CHERRY POINT, N.C. — A 22-year-old, Marine Air-Ground Task Force planner with Marine Aircraft Group 14, received Cherry Point’s 2011 Male Athlete of the Year award, June 29.

Running more than 40 races in 2011, Cpl. Jordan Freking never missed the podium.

From mud-runs to triathlons Freking has submersed himself in a wide variety of races throughout the area. He’s set course records in races like the “Run on the Beach Series” in Atlantic Beach, N.C., and the “Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Run” in Jacksonville, N.C.

In 2010 Freking, then 20-years-old, competed in the Marine Corps Marathon and finished in the top 400 of more than 20,000 participants, putting him in the top one percent.
Freking finished the race in 3 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds.

The high school track and cross country star said he has been passionate about running for most of his life and currently maintains a perfect score on the running portion of his semi-annual Marine Corps fitness tests.

Freking explained that his brother, Keaton, always set the bar for him and he worked throughout high school to beat his brother on the track.

Freking described his brother as the football star in high school who was always bigger and stronger than he was, which might be the reason Freking learned to run away so fast.

At a young age Freking’s mother passed away and he recalled his aunt, Maggie, running a marathon in her honor.

His aunt’s tribute inspired him and he said he has used that motivation on every run since.

Freking and his wife Rebekeh, are expecting a baby girl in September. The runner said he is excited about what will become the family legacy, and hopes with a mix of seriousness and levity his expected daughter will keep the pace of her father.

“Of course I’m going to make her run,” said Freking. “I’ll never force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do, but she’s going to be an athlete.”

Receiving the Cherry Point Athlete of the Year award has put Freking in the finalists for the Marine Corps Athlete of the Year award. The nominees are waiting for mid-to-late July for winners to be announced, said Bryant Searcy, the Semper Fit athletics director for MCAS Cherry Point.

Each installation throughout the Marine Corps submits their top candidates for the award. If Freking wins he will be invited to Quantico Va., for the United States Marine Corps Hall of Fame Ceremony, in which he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with, prior service, professional athletes and Olympians.

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