In advance of CIF-Southern Section Division 1 prelims this Saturday and finals on June 12, we caught up with Crescenta Valley senior Mia Barnett, the U.S. leader for 1600m (4:37.58), mile (4:39.41), and 3200m (9:52.23). Additionally, her 800m time (2:07.31) ranks CA No. 1 and U.S. No. 5.
Mia, who has signed with the University of Virginia, has rewritten the CA record books this spring. Her 800m time ranks CA No. 25 all-time, her 1600m time ranks CA No. 3 all-time, and her 3200m clocking ranks CA No. 4 all-time.
Her combined 1600-3200 time of 14:29.81 ranks No. 2 all-time in the MileSplit database. This MileSplit national article was posted before Barnett unexpectedly dropped her 4:37.58 at her league finals.
RUN OF SHOW
Intro
0:18 - How are you feeling?
0:35 - Mia elaborates on her spring track season
01:00 - Mia's current state- and national-leading marks
01:53 - How did that happen?
02:39 - On the difference of training at her new school (Mia transferred from private Village Christian to her home public school, Crescenta Valley, during Christmas break of 2019-2020, but was unable to compete for the Falcons until this spring because of both the CIF transfer sit-out period rule and then the COVID-19 shut down of the season mid-March of 2020).
04:38 - She elaborates on the running culture under coaches Mark and Rob Evans at Crescenta Valley
05:40 - We discuss the impact on the large-school team and how it has helped her growth
06:37 - Mia talks about competing in four events at the Pacific League Final
08:24 - Mia explains that how that 4:37.58 1600m at the league final happened
09:52 - How did she feel that last 100m of the 1600m?
10:32 - Her competition plans for the rest of the season
12:13 - Barnett elaborates on the uptick of attention she has had this spring
13:22 - We go over her race schedule so far this outdoor season
14:14 - How has her goals and approach to the season evolved this spring?
15:46 - What was the biggest surprise to her in training at CV from what she had done previously?
18:30 - Have your results this spring been surprising?
19:00 - What was the last time she was challenged in a race?
19:50 - What does she hope to achieve timewise going forward?
20:20 - What's her favorite distance?
21:20 - Specific time targets, ie, CA 1600m record of 4:33.65 set by Polly Plummer in 1982. (Note: There was an internet outage at 21:55 of this interview. There was about a 20-minute delay before we were able to resume.)
21:55 - Mia elaborates on the CA 1600m record as a target
22:29 - Goals for CIF-SS prelims and finals
23:10 - Mia elaborates on the coaching impact of Mark and Rob Evans
24:45 - What is she most proud of?
25:55 - What advice would she give her freshman self, as well as any freshman?
27:30 - Sign off.
Thank you, Mia Barnett, for your time and patience during our internet glitch.