britton Elkin of Brandon Valley to win the state title in a blizzard in Rapid City. Martin said he did not expect to win before the race started and felt even worse while the race was in progress.

“Last year when I was facing Britton, I was very, very tired,” Martin said. “The only thing that was going through my brain was ‘I’m going to die. This is where I was going to fall off.’ I just held on as best I could.”

His best proved to be better than anyone else’s in the field.

Since that time, Martin has been nearly impossible to beat, whether competing in track and field or in cross country.

He said he doesn’t think too much about his competition before stepping up to the line.

“My focus is kind of just more on what I’m going to do. I don’t really think at all,” he said. “I just wait for the gun to go off, go in the top pack and hold on.”

Murley said that Martin is a quiet leader who doesn’t draw attention to his decorated running career.

“There’s a lot of people that can strut around and act like they’re the big man on campus when they have a big picture of yourself in the hallway at the high school. He certainly doesn’t do that,” Murley said. “He shows up every day, works really hard. He’s very modest about what he has and what he’s done.”

Martin has one final prep cross country race left. He will attempt to defend his championship on Saturday in Sioux Falls at the state meet.

As you might expect, Martin is taking the event in stride.

“It kind of feels the same,” Martin said comparing this year’s state meet to the one last season. “Both years I’m ranked third. Not much is different, other than I won it last year.”

There will definitely be stellar competitors that Martin (who is coming off an Eastern South Dakota Conference championship) will be running against this weekend. He will do what he can to be in a position to have a chance at the end.

“I don’t really worry about times for ESD or state. I just worry about placement,” Martin said. “I know that the race isn’t over until the end. I don’t necessarily worry about being in first or second or third, just as long as I’m in with the top group.”

Murley knows that Martin has the foot speed (he has clocked a 1:58 in the half mile) and determination to find a faster way to the finish line if presented the opportunity.

“After three miles, the last 200 meters has a lot to do with guts,” Murley said. “I think if he’s there in the last 200 meters it will be a really fun race to watch.”

While Martin is soft spoken, he has still had a major impact on his younger teammates. He shares advice whenever asked and also leads by example.

“He’s a good team leader. He’s a good teammate,” Murley said. “He cares about his teammates. He’s just a really good human being.”

That’s why regardless of what happens in his final high school cross country race, Murley’s opinion of Martin will not change.

“The pressure of being a state champion is sometimes really tough on kids. I think Josh has probably got the right attitude about it: I’m just going to work as hard as I can,” Murley said. “If Josh wins the state championship, I’ll be proud of him. I’ll be just as proud of him if he gets third or fourth, because he’s put in the work and effort.”