Photo by: Kyle McKinley Photography
O'Brien Places Among Nation's Best At 2024 U.S. Olmypic Marathon Trials
2/28/2024 4:13:00 PM | Men's Cross Country
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lyle O'Brien '13 was a senior on the Lehigh men's cross-country team running at the 2012 Patriot League Championships in Hamilton, N.Y. On a hot day with only a mile left to go in the race, O'Brien collapsed, unable to finish the race when his team claimed their first-ever Patriot League title.
"I remember coming to, breathing heavily, with my coach and parents standing over me," recalled O'Brien. "I knew I didn't finish and my focus immediately turned to whether our team won the race. I thought we lost. It turns out that we won the race by two points. I was elated, despite failing personally."
Fast forward twelve years and O'Brien is still running, but now as an individual rather than as a part of a team. The East Aurora, N.Y. native now trains to compete as a marathon runner and most recently ran at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Orlando, Florida. O'Brien did cross the finish line this time around, clocking in at 2:14:29 to take 18th place in a field of 179 runners.
O'Brien's finish was an important one, as it is only the fourth time that a Lehigh cross country/track and field alumni has placed top-20 at an Olympic Trial, joining shot-putter Lucas Warning '17 who placed 17th in 2021 and hammer thrower Chris Bryce '00 who took 19th in 2008 and 15th in 2012. His finish came off the heels of a first-place performance at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon back in October, where he registered a time of 2:15:39 that broke the course record by 45 seconds.
However, O'Brien says that he never reached his full potential but got exposed to plenty that helped develop him as an athlete during his time donning the Brown & White.
"I didn't reach my full athletic potential at Lehigh," said O'Brien. "My biggest preparation was probably watching my most successful teammates (notably Tyler Mueller, Jimmy Miller, and Ryan Mahalsky) excel. I had a front row seat watching their success but I wasn't ready to put the pieces together until now."
In addition to the benefits O'Brien gained during his time as a Lehigh student-athlete, he also credits rigorous training and a healthier lifestyle as reasons for his success. After failing to qualify for the 2020 Olympics Trials at the California International Marathon in 2019, O'Brien vowed he'd be competing at the trials in the next Olympic cycle.
"This time around I prepared more thoroughly, focusing on fueling adequately during the race and ran many five-minute miles and 20-25 mile long runs during training," said O'Brien on his preparation. "I also trained at a mile-high altitude and incorporated heat training with a sauna to prepare for the heat in Orlando."
O'Brien did not qualify to compete at this year's Olympics in Paris, but his placement is still a remarkable accomplishment. He plans on continuing to train and compete against some of the best athletes in the country for years to come. Although he has earned his place as one of the top marathoners in the U.S., O'Brien still references his experiences as a Mountain Hawk, specifically the Rivalry, as a contributor to his accomplishments.
"Having the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry definitely made athletes equipped to access another level of competition that I still draw from," said O'Brien. "Although I train alone now, I can still access those experiences."
Follow Lehigh Cross Country/Track and Field on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
"I remember coming to, breathing heavily, with my coach and parents standing over me," recalled O'Brien. "I knew I didn't finish and my focus immediately turned to whether our team won the race. I thought we lost. It turns out that we won the race by two points. I was elated, despite failing personally."
Fast forward twelve years and O'Brien is still running, but now as an individual rather than as a part of a team. The East Aurora, N.Y. native now trains to compete as a marathon runner and most recently ran at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Orlando, Florida. O'Brien did cross the finish line this time around, clocking in at 2:14:29 to take 18th place in a field of 179 runners.
O'Brien's finish was an important one, as it is only the fourth time that a Lehigh cross country/track and field alumni has placed top-20 at an Olympic Trial, joining shot-putter Lucas Warning '17 who placed 17th in 2021 and hammer thrower Chris Bryce '00 who took 19th in 2008 and 15th in 2012. His finish came off the heels of a first-place performance at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon back in October, where he registered a time of 2:15:39 that broke the course record by 45 seconds.
However, O'Brien says that he never reached his full potential but got exposed to plenty that helped develop him as an athlete during his time donning the Brown & White.
"I didn't reach my full athletic potential at Lehigh," said O'Brien. "My biggest preparation was probably watching my most successful teammates (notably Tyler Mueller, Jimmy Miller, and Ryan Mahalsky) excel. I had a front row seat watching their success but I wasn't ready to put the pieces together until now."
In addition to the benefits O'Brien gained during his time as a Lehigh student-athlete, he also credits rigorous training and a healthier lifestyle as reasons for his success. After failing to qualify for the 2020 Olympics Trials at the California International Marathon in 2019, O'Brien vowed he'd be competing at the trials in the next Olympic cycle.
"This time around I prepared more thoroughly, focusing on fueling adequately during the race and ran many five-minute miles and 20-25 mile long runs during training," said O'Brien on his preparation. "I also trained at a mile-high altitude and incorporated heat training with a sauna to prepare for the heat in Orlando."
O'Brien did not qualify to compete at this year's Olympics in Paris, but his placement is still a remarkable accomplishment. He plans on continuing to train and compete against some of the best athletes in the country for years to come. Although he has earned his place as one of the top marathoners in the U.S., O'Brien still references his experiences as a Mountain Hawk, specifically the Rivalry, as a contributor to his accomplishments.
"Having the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry definitely made athletes equipped to access another level of competition that I still draw from," said O'Brien. "Although I train alone now, I can still access those experiences."
Follow Lehigh Cross Country/Track and Field on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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