Josh Farmer is set to represent the UC Irvine men's track & field team at the NCAA Championships next week. Josh will compete in the decathlon, June 9-10, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The San Diego native established an NCAA qualifying mark at the APU Franson Classic Multis back in April, where he won the decathlon with a personal-record 7,648 points. That performance ranks second in program history and earned him a No. 12 seed in the upcoming national championships.
 
The APU Franson Classic was Josh's first decathlon since 2019, and first as an Anteater. He transferred to UCI from Colorado prior to the 2019-20 season, which was canceled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a freshman with the Buffaloes, Josh had a podium finish (3rd) in the decathlon at the 2019 Pac-12 Championships.
 
It's no surprise Josh has already seen so much success in his track & field career as his father, Matt, was a Big West champion in the decathlon at UC Irvine, and his mother, Kristin Harkins, was an All-American in the 1500m at Cal Poly Pomona. His grandfather, Dixon Farmer, was also an NCAA champion in the 440 hurdles at Occidental College.
 
In our latest Q&A segment, Josh took some time to talk about growing up in a track & field family, what it's like competing in the decathlon, and how challenging but rewarding this season has been, before he heads to Eugene for the NCAA Championships next week.
 
 
Q: What was it like growing up in a track & field family, and how much of an influence have they had on your athletic career?
A: Growing up in a track & field family was certainly a different experience. I had been exposed to track & field at a much younger age than most kids with my dad being a high school track coach. My parents never forced me into it, but I always knew that I would be involved in athletics since I was very young, likely because of how much I looked up to them when I was a kid.
 
Q: Did you play any other sports growing up? If so, when did you start focusing solely on track & field?
A: Growing up I played just about every sport for one season or more. The sport that I gravitated to most before track & field was basketball. I played two years of high school basketball before I decided to give it up and focus solely on track beginning my junior year. 
 
Q: When did you get started in the decathlon? 
A: I started doing the decathlon at around the same time that I decided to focus solely on track, going into my junior year of high school. For the decathlon, that would be considered starting "early" because it is rarely seen in high school track in the United States. 
 
Q: What is your favorite part about competing in the decathlon?
A: My favorite part about competing in the decathlon would have to be the fact that I get to do something new every day. It's hard to get bored of the decathlon because there's always something that you can improve on. I love trying to improve on being the best version of myself, and in the decathlon I get 10 opportunities to do that every day.
 
Q: What would you say is the most challenging aspect of the decathlon?
A: The most challenging aspect of the decathlon has to be the mental exhaustion. The decathlon requires a lot of focus and the ability to constantly adapt to changing events. Being a decathlete has taught me how to focus without overthinking. 
 
Q: How did it feel to not just compete in your first multi-event since 2019, but to win it with a PR and NCAA qualifying mark at the APU Franson Classic?
A: Franson Classic Multis was one of my favorite meets of my athletic career because it had been so long since I had the opportunity to compete in a decathlon and I knew that I was ready to put up great marks. While I knew that I was fully capable of a nearly 600 point PR, I was not fully expecting it to all come together after so long away. Winning that meet gave me the confidence that I needed to know that I will be prepared for other highly competitive meets in the future. 
 
Q: What influenced your decision to transfer to UC Irvine?
A: UC Irvine was the perfect fit for me when I was looking to transfer from Colorado after my freshman year. UC Irvine is a place where I had always felt comfortable. With me being from north county San Diego, Colorado was just a little too far from home, while Irvine was the perfect distance from home. On top of that it was a perfect mix of athletics and academics for me. I trusted that Coach Perkins would be the right coach to help me achieve my athletic goals. 
 
Q: Your first year at UCI didn't go as planned with the cancelation of the 2020 season. How rewarding has it been to get back to competition this year, and to now make it to nationals?
A: It was definitely frustrating to lose the 2020 season especially after all the work that I had put in going into that season. I had good momentum from 2019 with a third-place finish at the PAC-12 Championships my freshman year at Colorado and I was excited to bring that momentum to my athletic career at UC Irvine. It has been extremely rewarding to see that the work that I had been putting in for the last two years are showing in my results on the track. 
 
Q: This season has been unlike any other. What was the biggest challenge for you and how have you been able to overcome that?
A: The biggest challenge this year has been to just stay focused and goal-oriented. At the beginning of this year, I was really skeptical that we would have a season in the spring. This made it especially difficult because I had spent the whole previous year preparing for a season that did not happen, and I did not want to put myself through so much for nothing to come of it again. Luckily, we did get to have a season and I was able to stay focused on the goals that I had set out for myself. 
 
Q: How are you feeling heading into your first NCAA Championship appearance next week?
A: I'm extremely excited to head to Eugene here soon and compete in my first NCAA Championships. I feel comfortable with where I am at mentally and physically to be able to compete at the highest collegiate level. I am ready to show what I am capable of and excited to see the marks that will come with it.
 
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a future decathlete, what would it be?
A: Learn what helps you balance stress, create daily/weekly/monthly/yearly goals, and know that the little things matter.