A.J.: Thank you, it was an honor to be named the High School Paralympic Male Athlete of Year.
OhioMileSplit: It looks like you ran 100 and
200 Prelims. Is there a concern in
running the number of events that you run, that you will not be able to perform
to a maximum level on an event such as the 400? The 100, 200, 400 triple is
difficult? I have to ask the
question: What could you run if your
concentration were only on the 400 in a major event?
A.J.: Yes, the 100 and 200 both had prelims. Luckily for me though, at the Adult Nationals, the Track events are spread out, each on a different day. So e.g . , Monday would be 200 prelims in the morning and 200 finals in evening. Tuesday, the 100 prelim was in the morning and the 100 finals in evening....but by the time we get to the 400, which is the last day of competition, I am slightly tired. I don’t know that I could have run a much better time that race, maybe by a tenth or two.
OhioMileSplit: Going into the finals were you aware of David Prince? What was your race strategy? Break the race down for us start, 1st 100, 2nd 100, 3rd 100 and last 100?
A.J.: Before the race, yes I was aware of David. The great thing in the Paralympic events is that everybody knows each other and everyone is friends. So everyone knows who is in each race and what they are capable of. Before the race, I knew I had a shot of taking first, but knew it was only a shot as I knew it was a very good field of racers. I also knew the two other top guys, Hunter Woodhall and David Prince and that we had all run about the same times.
My pre-race strategy was to try and stay relaxed, but still fast in the first 200. I wanted to stay within striking distance. That day the wind was at our back during the second 100 on the backstretch and a headwind during the last 100. I didn't want to go out too fast for fear I’d die in the last 100.
OhioMileSplit: Does winning a major championship such as this change your perspective on what event you will concentrate on in Paralympic events and in running for Ostego this indoor and outdoor track season?
A.J.: To be honest it doesn't change what I will run. I have known all along that the 400 is my best race. In the Paralympic meets, you run everything with everyone. I was 3rd in the 200 and 4th in the 100 at the Nationals, so I’m close in those races too. And, for the school season with Otsego, I run whatever the coach needs me in. Whatever will score for the team the most points. My guess is I will be doing the 400, 200, 4x200 and 4x400. Both of relay our relay teams, in their own right, have a shot to make Regionals and even State. As a Junior I am confident that my coach will run me in the best events and if I improve the way I anticipate, we'll make the decision to run the best race for us as a team to qualify for Regionals and hopefully State and for me to qualify to Regionals and State.
OhioMileSplit: You were born with congenital Bilateral Fibula Hemimelia, which is absence of the fibula bone in both legs. Both of your feet did not form correctly either (which is typical for this condition), one had 2 toes and one had 3, and the one with 3 was turned the wrong way. So at 10 months of age, both of your feet were amputated and at 1 you received your first set of prosthetic feet. As you grew, you developed a love for sports and participated with able bodied athletes in baseball, basketball, football, regular hockey, sled hockey and track & field. Over the years many of our elite runners have come out of many other sports, as they found success in Track & Field and Cross Country. With your success on the track, and as you go through your Junior and Senior years in HS, do you think that your concentration will be toward the track which one thinks may hold the best opportunities for you?
A.J.: I do believe my focus is on Track and Sled Hockey. I play football too because I love the sport so much. I have already dropped basketball and baseball and even football next year is questionable for fear of getting hurt, but football is my favorite sport and I want to play so we are exploring all the options at this point and not counting anything out.
OhioMileSplit: Let’s talk a little about your prosthetics. Tell me about them? How are they fitted? How do they work for you? Are they uncomfortable to run in? Do you get blisters, just like an able bodied athlete on their feet? What are the concerns in wearing them? Do they put any more stress on the hamstrings and quads than an able bodied athlete would have? Just tell me as much as you can about wearing them?
A.J.: Well, the prosthetics are fitted to me. So they are as close to comfortable as you can probably get but they are never truly comfortable. And yes, sometimes I do get blisters. I even get them from walking long distances. I do not believe that the prosthetics directly put more stress on anything muscle related. But when I run my calves don’t get much running load, so my thighs and hamstrings are stressed more, but it’s not terrible.
OhioMileSplit: You received your first set
of test sockets with running blades just prior to the start of 7th
grade. What was that first running
experience like? What was your thought
process as you put them on the first time and ran? Can you describe the feeling that you had at
that time?
A.J.: The first time I was able to run was incredible. I had to start at a jog and transition into a run because it is different than the walking legs I had used my whole life. But I felt 100% able bodied and felt free.
OhioMileSplit: How would you describe AJ as a runner?
A.J.: I am a hard worker and very competitive. I want to win. And I work my butt of to get where I am today.
OhioMileSplit: What motivates you as a runner?
A.J.: Just my natural competitiveness and the future of a Paralympic gold medal motivates me.
OhioMileSplit: You train with the able bodied runners and your teammates at Ostego, are there any concessions that have to be made for you in terms of training or warm up or competition?
A.J.: I really do not have any differences compared to able bodies in terms of warm ups and work outs. I do basically everything everyone else does.
OhioMileSplit: With the running blades do you start in blocks?
A.J.: Yes I start in blocks.
OhioMileSplit: Are you doing any weight training? If so, what type?
A.J.: I do weight training with the school football team, just the same as everyone else! Quads, hamstrings and upper body.
OhioMileSplit: The 400 requires very good speed. You have good speed and today we see many sprinters moving to the 400 and even to the 800. The 400 also requires strength and endurance. We see many 800 and even 1600 runners moving down at times to the 400. Where and what type of endurance training are you able to do?
A.J.: I am physically able to do any type of training, but as a sprinter, we don’t do much distance work. A lot of sprinting is leg speed and distance works on a slower leg speed. But I do 800's and an occasional fast mile.
OhioMileSplit: Have you considered running
an 800 or a 1600?
A.J.: I have considered it before, but the sprints are my best events. And, the Paralympics donot have the 800 or 1600 for my category (t43/t44, double and single below knee amputee's).
OhioMileSplit: You ran 56.68 as a freshman. You ran a 54 early last season and a 53 later in the year. Most of your concentration in however was on the 200 and in relays until after the end of the school year when you ran a 52.03 in a Paralympic race. As far as rankings this year, your 51.58 puts you at 28th in the State for all returners and 3rd in the State for D3 returners. What were your goals as a runner you first year and what would you attribute your drop in times last year in the 400 too?
A.J.: My
goals my first year were more along the lines of just competing well and going
to the National Juniors, setting a benchmark, and getting my name out into the
world. The drop in my 400 times came from a lot of hard work and training my endurance to be able to sprint the entire race.
OhioMileSplit: How much have your goals changed from that first year to now?
A.J.: My goals now are to make the 2016 Paralympics in Rio De Janeiro and to medal. I have already accomplished one of my goals, which was to be a national champion. I want to defend my championship and my next goals are to make team USA for the World Championships and Para Pans.
OhioMileSplit: Is there a difference in terms of your sprint than an able bodied sprinter? Most sprinters are up on there toes in a sprint What would the difference be and where does your speed come from? You must have very good arm drive and body position too.
A.J.: I definitely have to have a good arm drive. Also, a good core is key, but most of my power comes from getting a high knee lift and throwing my leg towards the ground.
OhioMileSplit: What are your goals this year in terms of an being an Ohio High School Athlete? What are your expectations? What are your post season goals and expectations?
A.J.: Right now my high school goals are to be a League Champion, to help take one of the relay teams to state and to make State myself individually.
OhioMileSplit: A.J., thank you for your time. We will be watching for you in the 400 this year and will look forward to you making it to State and running in Jesse Owens Stadium.