Indiana State's Kylie Hutson is looking to finish up her senior year of college the exact same way that she finished her junior year, by winning the NCAA indoor pole vault title, followed by the outdoor title as well. Hutson is carrying a 14 foot, 5 ¼ inch personal-best leap and already has one U.S. Olympic Trials under her belt. Let's see what 2010 has in store for her and if she can go back-to-back-to-back-to-back!

How was practice today?

Practice was good. Well, I've actually been trying to get over a hamstring and a quad injury right now. I've been rehabbing a lot in the training room. I took a couple of jumps today, but I'm not competing yet this early in the season.

What's your rehab consist of?

Well, let's see...I came in today and did a quick warm-up on the bike. I rolled my legs out with a foam roller and got stretched out. Then I was able to do my form drills and pole vaulting drills. I took two jumps. Then I was back in the training room and did leg exercises for my quad and my hamstring and then I went to the weight room for upper body and core stuff that I need to do. Then I was back in the training room to get a massage on both of my hamstrings and my quad...and stretched out and iced.

How close to a 100-percent recovery are you?

I'm probably about 70% right now. Hopefully I'll be around 90-95% for Saturday, so I can actually jump. We're supposed to be jumping this week in practice, so I'm hoping to get five to eight jumps in practice. I'm definitely working hard in the weight room and training room to get to where I have been.

So, how does a three-peat and four-peat sound when you get back to where you want to be?

That would be amazing! It would be amazing feat to do. I'm just trying not to put a lot of pressure on myself, so I can actually jump and do well and have fun. That would be great!

Do you find it easier to compete indoor?

Yep. I prefer indoor better...just because of the weather conditions; the wind and the rain and the cold. Indoor is definitely more fun for me.

Do you have a new height goal in mind for 2010?

For indoor, I'm just trying to jump high. For a goal...I have about 14-7ish. That's about what I want to jump for indoor. Then outdoor, I want the same thing. It all depends on my training and how things are going.

Did you see that you're on the Bowerman Watch List for 2010?

Yeah, I saw that last week. I didn't even really know what it was until my coach explained it to me and I thought it was really cool. It's a big honor to be on something like that, to be with the best athletes in the NCAA right now.

As far as long-term goals, what are you looking to accomplish with your pole vaulting career?

I am looking to do the three-peat and four-peat. Indoor and outdoor. Then I'm just going to keep continuing training for a while. At least until 2012...then I'll probably still keep chasing it after that too. I'm hoping to make one of the World teams.

It was a year and a half ago, but you do mind sharing your 2008 Olympic Trials experience?

I was just trying to get my feet wet, like you said. It was so different to me; the biggest competition I had ever been in...in my life with any sport. I was in awe of all the amazing athletes around me. I wanted to go up and ask people for their autographs. I thought that I'd better not do that because I was actually competing with them. It was just a great experience.

Who are the pole vaulters that you look up to?

I definitely look up to Jenn Stuczynski because she's definitely the second-best pole vaulter of all time. And she's the American Record holder. I also look up to Stacey Dragila...just because she was one of the first women pole vaulters. I guess those are my two biggest idols from the pole vaulting world.

You were a diver in high school and now you're jumping almost 15 feet in the air upside down. Is there a crazy element to the way you carry yourself? Do you bungee jump as well?

And I was a gymnast way back when! I would love to go bungee jumping and sky diving and do all those crazy things. I'm an avid mountain biker in the summers and love going kayaking and doing extreme sports. You've got to have that kind of mind state as well...when you're flying 14 feet in the air. You've got to have control over your body, too!

How did you get into pole vaulting in the first place?

My high school coach told me to either run the 400 or try pole vaulting. I was like, “give me that stick. I'll try pole vaulting!” It just went on from there. I was actually coming to Indiana State to be a multi-eventer. I had too many injuries over the summer before college and I didn't really do much. I just got into pole vaulting my freshman year. My first meet, I upped my PR by almost a foot and decided to stick with it. And I love it, too! I enjoy going to practice every, single day.

You did long jump in high school. Have you done that since coming to college?

I was the school record holder in high school. I jumped 18-3 ¼. I really liked long jumping. The only thing I hated was the sand.

Not a big fan of how messy it was? Not a beach person?

I'm a beach person! I just don't like sand in my shoes and on my uniform.

I think I know the answer to this question, but how do you think the NFL season will turn out this year?

The Colts will definitely win! I love watching the Colts!

I know student-athletes don't get much free time, but, when you do, what do you do for fun?

I like to go see movies. I'm an avid movie watcher. I like to hang out with my friends and we've gotten into this game called Mad Gab. We play that a lot. It's a game where they have these different sayings on the card. You have to say them really fast and try to guess the actual saying. Have you ever played it before.

No, mam.

It's a lot of fun! We just bought one a few weeks ago when we got back from break. We've been playing it a lot lately!

If you could have one meal, prepared by anyone, what would you have and who would make it?

Oh, man. I'd have to say: mash potatoes and noodles from my mom.

And what are you studying at Indiana State?

Exercise science. I want to go into cardiac rehab. It basically consists of: if someone has a major heart surgery, I do their rehabilitation on treadmills and do different cardio exercises to get them to get back into shape and walking again.

As a senior, who has seen a lot of success, are you looking into going into grad school or are you looking to pursue a pro career as a pole vaulter? What's the next step for you?

Well, my next step, when I get done this next semester, I have to do an internship for my major...in order to graduate. I'll be done with classes, but I'll have to do that internship. After that, I do not want to go to grad school. I'm pretty sick of school right now. I'm going to the professional thing and hopefully get a good job at a hospital, hopefully close to where I'm going to be training.

Can you give me a crazy story that's happened to you because of track and field?

We've gotten lost before! (Laughs) We go over to Eastern Illinois, which is only like an hour away. We take these small buses. Like two or three small buses. Sometimes the coaches compete to see who gets there first. We tried to go on a shortcut one time and ended up getting lost because it was snowing a lot that day. Out in the middle of nowhere. It ended up taking us an hour and half or two hours to get there...instead of just one.

About the Running Warehouse:

My KWIK-Es are sponsored by runningwarehouse.com, located on the California coast in the small community of San Luis Obispo. The folks over there include one of the owners, Joe Rubio, a two hour, 18 minute marathoner and current head coach of the Asics Aggie RC. Jonathan Spiros oversees footwear buying and served many years as assistant coach at College Park High School helping Lindsay Allen. Erik Dube is in charge of accessories and helps with footwear buying. Erik has finished the Western States 100-Mile Race several times and was assistant coach at San Ramon Valley High School helping Scott Bauhs through high school. Erik’s wife, Tera, is in charge of customer service and is an ultra marathoner and former track star at Campolindo High School, where her brother Chuck Woolridge is currently head coach. Kara June handles web content. Kara was 6th at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the steeplechase. Kara was also third overall at Last Fall’s USATF Club Cross Country Championships. The entire online and phone customer service representative staff at the Running Warehouse, including the staff listed above, have spent considerable time working the retail floor. This, along with the coaching and personal athletic experience, enables the company to have a unique perspective of understanding the needs of every level of runner from beginner to All-American. Check them out when you get a chance!