Two Creek Road Runners ran times at this year’s Delaware Distance Classic 15K that rate as “national class” times for their particular age.

CRR Jay Coughenour ran an impressive 55:40 to win the 45-49 age group and finishing 16th overall out of 356 finishers. In addition to this working out to just less than six minutes per mile, this time age grades at 82.0 for his age (80-89 is considered “national class”). CRR Dan Simmons won the 65-69 age group in 1:06:48, which age grades at 80.0 for his age. Well done!

In addition, CRR Bruce Hubbard came in 3rd in the 65-69 age group with a 1:19:56.

Congratulations to Jay, Dan, and Bruce on these quality performances in Delaware’s only 15K.

Every now and then, CRR Diane Kukich decides to run a race. She is choosy about her races, though, more choosy than most. Having turned 60 earlier this year, it was about time for Diane to get out and take home another prize at a race.  She ran the 2nd Annual Women’s Race for the Pink Ribbon 5K in 24:57, winning the 60-64 age group.  In doing so, she not only placed 46th overall out of 536 finishers, but took home a new pair of hot pink shoes to boot. Nice!

CRR Dan Simmons became a winner in his new age group (65-69) at the 36th Annual Bottle & Cork Ten Miler at Dewey Beach on September 8. He finished the race in 1:16:30. Congratulations, Dan. Way to take advantage of being 65!

The 34th Annual Great Wyoming Buffalo Stampede on July 21st saw three Creek Road Runners take away age-group honors in the 10K.

CRR Holly Scott, a Dover-area runner who is still running consistently good times, won the 50-54 age group in 48:00. CRR Dan Simmons took second place in the 60-64 age group with a 44:47. CRR Bruce Hubbard placed third among the 65-69 age group in 55:46.

CRRs Paul Amer, Mark Deshon, Bill Rose, and Stan Sandler

It’s certainly the rare day, even at age 56, when CRR Mark Deshon gets beaten by eight other Creek Road Runners in a 5K. That’s what happened today, though, at the Blue Hen 5K.  We’ll get to the extenuating circumstances in a bit.

What was great about this race is how well we old-timers did as a collective, beginning with the ever-impressive CRR Jay Coughenour, who is nursing an injury but was still able to run a comfortable (for him anyway) 18:35, coming in 4th overall. He won the 40-49 age group.  CRR Bill Rose left Mark by the wayside somewhere along the Hall Trail on his way to a 50-59 age group win and a 10th-place overall finish, in a super 19:23.  Taking third in that same category was CRR Tripp Shenton in 22:53.  Still going, just like the Eveready Energizer Bunny, CRR Bob Taggart won the 70-and-over group in 24:11.

On the female side, last year’s woman’s winner CRR Jeanine Radice successfully defended her crown in this year’s race with a 19:47, even without having done any speedwork.  Jeanine finished 12th overall.  CRR Ann Jornlin won the 50-59 age group with an impressive 25:07.  Good job, both of you!

Mark Deshon hobbles across the line.

Oh, yeah.  Back to Mark.  Well, let’s just say that the 19:29 he turned in on May 6 came back to bite him, the result of which was that he had strained an achilles tendon.  This day he could only go at that pace for just less than two miles before the pain came back (and Bill Rose passed him).  This would explain the rather unusual finishing time in the photo.  Hey, at least he beat Delaware marathon legend Doug White (at right in photo), though Doug is over 70.

Congratulations to the winners and every Creek Road Runner who came out.