On Sunday, Oct. 24, the Pike Creek Valley Running Club continued a long-standing tradition by putting on its signature 15K Delaware Distance Classic (DDC) event. Three Creek Road Runners ran in the 15K.
CRR Bill Rose finished the 9.3-mile course emanating from the Wilmington Riverfront in 1:07:14, coming in 42nd overall out of 141 runners and placing third among the 60-64 men, only a minute behind area standout and age-group peer Greg Cauller.
Taking second place among the 70-74s was 70-year-old CRR Doug Repetti, who completed the course in 1:22:06, placing 83rd overall.
In a rare local race appearance, triathlete CRR Bob Opila finished 95th in 1:26:00.
Pictured here sporting his circa 1990s CRR team shirt during the 5K DDC race is CRR Jim Bray, a former Delaware high school mile-record holder. He finished 29th overall and 2nd in the 60-69 age group in 31:43, demonstrating that he can still have some fun racing, even though he’s lost a little speed since high school (who hasn’t?).
CRR Bill Farquhar, who finished 10th overall in 57:44 (crushing the hour mark) and winning the 50-54 age group.
CRR Robert Hesketh of the South Jersey Athletic Club, who finished 33rd in 1:08:42 (7th among the 55-59s).
CRR Doug Repetti, who took 3rd in the 65-69 age group and 60th overall with a time of 1:20:10, the first time he’s taken an age-group award in this particular race.
CRR Teresa Kauffman, who finished in 1:27:54 (4th among the 55-59s).
CRR Julie Brewer, who completed the 15K distance in 1:36:10 (8th among the 55-59s).
In the 11th Annual Main Street Mile race in Newark, two guys with the same last name, who are related only by their fleetness of foot, cracked the top 15 in this short race of 813 participants. CRR Andrew Weber posted the fastest time among Creek Road Runners, finishing 9th overall in a lightning-fast 5:08, good for 2nd in the 30-39 age group. CRR Bruce Weber wasn’t far behind, finishing 14th overall and taking 1st among the 50-59s in 5:32. In terms of age grading, the elder Weber’s time garnered a 90.2 grade, which is considered “world class” for his age group. The younger Weber’s 84.3 is considered “national class.” Both impressive, to say the least. An honorable mention, Newark’s Deputy Mayor CRR Andrew Haines turned in a 7:15.
In a much longer race, the Pike Creek Valley Running Club’s annual Delaware Distance Classic 15K, there were four standouts. Of the 191 participants in this race, CRR Bill Farquhar came in 7th overall, finishing in 58:51 and winning the 45-49 age group. Watch out for him within the next year when he turns 50! CRR Keith Crispin took 2nd in the 50-54 age group with a 1:06:38, good for 28th overall.
In the CASA 5K, CRR Bill Rose, running in his first 5K in a year’s time, finished 4th overall out of 38 runners in 19:59. The course was entirely on the University of Delaware central campus in Newark—three laps of The Green. Nothing like a long lap!
In a slightly longer race on Sunday, Dimitri “Dima” Kaliakin, youngest son of CRR Vic Kaliakin completed his first ultramarathon, the grueling Tussey Mountain 50-miler, just outside State College, Pa. The 20-year-old Washington College grad completed the up-and-down 50-mile distance in 6:45:34, finishing 5th overall and 4th among non-masters runners. This included a total elevation gain of 5,485 feet, 1,301 feet of which occurred during one 4.1-mile stretch (from the course’s lowest to highest point). Back in May, Dima placed 12th overall out of 326 finishers in the Delaware Marathon in 3:06:07. We shorter-distance Creek Road Runners salute you, Dima!
CreekRoadRunners.org 