About Tom
“You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you deal with it."
For those of you who don’t know, Tom O'Reilly was our race director for several years after Somerset County handed over their turkey trot race to RVRR. On June 13, 2020, Tom lost his battle with glioblastoma. That November, the Somerset County Turkey Trot 5k was renamed the "Tom O'Reilly Turkey Trot 5k" in his memory.
Tom was well-known for his love of running and his enduring care for others. His love for running was best shown through his involvement with RVRR as a member for over 10 years, former President of the club, and race director of the Chimney Rock 5 Miler and the Somerset Turkey Trot. He always made it a point to get to know everyone and address their questions or concerns. He led many group “adventure runs”. Tom was a pacer at countless races and volunteered with Team Achilles as guide runner for individuals with vision impairment. He could often be found at the back of the pack of group runs, encouraging newer and slower runners.
We could give a lengthy list of how Tom affected people’s lives, but a true testament was that after he was diagnosed and all throughout his battle, he had a steady stream of visitors from near and afar. Even as COVID-19 shut down society, there were many virtual visits and socially distanced “porch parties” on the deck of his home. His nickname was 'Dragon'. Since his diagnosis, #TeamDragon and #TommyStrong were the tags used by friends and family to show support on social media posts. They continue to be used today.
Tom was an amazing runner and person. He leaves behind an enduring legacy that will live on forever.
RVRR has set up a scholarship fund and donations made to the club in Tom's name will be directed into this fund. A minimum of 10% of the profits from the Turkey Trot will go to this scholarship in Tom's memory. When signing up for this race, registrants will have the opportunity to make an additional donation toward the scholarship fund if they so desire. Please click here to donate, or mail your donations to:
Raritan Valley Road Runners (RVRR)
Scholarship Fund
PO Box 4784
Highland Park, NJ 08904-4784
Under the Roadrunner Clubs of America, RVRR is a recognized 501(c)3 charitable organization. All donations to RVRR are tax-deductible.
Thank you so much for your support!
