Tyler Rothrock is one of the 2024 recipients of the LVRR Scholarship.
LVRR: What college will you attend and what is your intended major of study? Do you plan to run while attending college?
TR: I will be attending the University of Massachusetts Lowell to study Chemical Engineering. I will be running track for the University.
LVRR: What age did you start running and why?
TR: In elementary and middle school, I mostly played soccer. During this time, I occasionally participated in the LVRR youth summer series. I joined the Cross Country team in eighth grade to stay in shape for soccer and made cross country and track my main sports beginning in ninth grade.
LVRR: What is your greatest accomplishment in your running career?
TR: My greatest accomplishment in my running career was winning the district titles for the 4x400m and 4x800m during my senior year. Our 4x400m team set the school and district meet record.
LVRR: Describe an experience where you had to “sink or swim.” What did you learn from it?
TR: During my freshman year, I had to overcome a hip flexor injury. My season did not go well. It was a COVID year, and the indoor track season was simply training with no meets. There were times I had my doubts, but I chose to go to the trainer everyday and continued practice outdoors during the winter season. This paid off in future seasons.
LVRR: Who has been your most influential role model and why?
TR: My most influential role models have been my coaches. My coaches taught me to train and compete at a high level. They encouraged me to believe in myself, when I struggled early on. Also, they pushed me to take on more of a leadership role. I am not always the most vocal person; but they have helped me develop my “voice”.
LVRR: What would most people be surprised to learn about you?
TR: Most people are surprised to learn that I am fifty percent Ecuadorian.
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?
TR: Friendships
LVRR: Who is in your running support network?
TR: My parents are a major part of my running support network. No matter what I do in a race, my parents always tell me not to get too high or get too low. They keep me grounded and remind me to enjoy the experiences. My coaches provide the encouragement and guidance that keep me motivated to practice each and every day. Maybe most importantly, my teammates have become like a family – we pick each other up and push one another to give our best each day in workouts and in competition.
LVRR: What events did you run in high school?
TR: I ran the 400m, 800m, and 1600m in track, and I was also a member of our cross country team.
LVRR: What is your favorite event to watch that you don’t do yourself and why?
TR: My favorite event to watch is the 300m hurdles. It is a very exciting race to watch, and my teammate, Andrew Beers, competed at a very high level breaking the school record in seemingly every other race.
LVRR: How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
TR: I stay motivated to run by thinking about how running the next day is going to feel worse if I do not run today. I set goals, and I have learned that the way to reach those goals is to stay the course each day.
LVRR: What are three activities you enjoy doing apart from running?
TR: When I am not running I enjoy watching sports (Philadelphia teams), taking my dog for walks, and spending time with family and friends.
LVRR: What extracurricular activities (outside of running) and community involvement have you participated in?
TR: Outside of running, I participated in Scouts, BSA and I was a part of the Conservation Club at Parkland High School. I was a member of Parkland High School’s National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, National English Honor Society, National Social Studies Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society. In addition, I served as a math tutor during my junior and senior years.
