Alex Price runs his way to Olympic Marathon Trials

Bethlehem native Alex Price describes his running career as more of a marathon than a sprint. 

After picking up cross-country in high school, Price was content with his position as an above-average runner. In 2011, he was recruited to run Division III cross-country at Susquehanna University. 

It wasn’t until 2017, two years after his college graduation, that Price rekindled his passion for running and began training again. Eight years later, Price qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. 

On Dec. 7, Price ran the California International Marathon, finishing in 2:15:24 and securing a qualifying time of under 2:16:00 for the trials. 

“After I ran the time, I was in such disbelief that I had done it, that I wanted to see the results somewhere,” Price said. “I wanted to see it on an Instagram post or on an official website. I almost couldn’t fathom that I just did that.” 

Price has two years to prepare before competing in the trials on March 25, 2028.  He currently works as a financial advisor and makes the time to train outside of his professional career. 

He trains with two different local running teams: Team Vark and an informal group of adult runners in his area. Team Vark is a Bethlehem-based running team created by the Aardvark Sports Shop, located at 559 Main St. The group hosts weekly Saturday morning runs for runners of all experience levels.  

Trevor Conde, Price’s training partner, has witnessed his progress over the past few years.

Conde said Price’s marathon personal record in 2024 was 2:21:00, falling short of the trials qualifying mark of 2:18:00. In 2025, USA Track and Field reduced the qualifying time by two minutes. 

“A lot of our (Vark runners’) reaction, at least me, was ‘Oh, now it’s impossible,’” Conde said. “(Price) reacted differently. He said, ‘Hey, if the bar moves up, I’ve got to raise my game.’”

Heading into the California International Marathon, Price told his wife, Rachel Price, he was uncertain he would qualify for the trials. 

“There are no guarantees when it comes to marathon racing,” Price said. “You can prepare as best you can and just not have a good day.”

The qualifying time was a stretch from his current personal record, but Price said he felt confident his training placed him in a good position to succeed. 

During the race, Rachel Price watched her husband’s split times come in and realized he was on track to finish much faster than either of them expected. She said she rushed to the course endpoint, nervous about missing his finish, and watched the time clock in amazement as he crossed the line. 

“I immediately start sobbing,” Rachel Price said. 

Adapting to the unexpected, Alex Price said he focuses on what he can control during a race rather than planning everything to perfection.

He said his role as a father has given him a new perspective on running. 

“I feel like there are a lot of people who run get very caught up in the details and very caught up in the moment of ‘(Runners) need to have everything go according to plan,’” he said. “Life experience and having a family has changed my mindset to just being comfortable if things aren’t going the exact way I want.”

Conde said training alongside Alex Price has given him a deeper appreciation for the discipline required to balance family responsibilities, a professional career and competitive running.

Alex Price said he schedules his runs around his work and family life. 

Conde said some days Alex Price wakes up at 5 a.m., while other days, he waits until his wife returns home to watch their son before heading out to train. 

Rachel Price said the same qualities that define her husband in his personal life have translated to his success as a runner. 

“No matter what he does in life, he’s very loyal and dedicated,” she said. “He puts a lot of effort into his relationships as a husband, brother, friend and more, and he mirrors that same dedication in his running.” 

Alex Price’s training partner at Team Vark and longtime friend, Cory Crawford, said his character drives his athletic achievements. 

“(Alex Price) is the one of the best people you will ever meet in the world,” Crawford said. “(He’s) kind (and) humble. Some people, I think, maybe wouldn’t realize those are the traits that make a good runner, but those are the traits that make him good at whatever he does.” 

Looking ahead, Alex Price said he plans to focus on staying in shape and experimenting with new distances before the trials. He said marathoners should only race the full distance once or twice a year because of the effort and recovery required.

Alex Price said he’s mindful of maintaining the endurance he’s already built and doesn’t plan to take time off. He said he will put together a 16-week training block ahead of the 2028 trials. 

“I would just say to anybody who has a running goal or wants to get into running, it just takes time,” he said. “It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s not to get discouraged. Stick with it. Keep on doing the little things right. Take your time with it.”