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Tag Archives: 5K

Parsons makes statement with big PR in the 5000

31 Tuesday Jan 2023

Posted by deshon in Kudos, News, Race Results

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

5000m, 5K, indoor track, national record, parsons, weber

photo of Sam Parsons in CRR sweatshirt

During the same indoor 5000m race on January 27th in which Nike-sponsored Woody Kincaid set a new American record, CRR Sam Parsons put down a big initial marker in his 2023 campaign by smashing his previous best time by some nine seconds! Parsons ran a new personal best of 13:12.78 in the John Thomas Terrier Classic Men’s 5000 Run at Boston University’s indoor facility.

Running under Adidas sponsorship, Parsons finished in 7th place out of a whopping 81 finishers, a full 21 seconds behind Kincaid’s record setting 12:51.61. Kincaid’s was not the only national record set that night, as Parsons set a new German national record with his stellar performance! (CRR Christine Parsons is German, and her son has been competing for Germany internationally for several years.)

The BU venue wasn’t a world-class track in the late 1970s when CRR Bruce Weber ran on the previous flat asphalt 10-lap-to-the-mile track in what was then called the Commonwealth Armory.

Parsons’ dad, CRR George Parsons, is now looking forward to seeing his son compete at the Millrose Games on February 11th in the Armory in New York City. The meet will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on FloTrack and Apple TV.

Creek Road Runners are proud.

50th Turkey Trot results

25 Friday Nov 2022

Posted by deshon in Race Results

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

10K, 5K, anderson, hubbard, repetti, Turkey Trot, weile

For 50 years, the Turkey Trot races have been a local Thanksgiving tradition. On the Saturday before Thanksgiving thousands have toed the line over the years in a spirit of comraderie and competition. It was no different this year, on the event’s golden anniversary.

photo of Dan Weile
photo of Doug Repetti

Two Creek Road Runners doubled their pleasure, running both the 10K and the 5K, and taking age-group honors in so doing.

CRR Dan Weile celebrated his first year in a new age group by winning the 50-54 division in 46:26 in the 10K and placed third in his division in the 5K with a time of 24:09. Ever ready to take on both races was CRR Doug Repetti, who took first place among his peers in each race, topping the 70+ division with a 56:02 10K and the 70-74 division with a 28:11 5K.

photo of Bruce Hubbard
photo of April Anderson

Repetti and CRR Bruce Hubbard and CRR April Anderson were each quoted in the Newark Post story about the event.

Hubbard and Anderson, both in their upper 70s, walked the 5K course, continuing their own tradition of participation in this local moving celebration. Hubbard placed 3rd among the 75-79s, and had there been a parallel division for women in the 5K, the 78-year-old Anderson would have won. As it was, she finished 4th in the 70+ women’s division.

Parsons 6th in Euro 5000m championship

16 Tuesday Aug 2022

Posted by deshon in News, Race Results

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

5000m, 5K, championships, European, parsons

photo of Sam on the starting line
Parsons on the line and ready to roll

Though he’s only half German, CRR Sam Parsons, son of CRR George Parsons and CRR Christina Parsons of Newark, was Germany’s gem in the 5000m race at the European Championships in Münich on August 16.

photo of top 6 finishing times

Finishing 6th out of the 25 competitors from all over Europe, Parsons, who clocked in at 13:30:38, bested his last month’s World Championship finishing time by 15 seconds. Unfortunately, as in the 5000m at the Worlds in Eugene, Ore., he couldn’t hang late with Jakob Ingebrigsten of Norway, who took the European title as well.

photo of Parsons finishing
Parsons finishing 6th

In the stands and cheering on his son during the evening’s race was German-born and -raised Christina, a good local runner in her own right.

photo of Christina Parsons
Parsons’ mom Christina (in white hat) cheering on her son

This race capped a successful running season for Parsons, who trains professionally with Boulder, Colo.–based Tinman Elite. In high school he had run for The Tatnall School in Wilmington prior to a stellar collegiate running career at North Carolina State.

> Check out the video of the race with Parsons sightings as indicated below (times approximate).
5:00 – Sam looking around mid-race, taking it all in, enjoying himself
9:58 – more Sam
12:40 – Sam moving up on the outside
12:55-13:01 – Sam and Jakob Ingebrigsten running together
15:20 – Sam hitting the bell lap in 6th place
16:17 – Sam finishing
18:09 – Christina cheering

> See related article about Parsons at the World Championships.

15th best…in the world!

02 Tuesday Aug 2022

Posted by deshon in Race Results, Stories

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

5000m, 5K, deshon, Eugene, Hayward Field, Oregon, parsons, schultz, Steve Prefontaine, World Track & Field Championships

CRR Sam Parsons, the Newark native who ran for The Tatnall School and North Carolina State, recently competed for Germany (his mother’s home country) in the final of the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. He is the son of CRR George Parsons and CRR Christina Parsons.

Leading up to the Worlds, Parsons’s training had been good. While in California in May, he had run a 5K personal best of 13:21.17. And just two weeks prior to his trip to Eugene, he had broken his own mile best by running a 3:55.81. Back in April, Parsons thrilled hundreds of local track enthusiasts at The Tatnall School track by becoming the first ever to run a sub-4 mile on Delaware soil (see Parsons conquers Mile Challenge).

photo of Sam Parsons on his way to the track
Parsons before the race

So, it seemed Parsons was ready. In past Olympic trials and at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, he had come close to being in a final, but this was a special opportunity for him.

Fast forward to the 5000m semifinal #2. Parsons was competing for a spot in the final with the likes of the always-prominent Kenyan, Ethiopian, and Ugandan runners, as well as Norway phenom Jakob Ingebrigsten, who had just placed second in the 1,500m final. Another local runner in that same race was Charter School of Wilmington and Harvard standout Kieran Tuntivate.

Parsons ran a smart race, staying with the lead pack through most of the race. Though he lost a bit of ground in the final laps, he placed 9th in the semi with a finishing time of 13:24.5, which was good enough to qualify for the final. As he crossed the finish line, a big smile appeared on his face, as he knew instantly that he had made it.

photo of Sam Parsons's finish in the semi
Parsons finishing strong in the semifinal to qualify for the final

“I’m the happiest guy in Hayward right now,” Parsons said. “Not too happy I won’t be able to go to the Wild Duck the next two nights after that; I certainly was banking on that. But final on Sunday, I think that’s a little bit better.”

Besides his parents, at least one other Creek Road Runner, CRR Dave Schultz, and his son Ben were at Hayward Field to cheer for Parsons in person.

That was Thursday night, July 2nd. Just three days to rest and prepare for Sunday night’s final.

photo of Sam Parsons before the 5000m final
Parsons on the starting line at Hayward Field

Unfortunately, the final did not go according to plan for Parsons. He and British runner Marc Scott stayed in contact with the lead pack, but, as the race sped up in the final couple laps, both runners were seriously gapped. Parsons ended up finishing last in the final in, what was for him a disappointing, 13:45.9. Last in the final in this case, though, represents 15th best in the world!

CRR Mark Deshon recently had the opportunity to interview Parsons about his experience, and here’s what he had to say.

How would you assess your effort in the final? You looked in good shape until late in the race, when the pack pulled away from you and the Brit.

“[It was] definitely one of the hardest races I’ve ever run. Basically, with 800m to go, I just bottomed out, completely just wiped. Definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”

How difficult was it to gear up for a bigger race just 72 hours after having run a 13:24?

“[This was my] first time ever running two 5Ks in such a short timespan under so much stress and tension…in an arena like that. There’s nothing more motivating than getting your ass kicked at a higher level to want to figure out how to run…and be successful at that level.”

Did you and Kieran Tuntivate discuss anything before your qualifying semi? It seems he wasn’t able to keep the fast pace.

“I did see Kieran. We texted back and forth a little bit before the prelim. He was still optimistic going into the prelim. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a great day…. We talked about the field, what the race was probably going to be like, and talked tactics a little bit.”

Give us your impression of having been on the world stage in Steve Prefontaine’s signature race on his hallowed ground.

“Steve Prefontaine was my hero…. He really made running cool for me. It definitely was a full-circle moment for me. To have been watching Without Limits [the classic movie about the 1970s Oregon Olympian] before essentially every big high school race to then running on Hayward Field, where half those races in the movie were, was definitely surreal for me, and I cherished every moment there, without a doubt.”

What was the atmosphere like in that stadium?

“The atmosphere was crazy. I’d never quite run in a stadium with 50,000 people like that,…sold out, just yelling and screaming…. There was so much love. I heard ‘Sam, Sam, Sam’ so many times as I was going around the track. So, that was really special to have kind of like a pseudo–home field advantage there.”

What interesting off-track stuff did you do while in Eugene?

photo of Sam Parsons in CRR sweatshirt

“I got to know [reigning Olympic 5000m champion] Joshua Cheptegei [the Ugandan who finished 9th in the final]. He lived in the same hall [as I did], and we got to drink tea together before the race…. He was very proud of me for making the 5K final…. It was really special to talk to, quite possibility, the greatest distance runner of my generation like that. That was really special, and he’s a kind, kind soul. I actually got his race bib also after the 5K final, so that will be a great memory I’ll always get to have and cherish.”

U.S. runner Grant Fisher ran well in the final, placing 6th in a time of 13:11.65, less than three seconds behind Norway’s Jacob Ingebrigsten, who took the gold medal in 13:09.24.

Parsons, who typically trains in Boulder, Colo., with professional club Tinman Elite, is now in St. Moritz, Switzerland, prepping for the European finals, to be held on August 16. He admitted, “It’s not quite like the White Clay Creek trails, but this’ll do just fine for the next month.”

We wish him the all the best.

Attacking the record books

08 Friday Apr 2022

Posted by deshon in News, Race Results

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

15K, 5K, kukich, state records

About every five years, CRR Diane Kukich hears opportunity knocking at her door—specifically, looking at the age-group state records that may be within her grasp. Well, it didn’t take long for Kukich, who turned 70 in February, to take aim at and break a couple state age-group records.

photo of Diane and Christine Kukich
Record breaker CRR Diane Kukich with running daughter Christine in Philadelphia

On March 5 at the Attack Addiction 5K in New Castle, Kukich placed first among the 70-and-overs, finishing as the 25th female and 103rd overall out of the massive local field of 1,567, with a 25:08. Her time eclipsed the old 70-74 state record by 47 seconds.

Perhaps even more impressive was the most recent record she broke, which had stood for 31 years. At the Hot Chocolate 15K in Philadelphia on April 2, amid 1,779 runners from all over the East Coast as well as a few other parts of the country, Kukich smashed the Delaware 70-74 age group record for the 15K (9.3-mile) distance—a long race for her—by a whopping 6:05! She crossed the line in 1:28:13, finishing as the top 70-and-over female and placing 305th among all women and 549th overall.

Five years ago, Kukich broke and still holds Delaware’s 65-69 age-group record for the five-mile distance as well. For a time, she held the 10-mile record in the 50-54 age group, and, until last year, also held the 20K record in that same age group.

Currently, Creek Road Runners now hold 15 state age-group records in total, with Kukich keeping her eyes on some upcoming races at other distances.

Best of luck to a super senior!

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You’re a real runner if…

acronyms like PR and DNF are verbs.

the thought of signing up for a 401K is scary.

your blood pressure is 92 over 56 and you are conscious.

you drive 100 miles to a 5K race.

you can convert kilometers to miles in your head.

your iPod has a “running” playlist.

you check out road races while on vacation.

you’ve converted your marathon medals into a wind chime.

you consider running 3 miles to be a warm up.

you know the shoe store guy better than some relatives.

you drive down the freeway and think to yourself, “Hey, my car is doing 1-minute miles.”

you know that PR stands for something other than Puerto Rico.

you use your bib numbers to wallpaper your garage.

your resting heart rate is too low to give blood.

you look forward to birthdays when your age changes to a number ending with a 0 or 5.

you consider your latest race shirt “formal wear.”

you mentally measure junk food in miles rather than calories.

you have your own name for all the local public trails.

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