Interview with indoor CA state meet 55m. Hurdles champion, Misana Viltz

Millikan HS hurdler, Misana Viltz, won the 55m. Hurdle race at the CA state indoor meet in 7.36 in mid February.  He was able to overturn the results of last year's CA state outdoor meet as he defeated dending state 110m. Hurdle champion, Marquis Morris of De La Salle HS who finished in 2nd place (7.45).  Misana has stepped out of his father's shadow in the past year.  His father Theo was a 1964 and 1965 All-American high jumper at USC as well as an NFL defensive back.  The younger Viltz qualified to the Southern Section Masters meet as a sophomore but just missed qualifying to the state meet by finishing in 7th place.  As a junior, Viltz finished in 3rd place at the SS Masters Meet and improved to 2nd place at the state meet.

1)  How did you get involved in Track and Field?  What different events have you done and when and how did you get started with the hurdles?
My dad competes in Masters track & field, and he would always take me and my sister with him to work out. He saw great potential in the both of us and soon we began to practice with him. I have been running track since I can remember and I have competed in a variety of different events: Long Jump, hurdles, 100m, 200m, 400m, and even the 1500m in club track. I got started in the hurdles when I was in around the fourth grade by my father who was a consecutive Pac 12 champion in the 110m hurdles.

2)  Tell us a little about your training in the off-season.  What do you to prepare for the outdoor track and field season?  Summer races?
Last summer after the state meet I competed at the Junior Olympics. After that I underwent a lot of conditioning work in order to prepare for this upcoming outdoor season. In the last couple months I ran in the indoor state meet as well as a few all-comers meets.

3)  How did the races go for you on Saturday?  Is there a difference hurdling indoors compared to hurdling outdoors?
The indoor state meet was definitely a lot of fun. Technique wise it was a very sloppy race for me but it was a good learning experience for me and I take what I learned in indoor use it to help me with my outdoor season. There is definitely a difference hurdling outdoor and indoor. In outdoor you can afford to have a bad start because you have a little more room to come back, but with indoor there is little to no room for mistakes and if you have a bad start its almost impossible to come back.

4)  What are your current PRs in both hurdle races?  What are your goals for this upcoming season?
Last season I ran a 13.97 in the 110m. hurdles and 38.85 in the 300m. hurdles. This year my goals are to run a 13.5 or below in the 110m. hurdles and a low 37 or high 36 in the 300m. hurdles.

5)  Looking ahead to the outdoor Track and Field season, what are the invitationals you are most looking forward to racing? 
I most enjoy racing at the Arcadia Invitational as well as the Mt. Sac invitational. I enjoy racing there because not only is their great competition, and a lot of great professional athletes to rub elbows with, but also I thinks its cool to be able to be with people who share your same passion for the sport as I do.

6)  Tell us a little about your coach and how he has helped you get to where you are today. 
I am coached by both my father and Coach John Hall.  I've been with John Hall since the beginning of my high school career when he saw the potential in me and together we were able to build on that until I became the hurdler that I am today.

7)  From your perspective, what are the keys to being a good hurdler?  During the season, how many days are you hurdling?  What kind of work are you doing in the weight room?  Favorite hurdle workouts?
The keys to being a good hurdler is definitely technique. Hurdling is like an art form and nobody is born being able to do it. It takes a lot of practice in order to get over the hurdles as smooth and as quick as possible. I am hurdling 2 times a week, both Tuesday and Thursday. I do various different lifts both upper and lower body. We also do Olympic lifts and even ropes. I don’t have a favorite hurdle workout but if I had to pick it would definitely be speed work for the 110 hurdles, coming out the blocks over 2 hurdles. Speed work is definitely al lot of fun and definitely more than conditioning! 

100 Meter Dash (Graph) 11.28
11.28 2014-03-08 Paramount Relays Invitational »
11.63 +0.2 2013-03-16 Long Beach Relays »
11.51 2012-05-02 Moore League Prelims & Finals »
11.67 2012-03-03 Paramont Relays »
110 Meter Hurdles (Graph) 13.97
14.30 2013-05-31 CIF State Track and Field Championship Prelims and Finals »
14.08 2013-05-31 CIF State Track and Field Championship Prelims and Finals »
14.23 +1.1 2013-05-24 CIF Southern Section Masters »
14.40 -0.2 2013-05-18 CIF Southern Section Finals »
14.45 +0.1 2013-05-11 CIF Southern Section Prelims »
14.04 +1.9 2013-04-18 Mt. SAC Relays »
13.97 2013-04-05 Arcadia Invitational »
14.95 +1.4 2012-05-25 CIF Southern Section Masters Meet »
14.85 +2.2 2012-05-12 CIF Southern Section Division 1 Prelims & Finals »
14.56 +3.1 2012-05-12 CIF Southern Section Division 1 Prelims & Finals »
14.92 2012-05-02 Moore League Prelims & Finals »
15.12 +1.0 2012-04-19 Mt. SAC Relays »
15.37 2012-04-14 Los Angeles County Championships »
14.96 2012-04-06 Arcadia Invitational »
15.18 +2.0 2012-03-23 California Relays »
15.01 +2.7 2012-03-23 California Relays »
300 Meter Hurdles (Graph) 39.81
39.81 2013-05-11 CIF Southern Section Prelims »
43.82 2012-04-14 Los Angeles County Championships »
43.67 2012-03-23 California Relays »
55 Meter Hurdles (Graph) 7.36
7.48 2014-02-17 California High School Indoor Invitational »
7.36 2014-02-17 California High School Indoor Invitational »
7.60 2013-02-18 California High School Indoor Invitational »
7.49 2013-02-18 California High School Indoor Invitational »
55 Meter Dash (Graph) 6.73
6.73 2014-02-17 California High School Indoor Invitational »