10 Questions With ... A.J. Biggins -- Men's Track and Field

We kick off Track and Field week with our first 10-question interview with Orange Coast College men's track and field sprinter, A.J. Biggins.

1. Tell us about your involvement with men's track and field. When did you get started? What is it about the sport you love so much and what was your path to OCC?

"Growing up, I was basically a soccer guy my whole life. When I was finished with soccer my senior year in high school, I needed to pick up another class in the spring and I didn't want to do PE, so I went out for track and I really fell in love with the sport. As for coming to Orange Coast, I knew one of the assistant coaches at OCC and he convinced me to come here and it's been great."

2. So you are a sprinter for the Pirates, competing in the 100 and 200. Take me through each race and tell me the biggest challenge with each one.

"I think the 200 is easier and a race I like a little more than the 100. In the 100, the race is so short that if you miss your start or burn out early you could ruin your whole race. With the 200, you have a little more time to recover from a slow start and it allows you to get back into the race. I started with the 100 and moved to the 200. I feel like the 200 is my race."

3. Take me through your mindset before the start of a race. I know athletes are creatures of habit so what is your pre-race ritual when it's your turn for your event.

"It's pretty crazy … there is this insane adrenaline rush which I fell in love with when it comes to the start of a race. Once I felt that, I really want to keep doing thing. You really have to be calm … The calmest runner will win the race. You try and keep out what the other runners are doing and simply run your race. If you focus on other runners, you won't do as well. When you're in the blocks, it feels like an hour down there, even though it's just a few seconds. You just clear your head and do what you prepared to do."

4. What do you think this sport has taught you … things that you've been able to carry over into your day-to-day life?

"A lot of self-discipline, especially during the pandemic. I've had to do lots of practice by myself and if I tell myself that I'm going to run five 200s and after three, it's easy to just call it quits, but it's during those last two runs where you learn the most about yourself. When life is at its hardest, that's when you have to really put in the work."

5. One thing that's for sure … track meets take FOREVER to complete! So how do you pass the time out there when you're not prepping for your races??

"I love hyping up my teammates and getting them pumped up for their race or event. I've become such a fan of the sport, I watch all of the events. I also compete in the 4x400 so I get a little rest after the 200 before I start gearing up for the relay. If I could pick a different event to try … I think the javelin would be fun. Watching the javelin in the air and watching it land perfectly in the ground … there's something really cool about that."

6. If I gave you a 24-hour pass from COVID and you could do anything that you used to do, what would it be?? What do you miss the most from this isolation??

"Either going to the movies or bowling … I was getting pretty good at bowling with my friends before the pandemic."

7. All kids like to eat … what are your favorite meals??
   1. Favorite food in general – "Chicken katsu from L&O barbecue."
   2. Favorite pre-race snack – "Kiwis are a great fruit snack. Or peanut butter toast with honey."
   3. Favorite post-race meal – "That depends on the schedule. If I can eat dirtier, Raisin Canes. If I need to eat better, then beef with rice."
8. When you're not on the track, what do you enjoy doing?? Any hobbies or interests???

"I've been mostly just working out and running, so not a ton of hobbies beyond that. I also enjoy reading Japanese comics too."

9. In this COVID world there has been a LOT of TV binge watching going on … what are some of your favorite shows you've been hooked on over the past several months?

"To be honest, I actually haven't been watching a lot of TV during the pandemic, although I've seen just about every UFC fight when they're on TV."

10. What are some of your plans after OCC?? Perhaps a career beyond track and field??

"Not sure as of yet. I'm open to just about everything that's out there. I really want to pursue a career that involves helping the environment. If I could pick a dream school to transfer to, it would be USC. I'm a big football fan and that would be a great place to watch the games!"