Jacob received the 2019 Ed Thompson Memorial Scholarship.
LVRR: What college will you attend and your intended major of study? Do you plan to run while attending college?
JB: I will be attending Northwestern University for Mechanical Engineering. I will probably only run at the club level.
LVRR: What age did you start running and why?
JB: I started running for Middle school cross country, so 7th grade. Mainly because I wanted to be involved in a school sport.
LVRR: What is your greatest accomplishment in your running career?
JB: Probably winning the EPC 4×800 this year with my teammates Make Magee, Keshav Shankar, and Paul Petre. Anyone who watched would agree that it was probably the most exciting 4×800 they had ever seen.
LVRR: Describe an experience where you had to “sink or swim.” What did you learn from it?
JB: Freshman year of high school, I was cut from the soccer team, after which I joined the cross-country team, where I was able to find some success. I learned to explore every opportunity that is given to me as it can change my life.
LVRR: Who has been your most influential role model and why?
JB: Eric Smith, a neighbor, and Tech teacher at Emmaus High School. His class helped me decide my college field of study. He always has the best advice and has helped me see everything that Engineering can be.
LVRR: What would most people be surprised to learn about you?
JB: Maybe not most people, but those who only know me as a runner would probably be surprised to know I love jazz music and play both piano and saxophone, pretty much daily.
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?
JB: Running will help you to form the strongest bonds and consist of an amazing mutually supportive community you can find anywhere you go.
LVRR: Is anyone else in your family a runner?
JB: Yes, most of my family runs. Both of my sisters are on the track team as well.
LVRR: What is your favorite event to watch that you don’t do yourself and why?
JB: Pole vault. The technique and graces of the pros is truly impressive.
LVRR: What cross-training do you incorporate into your running routine, if any? Do you focus more on cross-training in the off-season (if there is an off-season for you!), or do you tend to cross-train throughout the entire training cycle?
JB: I tend to cross-train more in the off-season with swimming and biking, but I keep up a consistent weight routine year-round.
LVRR: What are the top three “little things” that you do to prevent injury?
JB: Foam rolling, a daily core workout, and a hip mobility routine.
LVRR: What injuries are you susceptible to?
JB: Probably overuse. I tend to get excited and go to hard with my training.
