Interview with UVa Track and Field Athlete DeJon Mayo
I sat down with UVa track and field athlete DeJon Mayo to ask him a few questions about UVa’s track season and his experience at UVa. Let’s get it.
Q: What’s your name, year, major, and where are you from?
A: I’m DeJon Mayo, a 3rd year from Roanoke, VA and I’m double majoring in Psychology and Sociology
Q: What events do you compete in?
A: I’m a horizontal jumper, but I mainly compete in the triple jump
Q: How has Covid affected your ability to train etc.?
A: We have these Gator masks that we wear throughout practice…. The coaches do a good job in making sure we stay on it. On place where it does suck for me I will say, is that we have to keep our mask on the entire time during lift because we all use the same weight room. It can be tough because we only have 40 minutes to an hour to get in our workout. If you’re lifting well, breathing is a big part of it so if it’s harder for you to get that oxygen for that lift, it kind of limits what you can do just a little bit. All in all, its better than no lift at all.
He also alluded that they could remove their masks in a safe area if they got out of breath during practice etc., but for the most part, it sounds like UVa track has been very effective in their methods to contain the virus during the pandemic.
Q: Thoughts on Virginia Tech?
A: Well first, F*** Tech. You know Roanoke, VA is only 40-45 minutes away, so you know like my high school it was the thing to go to Virginia Tech. I knew I didn’t necessarily want to go there….
Q: As far as your training playlist is concerned, what are a few of your go to artists or songs?
A: So, it’s different we go to our indoor practice facility and sometimes I’ll get aux because generally speaking, everyone likes the music that I play. Typically, I like to listen to Drake, Juice WRLD, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Wayne, DaBaby, and other popular stuff people can get hype to.
Q: Go to alcohol?
A: Capriccio
Q: So, you do jumps, how does an unathletic guy like me improve my jumping ability?
A: To increase your overall vertical leap, depending on body type that might mean first slimming up. And then lifting, like some different types of cross-training. So, lots of box jumps lots of lunges, then active movements and being in environments where it requires you to always be on the balls of your feet that builds your calf muscles up a little bit more. Also, the strength in your feet will really help you propel upward. A lot of people don’t know how to use their arms to swing up to get more momentum.
Q: You alluded to the fact that you don’t always jump from a deep squat motion, how important are squats actually in your training regimen for jumps and what’s your max looking like nowadays?
A: We don’t necessarily focus much on max. Max days are few and far between. For me, I wouldn’t even say I would know what my max would be. But today, I did do back squat for lift and I did 200 for 8 reps which is not crazy, but it’s good for me because I’ve been dealing with a hamstring injury for quite some time. I’m not the biggest dude, I’m 5’11”, 155 lbs. so if I can do 8 reps of 200, maybe that puts me in the 270 or 280 range for max. It’s an important exercise, not the most important, but it’s important.
Q: Favorite late-night food joint in C-Ville?
A: I’m more of a chain restaurant guy. I want to do more going out to different places and trying different things but right now especially with Covid, I’m trying to limit my exposures as much as possible. One place that does come to mind is Armando’s they have really good food. So, if I had to pick one that’s it.
Q: Anything else you would like to add in general?
A: We have high hopes in the ACC this season, looking forward to it.
Even though I highly doubt I will be able to jump as high or far as DeJon, my chicken legs are begging me to take some of his workout advice. Since the interview, UVa’s indoor track season has started which is great because there was some uncertainty about whether indoor was going to happen this year or not. We’re wishing the best of luck to DeJon and UVa track and field this year. Go Hoos!