Now living in a running town, Austin's Rothacker eager for first 3M Half Marathon race

Janelle Rothacker is ready to test her race-ready fitness in Sunday's 3M Half Marathon, the first major Austin-area race of 2022.

Rothacker was a high school prodigy as a runner in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., putting up spectacular times such as 4 minutes, 37 seconds in the 1,500 meters and 2:12 in the 800. Heavily recruited by colleges across the country, she instead chose to focus on her studies, not competing for Penn State while earning a degree in kinesiology and exercise science.

But she was never far from the sport. Rothacker went on to serve as director of operations and recruiting for the cross-country and track teams at Nebraska, where she earned a master's in intercollegiate athletics administration last year.

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Rothacker, 24, now lives in Austin and has returned to running. She found herself a coach and is training at a high level again.

"I had already started getting serious about my running again, so I started looking ahead for an Austin-based coach," Rothacker said.

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Enter Jeff Cunningham, who’s been coaching a stable of up-and-coming elite runners for several years. He coached Rothacker remotely until she moved to Austin last September after she accepted a position as a recruiting specialist with the Texas Career Engagement department at the University of Texas.

“Janelle was a gifted high school runner who is reinventing herself in the half-marathon and marathon distances,” Cunningham said. "Hers is a story of post-collegiate redemption. The 3M race provides a perfect opportunity to test some fitness as she builds toward a spring marathon.”

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Cunningham has been the best thing for her running, Rothacker said.

"After a year of training with him, I can confidently say I’m the fittest I’ve ever been," she said. "Both Jeff and I are looking at long-term goals.”

That’s where the 3M Half Marathon comes in. Rothacker has been running 60 to 65 miles a week, including Wednesday speed sessions and Saturday long runs with Cunningham’s group, and she’s excited to see what kind of results consistent training will produce.

“The 3M race is a great opportunity to see what months of hard training can yield,” Rothacker said. “I’m excited to run my first Austin race and take on a half marathon — it’s less pressure than a full marathon, and there’s less time for things to go wrong. It’s a fast course — downhill — so I think I can run 1:20 or better. I like the momentum that downhills provide.”

Last year's Half Marathon was canceled due to COVID-19 precautions, but race organizer High Five Events has worked with Austin Public Health to implement a COVID-19 mitigation plan and confirmed a green light for Sunday morning’s event. Nearly 6,000 runners are expected.

The race, known for its fast point-to-point downhill course, typically attracts elite runners from Austin and around the country.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Now in Austin, Janelle Rothacker excited to run first 3M Half Marathon