LVRR: What college will you attend and what is your intended major of study? Do you plan to run while attending college?
JP: In the fall I will be attending the University of Pittsburgh to study Mechanical Engineering. There I plan to join a competitive club team for running and I hope to possibly be able to walk onto Penn’s varsity team.
LVRR: What age did you start running and why?
JP: Starting in early elementary school I was involved in recreational sports such as softball, basketball and soccer. At each of the practices we would have some sort of running or “dessert” as we would call it, and I would seemingly be the only person to look forward to it. Racing everyone else was always my favorite part of practice so I guess you could say I started with my love of running in elementary school. Officially I joined a running club in 5th grade and then was excited to begin running on the school team in 7th grade.
LVRR: What is your greatest accomplishment in your running career?
JP: I believe my greatest accomplishment would be during my freshman year when I was a part of a 4 x 800 meter relay team. That year at districts we were all hoping to make it to the state championship, so I felt alot of pressure, being the first leg and the only underclassman on the relay team. I started off in the middle of the pack but was then able to pull away with a small lead at the end of my leg. In the end, my team won the race and we became district champions!
LVRR: Describe an experience where you had to “sink or swim.” What did you learn from it?
JP: After a great freshman year, my next cross-country season got off to a rough start. I had begun to wheeze every time I would run at practice or in races. Exercise induced asthma was quickly ruled out, and I was instead diagnosed with Vocal Cord Dysfunction. This diagnosis was something that could not be treated with a medicine or inhaler but rather had a lot to do with overcoming stress. Therefore I had to commit to working on my mental state and breathing more than physical fitness. Rather than giving up after several frustrating months, I committed to overcoming this. After PR’ing in several races my junior year, I have proven to myself that I could overcome something so foreign to me.
LVRR: Who has been your most influential role model and why?
JP: My most influential role model would be my mom. This is because she overcame a very tough situation from a young age when she lost her father at age 11. She got through this and worked extremely hard in order to create her own success in life.
LVRR: What would most people be surprised to learn about you?
JP: I enjoy turbulence on airplanes!
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?
JP: Food!
LVRR: Is anyone else in your family a runner?
JP: Actually no one else in my family is a runner. My dad used to run casually but never on a team.
LVRR: What events did you run in high school?
JP: I ran the mile, 2 mile, 800 meter, 4×800 meter relay and occasionally the 4×400 meter relay.
LVRR: How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
JP: Many times when I don’t want to run I think about how my 91 year old grandmom always seems in awe when I tell her about my practices and meets. She always tells me how it is that I have the chance to compete and be on teams in high school, since she was never able to have such opportunities, especially being a female.
LVRR: What are your favorite pre-race and post-race meals?
JP: My favorite pre-race meal is a big dish of bowtie pasta with my mom’s homemade Italian marinara sauce. After a race, I love having a few pulled pork sandwiches.
LVRR: What are three activities you enjoy doing apart from running?
JP: I greatly enjoy playing with my dog, Gravy, and taking him on walks. I am very active with yoga as well and specifically enjoy doing handstands all over the house. I also love driving through my township in my manual transmission car.
