Talia Fogel is the 2025 recipient of the Tom Illick Memorial Scholarship.

LVRR: What college will you attend and what is your intended major of study? Do you plan to run while attending college?
TF: I will be attending Eastern University and plan to major in Early Childhood Education. I plan to also run cross country and track.

LVRR: What age did you start running and why?
TF: I started running when I was around 4 because my big brother ran cross country and track and I wanted to race at LVRR just like him.

LVRR: What is your greatest accomplishment in your running career?
TF: My greatest accomplishment during my running career was going to states with my team and even though I didn’t run just getting to be part of the team when they won the state championship.

LVRR: Describe an experience where you had to “sink or swim.” What did you learn from it?
TF: A time when I had to sink or swim is when I started high school because I went to a different school from all of my friends. I learned that being in a different place doesn’t mean you will lose your friends and that it’s okay to grow and branch out to make new friends as well. Eventually your life won’t revolve around just one place or one town and it’s better to branch out sooner than later and eventually you’ll make friends from everywhere.

LVRR: Who has been your most influential role model and why?
TF: My most influential role model is my parents because they always manage to go out of their way for other people even when they might be having a difficult time themselves not to mention driving me to everywhere for the first sixteen years of my life while juggling everything else!

LVRR: What would most people be surprised to learn about you?
TF: A lot of people when I first meet them are surprised to learn that I drive a truck. I think a teenage girl driving a truck throws people off because they always ask me questions about if I can do a good job parking and if I took my driver’s test in it and it’s pretty funny.

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?
TF: Freedom. When I was little it was just a chance to go out and run around with my friends and as I got older it’s become a chance for me to disconnect and unplug from my surroundings even when I don’t know I need it.

LVRR: Who is your running support network?
TF: My parents. They always made it a point to come out to all of my meets. Every race was on the calendar and they were always there. My dad coached me through middle school and my mom and brother made sure to make it to every spot they were able to cheer me on from. My brother also is a physical therapist so he is the first person I go to for anything that doesn’t feel right!

LVRR: What events did you run in high school?
TF: The 1600m and the 3200m and my coach always laughed because he said I was the first of his runners to ever specially request to run the 3200m.

LVRR: What is your favorite event to watch that you don’t do yourself and why?
TF: I love watching hurdles because I’m horrible at jumping and honestly my mind can’t even comprehend how people are able to run so fast and time jumps into it as well.

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?
TF: I really enjoy riding my bike with my friends because I don’t really think of it as cross training even though it is.

LVRR: How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
TF: I stay motivated when I don’t want to run by making sure I change stuff up and also making sure I am running in a group. Sometimes if I am running solo one of my favorite things to do when I’m not wanting to run is go for a trail run and just looking at all the plants and stuff.

LVRR: What are the top three “little things” that you do to prevent injury?
TF: The top three little things that I do to prevent injury is make sure I’m eating however much I want but also eating healthy, making sure to actually do my PT exercises when I need to, and listening to my body if I’m hurting.

LVRR: What extracurricular activities (outside of running) and community involvement have your participated in?
TF: Club wrestling, 4-H, National Honor Society, Youth Ministry, greenhouse club