Interview: Wando's Timothy Tyler steps up to the challenge

Full name: Timothy James Tyler
Date of birth:  Oct. 10, 1992
Academic interests: Landscape Architecture
Personal bests:  5K- 15:58; mile- 4:36.6; 800- 2:01
Hobbies: boating, basketball, running
Brothers / sisters: one brother, Andrew is 14
Favorite trainers: I wear Brooks
Favorite racers: adidas racing flats

scrunners.com: When did you start to run?
tyler: In seventh grade, I ran the Hershey track meet at my middle school and liked it. I then started running with the Mount Pleasant Track Club and Coach Tami Dennis and really got me interested in it.

scrunners.com: What was the reason you started to run?

tyler: To be honest with you, I don't really know why I started in the first place.  I just started running and liked it.  I always felt good after I ran.

scrunners.com: Do you remember your first race? Explain.

tyler: Other than the Hershey meet. my first 5K was the Laura Griffin Memorial and I think I ran a 22-something.

scrunners.com: Going into your sophomore season, what did you tell yourself you want to achieve, individually and team?

tyler: As a team goal, I wanted our team to repeat as Class AAAA State Champions. Personally, Iwanted to run in the low 16's and be one of the top 10 runners in the state

scrunners.com: How would you rate your goal achievement currently?

tyler: So far, Wando has done well as a team, but the season is not over.  We have a lot of work to do.  Personally, I ran a sub-16 minute 5K at the Wendy's Invitational so I have achieved that one. I wasn't really expecting to do that this year.

scrunners.com: Running near the top for Wando's team with Josh Fitts and having Eric Powers and Cam Montgomery not running due to injury, how has your role changed and were you expecting this?

tyler: I knew I had to be one of the guys to step it up if we had a chance to win it again. We knew Josh was going to be there but everyone else had to step it up too.  Ethan Ruckel, Thomas Briggs, Will James, and Taylor Mularkey have done great too helping to fill a big hole when those guys got injured.

scrunners.com: How did you adapt? 

tyler: I just trained really hard and we all made a commitment to try to keep up with Josh this year.

scrunners.com: Have you had any challenges this season?

tyler: We started the season without two of our best runners, and we had already lost Steven Wilson to graduation from last year, so we knew we had a challenge but we

still won the Coaches Classic at the beginning of the season.

scrunners.com: Have you ever been injured? How did you maintain your level of shape at this time and motivation?

tyler: I have really never been injured in track or cross country other than the normal stuff.  I stretch really well before I run and occasionally take ice baths after a race. I got sick last summer after cross country camp in Florida so that slowed me down a little before the season started.

scrunners.com: What keeps you motivated on a daily basis for running and life?

tyler: Josh Fitts, our captain, has done a good job keeping us motivated throughout the season and reminding us of what our goals are.  Running helps teach me about dedication and commitment.

scrunners.com: Do you prefer track or cross country, please explain.

tyler: I actually like track better because it is a quicker race and the training is a little different.  I ran the 800 meters and the mile last year, but I'll probably do the two-mile some this year.

scrunners.com: What are you looking forward to this upcoming track season?

tyler: I still have three more track seasons to go so I have a lot of running to do yet.  Last track season, we finished runner-up to Dorman at the state meet with only six athletes. I really want to improve my 800 and mile times this year. I hope that Wando can win a state championship in track before I graduate.

scrunners.com: Running in the Lower State, how do you adapt to hillier courses, such as Sandhills?

tyler: During the summer and even during the season, we will do mile repeats up and down the Cooper River Bridge, so we get practice with hills pretty often.  We also run on the beach in the sand so that helps too.

scrunners.com: What course do you prefer in the state and out of state?

tyler: I prefer Sandhills in the state, and I like McAlpine Park for out of state, which is where I ran my personal record this year

scrunners.com: Have you met a professional athlete? If so, what did you talk to this person about?

tyler: I used to go to the Anthony Johnson's basketball camp on the Isle of Palms.  He is from Charleston and plays in the NBA.  We usually just talk about basketball stuff, but he is great with kids.

scrunners.com: Two weeks left in the season, how will your training continue until the state meet?

 tyler: We'll continue to train as much as possible but we probably won't run as many long runs right before state.

scrunners.com: Defending champions,  how do you concentrate on the 2008 season?

tyler: Coach (Harold) Fallis and the other coaches have really preached to us about what it is going to take to win it again and keeping us grounded.  We know it won't be easy.  We are just trying to get better with every race.

scrunners.com: What do you think of the competition as the season nears state?

tyler: There are a bunch of really good teams in the state this year.  Dorman, Summerville, Ridge View, and Spring Valley all have a lot of fast runners. So it will be wide-open. I'm sure there are others too. There are also a lot of other good individual runners too that will be at the top.

scrunners.com: What do you think of the new qualifying system for Class AAAA?

tyler: I'm not really sure what to think about it since we haven't tried it for cross country.  Track does it like that, with a lower state and an upper state. It will put less runners in the final state meet so I guess that could be a good thing.

scrunners.com: After the regular season concludes, do you plan to run any post season meets, please explain.

tyler: I plan to run the Jr. Olympic program with the Mount Pleasant Track Club and also the Foot Locker South Championships in Charlotte. Then I'll take some time off before track season starts.

scrunners.com: How would you say you have grown as a runner?

tyler: I think I am more aware of what it takes to be competitive in a race and how to prepare for a race now more than i did last year.  Also, I try to eat right, and do all the other little things that make a difference.

scrunners.com: What do you see yourself achieving academically and athletically prior to graduation?

tyler: So far, I have been able to keep my grades up. Every year, I'm sure I'll have to study more to maintain a good enough GPA to get into a good college.  As for athletically, I just want to keep improving my times through the next three years and hope the team can continue to go well at track and cross country.

scrunners.com: If there was one thing you would want to say to your coach, what would it be?

tyler: Thanks for believing in us, supporting us, and being there for us.

scrunners.com: What have you seen change with the sport in South Carolina during time in the sport?

tyler: It seems like every year, the competition get faster and the teams get deeper.  I see junior varsity runners for some teams that could be on varsity.  I expect the competition to get better year after year.

scrunners.com:  What do you think it takes to be a cross country and distance runner?

tyler: Hard work, dedication, and guts.

scrunners.com: Who has been your biggest individual and team rival? Please explain.

tyler: I don't really have an individual rival yet.  I guess our biggest team rival would be Summerville since they are so close to Mt. Pleasant, but we are good friends with most of them and they are a great bunch of guys.

scrunners.com:  Do you have any team or individual traditions prior to a race?

tyler: Our team always eats a team meal the night before every race.  We also usually do a team chant in the middle of the field before every race starts.  As for me personally, I wear the same pair of socks for every race...they do get washed though.

scrunners.com: If there there is one thing in the world you could do, what would it be and why? 

tyler: That's a tough question.  To be honest, concerning sports, I would like to visit London for the 2012 Summer Olympics...to watch track and field, basketball, swimming....I don't think U.S.A. track did as well as they wanted last summer and they need to redeem themselves a little. That would be fun to watch.