Avery Bartlett earned an automatic qualifier to the Dream Mile after winning Golden South. We caught up with the Georgia Tech signee to talk about the upcoming meet in NYC, his training, and more.
Three weeks ago you ran in your first Golden South Classic. What was that experience like winning and punching your ticket to the Dream Mile?
Obviously qualifying to the Dream Mile was my main goal when I raced at Golden South, and I knew the competition i was facing was not going to be a jog. I ended up winning by .02 seconds and I am very thankful for it. Winning it basically boosted my confidence to the "national level" and just made me genuinely thankful to have this opportunity to finish my high school career with hopefully a good memory and experience.
Was the Dream Mile a race you had on your radar most of the season?
The Dream Mile was on my radar at the beginning of the season for sure, but it wasn't like a solid goal for me. My focus was on scoring the most points at state and doing well there. Then I got injured and then the Dream Mile fell off my radar and my focus was only on getting better and not letting my team down when I return. It really only got back on my radar when I did well in the mile at state and saw myself being able to get there at Golden South.
You are actually the second Chiles runner to ever compete in the Dream Mile. Lily Williams ran in 2012 and was sixth. Have you had a chance to talk to her at all?
Lily was a senior when I was a freshman and I would say that we got to be good friends. I remember the live stream of Golden South and the Dream Mile itself and that was exiting. I never thought I would be here as a freshman.
Coach Gowan has coached both of you and he's also gone with Carmen Carlos when she qualified for the Dream Mile in 2013. What has he said to you about this race?
He tells me that everyone there is a state champion and the best of the best, and that I have earned the right to be there.
Another familiar name Sukhi khosla, who you beat to win the 1600 title, was there last year with a lot of hype around him. Have you had a chance to pick his brain at all?
I have talked to Suhki a bit about it and he wants me to do well and not make his mistakes. He tells me that since it will be my first real national level race that I will probably get some nerves, and that they build up the race in the way while you are there that it is really easy for your nerves to get the best of you. Basically he wants me to keep a calm because there is not much room for error.
One thing I notice when you run is your always confident. People had Sukhi Khosla (defending champion) winning the 1600, people picked Conner Mantz, at Golden South. Do the "big names" intimidate you or is that dark horse kind of a role you embrace?
The term "dream-killer" has been thrown my way a bit and I sort of live up to. I mean big names and what times they have run don't really bother me because I always make sure to look at where and when those times were ran and where I think they are in their peak. Both Conner and Suhki's big times have been ran far enough from when I raced them that I still thought I had a chance. Obviously I respect both of them and I probably am not going to beat either of them every time we race. I would also say I am a better runner regarding place rather than time. I would not have run the times I would have without the competition they bring.
What kind of workouts have you been doing this week leading up to Dream Mile?
We have been doing a variety of stuff preparing me for several aspects of the race. We have been doing longer workouts with less rest training me like a two miler and shorter stuff with a lot of rest training me like an 800 runner. The workouts are more intense, so I am given two days of rest rather than one.
What is the game plan for Saturday with guys like Grant Fisher and others in the field?
Well with big names like that it is a bit intimidating, but I have to realize that I am better than I was at Golden South and deserve to run with these guys. There is nothing real strategical I am thinking going into this race. I know it is going to be fast and it will be like no race I have ever been in before. I am excited.
What are you looking forward to about the whole experience?
Off the track I was told it is like everything I expect, but more. Obviously I am excited for what I get off the track and I don't think I need to elaborate on that.
Do you have any more postseason plans after Saturday?
I will be running the 800 at New Balance Nationals since I have not had a good chance this year to tear it up in that race. Then I will take a break and shift gears to my training for Georgia Tech.
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