Alec is the 2021 receipient of the Tom Illick Memorial Scholarship.
LVRR: What college will you attend and your intended major of study? Do you plan to run while attending college?
AD: I am going to attend Lebanon Valley College to study Analytical Finance. I will be running both Cross Country and Track and Field while studying at Lebanon Valley.
LVRR: What age did you start running and why?
AD: I used to always race my friends as a kid, but I didn’t do my first organized race until I was 7 years old when I competed in the LVRR kids summer series races.
LVRR: What is your greatest accomplishment in your running career?
AD: Being a part of the 4×800 meter relay that went to states this past track season.
LVRR: Describe an experience where you had to “sink or swim.” What did you learn from it?
AD: The summer of 2020, I broke a few bones in my foot, and I really had to work hard to keep myself in decent shape. I couldn’t run so had to do other cardio/strenght training to be able to come back and have a somewhat decent end of my cross country season. Through that experience I learned how much I love cross training, and no matter what, there is always a fun way to continue to stay in shape. I also learned I am capable of pushing myself even further than I had ever really expected coming back and racing on so little training.
LVRR: Who has been your most influential role model and why?
AD: My most influential role model is my mom because she was the one to originally introduce me to actual races, and she is the only person that I know who is more competitive than myself. She really pushes me to be my best every day.
LVRR: What would most people be surprised to learn about you?
AD: I am an avid poker player, I really hate styrofoam, and I eat tomato soup and noodles pretty much every single day.
LVRR: What is one word you would say to someone who has just started running– whether it be a youth in the LVRR Kids Series, or an older individual- about why running is worth it?
AD: Running is one of the most natural movements humans are meant to do; we are literally born to run, but this may not seem true when you first start running. There are so many benefits to running I am unable to name them all, but the biggest one for me is that it is my biggest stress reliever as well as the thing I love to compete in the most. Every time I finish a race, even bad races I am happier and more relieved than I may normally be. It is also the best “team” sport because everyone controls their own performance, but the connections you build with teammates are almost unbreakable.
LVRR: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
AD: I would love to continue training for a variety of races. I want to do a marathon, triathlons, and many more obstacle races. In my career, I would like to be working in finance, being a money manager whether it be for individual clients, or for an institution.
LVRR: Is anyone else in your family a runner?
AD: My mom has been a runner ever since I was born. She ran track in high school, but didn’t pick it back up until she had me. She used running to relieve her stress of having a newborn that was a lot of work. My sister has really been picking up running. She just finished middle school where she ran cross country and track, and she loved it, so she is planning to continue throughout high school. My father has also occasionally trained for and run 5k’s, but he is more of a biker.
LVRR: If you ever feel unmotivated to get out the door during PA cold winter months, what tips or tricks do you use to push yourself? Also do you brave the poor weather conditions or stick indoors/on the treadmill?
AD: Personally I love running in the winter. I have always found it more enjoyable because I tend to sweat a lot, and in the winter that problem is minimal. I haven’t had a treadmill for years so to get outside, I really just always have to remember gloves, get a good warm up in stretching inside, and then as soon as I step out the door I just start the run. You’ll warm up before you know it.
LVRR: When faced with a rare but disappointing race finish or workout, how do you pick up and motivate yourself to try again? Is there a specific running mantra that has helped you pull through disappointment?
AD: I tend to look at it through a very scientific lens. I try to listen to my body and review the race/workout in my mind to see why I didn’t feel good or do well. I then try to do what I think would fix that and that often works.
LVRR: What are three activities you enjoy doing apart from running?
AD: Apart from running I really just love playing all other sports. I really enjoy playing basketball, volleyball, and many water sports. As previously mentioned I also play poker with my friends a lot. Another thing I do is keep a very close eye on the stock market, and I love learning more and more about it.
