Jacob Carey is swiftly running to the finish line of his high school years, but not before leaving his mark with the fastest mile time Santa Ynez High School has witnessed. The 6-foot-tall track and field/cross-country athlete is currently competing in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoffs, and is looking forward to heading off to college with a scholarship next year.
Carey joined the team midway through his sophomore year, assistant coach David Jackson said. Since then, he’s competed in three seasons of track and field and two seasons of cross country. What he’s accomplished within that time is “monumental,” according to Jackson: running a mile in 4 minutes and 18 seconds at the Santa Barbara County Championships, where he came in second. Carey’s efforts also helped his team win the Los Padres League title; he won the mile, half-mile, and two-mile events. During the cross-country season, he helped the team in qualifying for the state championships.
“This is a sport where the best typically have a lot of background in the sport, and need a lot of time,” Jackson said. “For what he’s done so far, I think it’s a great indication of where he’s going to go in the future.”
All of his achievements led to earning a scholarship from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn., where he’ll study mechanical engineering while continuing to compete as an athlete.
“He signed the scholarship deal months ago, so he’s able to race without the pressure of trying to impress college coaches,” Jackson explained.
Carey, also a former basketball player, enjoys the family-like environment of the team and is dedicated to staying consistent in his game. The team meets Monday through Saturday for practice, along with a quick run on Sundays.
“It made me more disciplined,” Carey said of the sport. “It takes a lot to get up and run every day.”
Leading up to a track meet, the 18-year-old stays away from red meat for the sake of digestion and goes for light jogs to warm up. This helps him be at his full potential for his favorite event: the mile.
“My personal record of a mile last year was around 4:37,” Carey said. “This year I went down to 4:28, and then 4:18.”
Aside from running, Carey is passionate about collecting, building, and working with model trains in his spare time. He’s been working with hot rods since he was little, and is excited to begin his engineering studies in college.
This article appears in May 23-30, 2013.
