During the off-season TeamO.com will be conducting interviews monthly with PHS track athletes. We kick off September and the school year with Kanwar Dhaliwal, school record holder in the 1600m and 3200m runs, three time national qualifier, and National Medalist in the 5K during the Summer of 2008. Kanwar is currently a senior at Pitman High School and is our #1 runner on the PHS Cross Country team.

TeamO.com: How did you get started in distance running?
KD: I thought I was going to be a football player in high school. Everyday I would go play catch with my brother Tej, he would have me sprint out and catch the ball and jog back. We did this for like an hour each day. I spent a couple weeks of the summer of my freshmen year going to football workouts, but distance running was my thing from junior high.

TeamO.com: When did you first start to realize you had a talent for running?
KD: Junior high when I broke 6 minutes in the mile.

TeamO.com: What other sports have you played besides cross country and track and field?
KD: Wall Ball!

TeamO.com: Did you have any mentors or runners that you looked up to as a Freshman?
KD: Eric Bond, Frank Sanders and Joe Perry. I learned to work hard from Joe Perry, he was definitely an influence.

TeamO.com: Tell us a little about your summer training, during the month of August.
KD: I worked out with Coach Jaydeep Bhatia, who is now running at Stanislaus. Every morning we met to run at 8am, along with other PHS runners.

TeamO.com: How is the team looking so far?
KD: Pretty good. A lot of my teammates have been sick the past week or so, but we have had a two weeks bye from CCC competition. We'll be back.

TeamO.com: Who is going to be the top competition for your team in your league?
KD: Buhach Colony and Los Banos are tough. Pedro Osorino from Atwater and Lucas Velasquez from Los Banos are two of the top runners.

TeamO.com: Can you tell us a little about your coaches and how he has helped you become the runner you are today.
KD: Coach Moren has taken me places to run, and has even saved my life a couple of times.

TeamO.com: What do you consider the primary workouts during track that give you the most confidence before you step on the track to compete? What is your typical weekly mileage?
KD: "Vern's Workout" which is pretty much repeat 800's. Milage right now during the season is about 20 miles with the team and about 20 miles on my own. In August we were at around 20-25 miles a week with Coach JD.

TeamO.com: You've been on 3 trips with the Team Olympians, Spokane, Kansas and North Carolina. Which was your favorite trip and why?
KD: I would have to say North Carolina. We were there for a week, lots of people, lots of jokes. Nick Jackson was there. I remember in Kansas during the race one runner gave up and lay on the ground in the middle of the course. People were hurdling him, that was a memory.

TeamO.com: You took 8th place to score a medal in the North Carolina 5K, How did it feel being up on the medal stand?
KD: Amazing, I thought I wasn't going to make it... but I did it.

TeamO.com: Worst stopover airport?
KD: Boise Airport in Idaho, because we didn't leave the plane and the plane was not a jet but was a propellor plane.

TeamO.com: Best fast food restaurant to not yet make it to California?
KD: Bojangles!

TeamO.com: What advice would you give to other distance runners who are just starting out in the sport and want to get better?
KD: Run, Run and Run.

TeamO.com: Pick one freshmen or Sophomore coming up that you think has the best shot to erase one of your school records.
KD: I think that Dillon Tennison has the work ethic to be there in a couple of years.

TeamO.com: Anything else you would like to add.
KD: The Boy's JV Cross Country runners need to quit taking their shirts off before they run.

Fast and Furious, the Final 10 Questions:
1) Star Wars or Star Trek?
KD: Star Wars

2) Frank Sanders or Polly Gnepa?
KD: Frank

3) M&M's or Skittles?
KD: Skittles

4) Bloody Nose or Allergic Reaction?
KD: Allergic Reaction

5) 4x100 or 4x400?
KD: 4x4

6) MySpace or Facebook?
KD: MySpace

7) 1600m or 3200m?
KD: 3200m

8) Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter?
KD: HARRY POTTER!

9) Karli or Ashley?
KD: KASHLI

10) Sleep or Run?
KD: Run, Then Sleep

TeamO.com: You can pick any 5 people in the Pitman community to have dinner with, athletes, students, teachers and/or coaches from the present or the past. Who are they?
KD: Kiran (my sister), Mr. Avey, Jaydeep Bhatia, Joe Perry, and... Verne Thornburg