Faysal Mahmoud always has felt like he was behind since he moved with his mother and 11 siblings from Egypt to the United States as a third-grader.

As a student, first in Richfield and later in Burnsville, it has meant learning to read and write English with classmates who were always ahead of him, and struggling with schoolwork.

As an athlete, it has meant ditching his childhood dreams of playing soccer and eventually taking up cross-country, ''the stupidest thing I had ever heard of,'' he recalled. Frequent leg injuries followed, a symptom of inconsistent training.

This season, however, the budding Burnsville star is more determined to keep pace with the state's best.

Ranked the state's 12th-fastest runner in Class 2A by the coaches association, Mahmoud describes himself as "more responsible'' now, in the classroom and in sports, where he began applying a more serious training to his work ethic starting with last spring's track season. One change is that he is selectively picking his races, including this Saturday's Roy Griak Invitational.

"We're trying to be proactive instead of reactive this season," Burnsville cross-country coach Jeff Webber said. "I'm trying to be efficient with his time, and get him prepared for the end of the season."

Because of better focus on training habits and attitude, Faysal Mahmoud has earned the trust of his coach, Jeff Webber.

As a freshman, Mahmoud finished 27th at the cross-country state meet at St. Olaf in Northfield. He finished 10th as sophomore and ninth last season, despite being sidelined because of an injury until October. He posted a time of 15 minutes, 47.7 seconds over the 5-kilometer course.

"I told coach Webber that he could count on me at state," Mahmoud said. "A lot of people doubted me. I proved everybody wrong."

Soccer on his mind

The son of Omar Mahmoud and Shukri Jama never had any intention of running cross-country while growing up in Egypt. All he wanted to play was soccer.

"I watched my older brothers play soccer all the time when I was 4 and 5 years old," said Mahmoud, whose father died a couple of years earlier. "I wanted to play with them."

His brothers weren't having anything to do with it.

"I was mad," Mahmoud said. "I told them I would even play goalkeeper. I wanted to be a soccer player."

In Egypt, soccer is the No. 1 sport. That isn't the case in the United States.

His family moved to this country when he was 9 years old. He spent a week in New York and a few months in Tennessee before moving to Minnesota in 2005.

"Egypt is a nice place, but my mom wanted us to live in the United States," Mahmoud said. "My mom was not happy living in Tennessee. That was not a place for us, so we moved to Minnesota."

Mahmoud began his education in Richfield as a third-grader. He moved to Burnsville three years later.

"I learned to read and write in America," Mahmoud said. "That was really difficult. All the kids were way ahead of me. I was so far behind, and had to try and catch up."

Athletically, Mahmoud maintained that soccer was still king. Webber tried to tell him otherwise after watching him run track in eighth grade.

"I told him, 'I'm not a runner, I'm a soccer player,' " Mahmoud said. "The distances [400 and 800 meters] I was running in track was hard enough. I didn't want to run any farther."

The Blaze mentor didn't let up. He just needed to find a different tactic to influence Mahmoud to change his mind.

"I pushed him a little bit, but not too hard," Webber said. "I didn't want to push him away. I had some of our runners on the team go after him."

Growing pains

Cross-country brought with it plenty of agony, both for runner and coach.

"Last season was one of the worst years for me," Mahmoud said. "I was hurt [leg] all year."

Webber's frustration has stemmed from Mahmoud not understanding that his training regimen needs to be consistent and year-round. He has missed time every season because of leg injuries.

"It wasn't until his junior year of track that he started to get serious with his training," Webber said. "A light switch happened during the track season in which he started the process of putting the work ethic to his incredible talent."

The Griak race at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights will only be Mahmoud's third meet of this season. It will be his first time competing in the large event.

Mahmoud finished fifth in the St. Olaf Challenge in the opening meet of the year. He followed it up with a second-place finish in the Anoka Invitational.

"Faysal is far ahead of where he has ever been at this point in the season," Webber said. "He runs much better at the end of every season. He peaks well."

Maintains style, humor

Webber's standout runner has been learning on the go. He has a knack for flair to go along with his serious side as he experiences new endeavors.

"He has a great sense of humor," Webber said. "He is a goofball at heart."

Mahmoud is easy to pick out at meets. He will be the one wearing blue, purple or maybe even pink socks to go along with his black and gold uniform.

"I can't wear white or black socks," Mahmoud said. "I have to wear girly socks."

" He loves to impress the young ladies," Webber said. " He has a great sense of style that is certainly unique, but he pulls it off well."

When he's not running, Mahmoud can be found working (at a retail store or a fast-food restaurant) to help out his large family, whose members also live in Canada and Egypt. He wasn't overly enthusiastic about working.

"I didn't want to work," Mahmoud said. "I was selfish. I eventually learned it was time to help my mom out."

Said Webber: "He is incredibly loyal to his family and inner circle. He has grown tremendously in the years that I have known him."

In every sense — family, work, school and athletics.

"Growing up has been hard on me," Mahmoud said. "I have struggled throughout my life with everything."

Ron Haggstrom • 612-673-4498