CENTRAL TEXAS RUNNING

Olympic-bound duo to make fast stop in Austin

By Brom Hoban
AMERICAN-STATESMAN CORRESPONDENT
Monday, May 12, 2008

Jacob Frey, whose trip to Austin in February ended with a victory at the AT&T Austin Marathon, returns to the city this weekend as part of a working vacation.

After wrapping up his law studies at Villanova University, Frey will run Sunday in the Bagelfest 5K along with fiancé Michelle Lilenthal.

The pair, each an Olympic marathon trials qualifier, will stop here en route to Minnesota, where they will spend the summer — Frey working at a Minneapolis law firm and Lilienthal training with Team USA Minnesota. Sponsored by Saucony shoes, they are both carefully navigating the post-collegiate sports landscape.

Frey, ranked 10th in the nation among marathoners for 2007, has found a good balance between his running and the rest of his life. He's done so by breaking up the year into two build-up and recovery cycles and by targeting no more than two or three marathons a year.

"It took a little longer than usual to recover from AT&T, but I'm pretty durable," the 27-year old said. "I really don't get hurt, so I'm able to log some good miles. I really haven't done much training lately though, because I'm in law school and just finishing finals. I'll pick it up again in the summer for the fall marathon season."

"I've been running every day, but when I'm in full marathon training, I run 150 miles a week," said Frey. "So this is a real down period. I usually do about a 12-week cycle. I probably won't start seriously training until the end of August. You are still able to build up, but you need to maintain adequate fitness in between."

Ironically, since Frey left full-time running with the Hanson-Brookes team to concentrate on earning his law degree, his marathon times have improved. So has his perspective on the sport.

"As far as running goes, I'm taking it one cycle at a time. I still consider myself a professional runner," he said. "Since I've been in law school, my times have improved dramatically. I think it's the mental aspect. Before, when I stepped on the starting line, I was dependent on it. The race was everything. Now, if it's a bad race, at the end of the day, it doesn't really affect me. Before I had everything at stake."

Lilienthal, who graces the cover of the May issue of Runner's World magazine, has a slightly different outlook. She just finished grad school and is focusing solely on running. Coming off a 2:48:46 marathon at the recent Olympic Trials in Boston, Lilienthal is back in training and preparing for a good fall season.

"I had only three weeks of real training before the trials, because of a plantar fasciitis injury (heel inflammation)," she said. "So I knew I wasn't going to run a personal record there. But it's feeling really good now. My goals right now are to stay healthy and get fit again and run a fall marathon."

Both Frey and Lilienthal will be on hand from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 17th at the Rogue Equipment store, 500 San Marcos St. Lilienthal will be autographing copies of the May Runner's World magazine, and both athletes will be available to offer coaching and sports nutrition tips.

Chuy's champ

Bernard Manirakiza won the Chuy's 5K Sunday in 14:56 on a new course in Southwest Austin. San Antonio's Victor Viesca was second in 15:38. Liz Shelton took the women's race in 18:32, a few steps ahead of Anna Seals' 18:36.

Upcoming races

Sunstroke Summer Stampede Race #1: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Brushy Creek Trail in Round Rock.

Puma Congress Avenue Mile and Lone Star 5,000: 8 a.m. Saturday, Congress Avenue downtown, www.congressavenuemile.com.

Dragon 5K:8 a.m. Saturday, Katherine Anne Porter School in Wimberley, (512) 847-6867.

BagelFest, 5K: 8 a.m. Sunday, Dell Jewish Community Center, (512) 735-8374, www.bagelfest5k.com.