Son of CRR in LL World Series

Justin Courter, son of CRR Kristal Courter, is a member of the Newark National team that is representing Delaware and currently competing in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.  Kristal and her husband, Chris, were spotted on ESPN this past weekend in the parent section of the stands.  Go, Newark National.

Surprise, surprise

photo of Mark Deshon at six-mile point of 2013 Maine Lobster Festival 5KWow, CRR Mark Deshon does a 10K and wins his age group?  Believe it.  Deshon put in a couple days of (what, for him, constitutes) longer training runs up in Maine before uncorking a 43:56 at the Maine Lobster Festival 10K today.  He finished 21st overall out of more than 300 runners on the beautiful oceanside course in Rockland, Maine.

“The fresh morning sea air really helps, and it was a clear day with little humidity,” Deshon said. “Perfect conditions for my first 10K in nearly five years.”  With the plaque he received for his 50-59 age group win, he now has a matching set with the one he won 16 years ago.

Though he grew up in Salisbury, Md., and has lived most of his life near Creek Road in Newark, Mark was born in Rockland.

CRRs travel abroad

photo of Matt Robinson and Alan Irvine

While on a site visit for the NSCAA Advanced Director of Coaching Certificate, CRR Matt Robinson (left) met with Alan Irvine, Youth Academy director of Everton Football Club. Here Irvine consoles Robinson by saying, “Sorry, lad, but your football skills are not quite what the Toffees are looking for, but you do look good in your warm-up jacket.”

A few Creek Road Runners have been on the travel circuit lately.

CRR Matt Robinson, self-proclaimed CEO of Creek Road Runners, spent some time in Great Britain trying to create bridges between our country and theirs for soccer (er, “football”) coaching.  At least we think that’s what he was up to.  Some think he was trying to get the Premier League’s Everton club over here for a group run on Creek Road.  See story.

photo of Bob OpilaCRR Bob Opila is nearing the end of his yearlong sabbatical, which he spent in Turkey and Australia.  When he’s finally back in Newark after a visit to his beloved Chicago, he’ll likely be refreshed and ready for a triathlon.  We suspect he had the time of his life in both countries.  He spent his final day in Australia getting in a run with ”[his] mates” in the pouring rain.  That’s dedication.

photo of Charlie RiordanMost recently, CRR Charlie Riordan, obviously on hiatus from running Creek Road, visited with university dignitaries in Israel as part of the State of Delaware’s trade mission with that country.  The real question is whether he found any Dunkin’ Donuts while in the Middle East.  See story.

Fischer to head programs at DelTech

photo of Jim Fischer trackside

CRR Jim Fischer, who effectively lost his job when the University of Delaware dumped its DI men’s running program two years ago, has been hired to head up the men’s and women’s cross-country programs at Delaware Technical Community College’s Stanton campus.

See story in News Journal.

Fischer became the University of Delaware’s coach for men’s cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track in 1982. He coached the UD women’s cross-country team and its track team’s distance runners from 2008-11. Delaware eliminated the men’s indoor program after the 2008-09 season, then axed men’s cross-country and outdoor track after the 2010-11 season, citing Title IX concerns and economics.