Name: Tyler Dinkel
School: Juab
What was your most memorable race/throw/jump/vault/moment?
One moment I'll never forget is the first time I broke into the 16's in the 5K. I remember going into region my sophomore year with a pr of 17:20 and barely being ranked in the top 5. Once the gun went off I attached myself to the first place guy and held on to the guy's hip not letting him get more than an arm length away from me. One thing I'll never forget is how loud the cheering was going into the last 400; it felt like everyone there was lined up and cheering. Going into the last 100 the guy out kicked me but after looking up at the clock and seeing 16:45 I wasn't disappointed that I lost.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
My biggest competition would have to be my brother. Even though we never raced because he is 10 year older than me I had his times to push me. We always give each a hard time about who ran a faster time in different events.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment was taking 3rd at State last year in the 4x4. Going into state we were definitely the underdog. No one knew who we were, but going into the final lap with a lead on 2 of the fast 400 runners in Utah definitely shocked a lot of people.
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
I wouldn't change my training or how I raced but the one thing I would go back and change would be to not put so much pressure on myself.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
The hardest thing for me to overcome was the mental side of running. My Jr year was super tough for me because up until then it didn't take much effort to PR so when my times weren't dropping I started to doubt myself.
What will you miss the most?
The one thing I'll miss most is my team. I'm going to miss seeing them everyday at practice and those long bus rides together. The thing I love most about my team is we push each other to be the best we can and are still best friends when it's over.
What advice would you give to younger athletes?
The most important advice I can give them is to enjoy every minute of it. There are going to be times when it sucks but just push through it so when it's all over you can be proud of what you accomplished.
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
My coaches are a big part of who I am on and off the track. One great thing about my coaches is they have confidence in me even when I don't have confidence in myself.
What are your college plans?
I've decided to take 2 years off to go serve a mission but I'm hoping to walk on somewhere when I get home.
Who would you like to say 'thank you' to?
I would like to say thank you to my parents for never missing a race and for being my biggest fans. I would also like to thank all my coaches for showing up every day to push me to be the best runner I could be.
