Athlete name: Hunter Jarvis
School: Thomas Sumter Academy
Year of graduation: 2016
Hobbies: Apart from track and field I enjoy; hunting, fishing, cross country, hanging out with friends, spending time with my family, going to school sporting events, and watching movies.
Best marks: 3200- 9:38 1600- 4:24 800- 1:58 400- 51.36

Running alone in the 3200 at Coaches Classic, how did you look at that race? 
Running alone, I knew I would have to get out on pace in the first 400 meters. Having no one to pace with I had to continue surging throughout every lap in order to stay on pace. Racing this 3200 alone gave me more confidence for future races where I may be taking the pace out. I was able to prove to myself that I am able to set and maintain a pace without others pushing me.

Do you have a favorite event, and why? 
Each event is different in its own way and bring with it its own challenges. Of the events that I focus on in track I would have to say that the mile and 1600 are my favorite events. These events are short enough that they involve a great deal of speed; however, they are still long enough to require great endurance and strategy.

How would you rate your performances so far this season? 
Based on my previous years times and performances, I am very pleased with how this season is going so far. It is nice to see my hard work of the winter pay off. My time progressions so far this season give me lots of hope for the remainder of the season, as well as my transition into the collegiate level.

Where do you see yourself going the rest of the season after this past weekend? 
I am hoping to compete in a few more invitationals around South Carolina like the Woodward Invitational at Heathwood Hall.

Three wins at Father Kelly, how did that help you prepare for Taco Bell Classic? 
Father Kelly is one of the larger invitational (public) meets I have participated in this season. Being able to compete in and win my three events gives me confidence in my endurance and strength going into Taco Bell which will be a much bigger meet and challenge.

How are you looking at competing this weekend at Taco Bell Classic? 
My goal for Taco Bell is to podium in my events. I am hoping and expecting to be seeded in a good position to reach this goal. 

Are you focusing on one event this weekend? 
My main focus is going to be on the mile. I am coming into this meet trying to podium in all three events, but the mile is what I'm hoping for the best time and finish in.

What are your post high school plans? 
After graduation I plan to take off some time to fully recover my body. The summer will be used for lots of base mileage training preparing me for collegiate running in the fall at Winthrop University.

What are your goals for the the rest of the season? 
My two main goals for this rest of this season are defending my SCISA State Championship titles and qualifying for Outdoor Nationals.

What do you remember the most from the 2015 season? 
My most memorable meet from 2015 was the SCISA Championships. It was my first time competing in a state championship track meet and it was an incredible experience.

How did winter training going? 
During the winter off season I focused on laying down lots of base mileage for my spring workouts. I reached my goal mileage and was very happy with how the winter went as a whole.

How long have you been competing in track and field and how did you get started? 
I began running track my freshman year of high school. I was encouraged to run track by my cross country coach Patrick Kelly as well as some of my teammates after my freshman cross country season ended.

Do you have a specific motivation? 
On the days that I don't feel like putting in the work, I always remind myself that someone is out there training while I am not.

How do you look at competition? 
I typically look at competition, specifically runners that have run faster than me in the past, as an opportunity to learn better race strategies and possibly break down mental barriers and run faster times.

Will you be competing out of state this season? 
My goal is to qualify for (New Balance) Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina.

Do you have a pre-event tradition? 
Before my events I typically go out alone and do a 10-15 minute warm-up run. Afterwards, I like to get on the infield to stretch, change into my spikes, and do strides.

What event strategy works best for you? 
I typically design my strategy around the specific race at hand. The distance of the race, competition in the race, and my goal time or placing all play a role in the way I plan out the race.

Do you have a technique that you prefer or have been trained to use?
I feel that I typically run and feel stronger when I go out right on pace of even slightly conservatively. Often times when I take the pace out too fast in the first part of the race I am not able to finish as strong.

What has been your biggest challenge in the sport? How did you overcome the challenge? 
My biggest challenge has been staying consistent and motivated during off-season training. Once I began to see my training start paying off in my racing I became more driven to work hard. I see training as an enjoyable experience now rather than a burden.

What (so far) is your favorite event in your high school career? 
One of my favorite events is the mile run at Taco Bell Classic. Ever since freshman year the mile at Taco Bell has been an opportunity for me to get into heats with lots of other runners who are running similar times to me. It is a great chance to not only get pushed to better times but also enjoy the thrill of more and better competition than is found at most other meets.

What team responsibilities do you have on and off the track? How do you handle the responsibilities? 
Being one of the two team captains I am responsible for making sure that my teammates are showing up to practice on time and putting in their best effort in the workouts and at the meets. Apart from this it is important for me to make sure that my teammates are doing well in school and don't have disciplinary problems. It is also important for me to be sure that I do all of these things as well.

What do you hope to achieve this weekend? 
I am hoping to podium and set new personal records in my three events. One of my main goals is to break 4:20 in the mile.

Favorite track and field memory? 
One of my favorite track and field memories is my first time at the Taco Bell Classic. I remember being in awe at the times that I saw the athletes running. I wanted to be able to compete like those runners did. This year I am hoping to make that a reality.

When you are not competing what is your favorite thing to do? 
When I am not competing I really enjoy hanging out with friends and training.

Favorite quote? 
"I'd made it this far and refused to give up because all my life I had always finished the race." -Louis Zamperini

Do you see yourself coaching in the future? 
I would love to get the opportunity to coach in the future. I would like to start as an assistant at first to see how it went. I am not sure at what level I would have the most expertise and success, but I am hoping to get the chance at some point. 

If there is one thing you could do in the world what would it be and why? 
I would love to have the chance to race at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon at some point in my college career. It has been a dream of mine for a while to race on that track because of the elite status that it typically takes, and because I admire and look up to Steve Prefontaine.