Tyler Finck is the 2024 recipient of the Ed Thompson 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 Kutztown University to major in Computer science and Biology. I plan on continuing to run with their Cross Country/Track Club team.
LVRR: What age did you start running and why?
TF: I began running at 9 years old so I could run along my parents in the Ben event charity at the Macungie Memorial Park.
LVRR: What is your greatest accomplishment in your running career?
TF: I would say that the greatest accomplishment of my running career was running sub 2 minutes in the 8000m dash.
LVRR: Describe an experience where you had to “sink or swim.” What did you learn from it?
TF: During winter track of my senior year, I was stuck in a weird pit of mediocrity. had to decide whether to just keep trudging along or train harder to get my times where they needed to be. I learned never to settle, to stay hungry.
LVRR: Who has been your most influential role model and why?
TF: I would say that my most influential role model has been Coach Woodbury has taught me the most about work ethic and balancing running with school and free time..
LVRR: What would most people be surprised to learn about you?
TF: I was a competitive chess player for my school, and would have to do my workouts late many days because I had a chess game.
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: Move.
LVRR: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
TF: In ten years, I will be in a residency training to be a doctor.
LVRR: Is anyone else in your family a runner?
TF: My younger sister runs, and my parents sometimes run for leisure.
LVRR: Who is in your running support network?
TF: My coaches, close friends at college and high shool, and my parents.
LVRR: What events did you run in high school?
TF: Cross country 5k, 1600m, 800m, and 400m.
LVRR: What is your favorite event to watch that you don’t do yourself and why?
TF: 100m hurdles. Watching everyones form is so interesting, and something exciting always happens.
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 have been running over 40 miles weeks for the last few weeks to train for the college XC season.
LVRR: How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
TF: If I force myself to start, I become too embarrassed to quit before I’m finished.
LVRR: What are the top three “little things” that you do to prevent injury?
TF: I stretch and massage soreness in my legs wherever I am. The car, work, or school.
LVRR: What injuries are you susceptible to?
TF: My IT band can get tight and cause pain in my knees.
