The Oakton High School graduate went from running track to running Minnesota’s largest city.
There’s no denying that Minneapolis is making headlines lately. And come to find out, the city’s 44-year-old mayor, Jacob Frey, grew up in Northern Virginia. We spoke with Frey about his NoVA upbringing and ties to the area.
Wikipedia says you were born in Arlington. Is that true?
Wikipedia thinks I was born in Arlington, but it was Alexandria, at Alexandria Hospital. We lived in Sterling until I was 5 or so, and then we moved to Vienna/Oakton.
So you attended James Madison High School?
No. Oakton Elementary, Thoreau Middle School, and then Oakton High School. I got a scholarship to run track at [the College of] William & Mary and went from there to a sort of Olympic training center just north of Detroit. I was there for a year or two and then went to law school in Philly, at Villanova [University]. I went straight to Minneapolis from Villanova in 2009.
Were you class president at Oakton?
No, I was never the class president. I was not involved in politics back then. I cared about one thing and that was running. I was very intense about track and field and cross country. I woke up in the morning and thought about running and went to bed at night thinking about running.
You’re 44. How are the knees?
The knees are just fine. My skill and talent in running was not my speed or fluidity, but I could train a whole lot and not get hurt. I was pretty durable in that sense. I still get out the door, but not like when I was running professionally. That was 150 or so miles a week. These days, I mean, if I hit 20 miles, that’s a solid week for me. It’s dramatically different. In a good week, I’m out the door four or so times.
Do you get back to your hometown often?
I had family there until about six months ago. My parents just moved out here, but I make it a point to get back a couple of times a year. I was there for the Viva Vienna festival with my daughters and my parents. It was a good time.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.…