Sam Parsons, a professional runner from Newark, Del., and son of CRR Christina Parsons and CRR George Parsons, won the 3,000m indoor German National Championship in Leipzig on Saturday. Parsons, who has dual citizenship because of his German-born mother, made the decision last year to compete for her homeland.
The 25-year-old Parsons and another German-American runner, Amos Bartelsmeyer, finished 1-2 and were the only competitors to break eight minutes, Parsons clocking in at 7:53.71.
In a post-race interview, an ecstatic Parsons said, “It was amazing to compete here today. This is something special for me to start for the first time at the German Championships. The people here are so much cooler than in the U.S. The audience loves athletics. Now I am looking forward to running at the European Championships, and I hope to bring home a medal for Germany.”
He later posted, “I wanted to win so badly. I was willing to pour out whatever was necessary to win. It’s a moment I’ll cherish forever.”
A Tatnall School and North Carolina State University graduate, Parsons will be off to represent Germany in the European Championships on March 2–3 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Will he be ready? With two Creek Road Runners forming his direct bloodline, we bet he will be. “I’m not afraid of opponents,” he declared.
> See post-race video interview (in German)
> Also see Parsons breaks four-minute mile.
Editor’s Note: Parsons took 12th place in the Euro Championships on March 2.
The Annual Scott Mackler 5K was contested on October 21. This race continues in memory of CRR Scott Mackler who had battled ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) for years before his death and added significantly to the quest to find a cure, not only through his own research, but through the proceeds from this race—the toughest road 5K in Delaware.
In the men’s field, CRR Ryan German won the 40-49 age group, placing 10th overall in 22:38.
Placing 19th overall out of 233 finishers was CRR Bruce Weber, who won the 55-59 age group and turned in a 41:00 10K time, remarkable given the super-cold temperatures. Placing third in that same age group was CRR Steve Tague, who ran a 46:42. Also noteworthy is that CRR Ryan German ran a 49:38.
On the distaff side, Dover resident and CRR Holly Scott placed third among the 55-59s in 50:57.
In yesterday’s rain-drenched Caffé Gelato Waffle Cone Ten Miler in Newark, CRR Bruce Weber placed 11th overall out of 161 finishers, winning the 50-59 age group in 1:03:29. And he says he’s really a short-distance guy. Not far behind him was CRR Bill Rose, finishing 21st and taking third in the same age group, in 1:05:53. Race host and CRR Ryan German clocked a commendable 1:16:59, and CRR Andrew Brett ran a 1:18:22, finishing 61st and 65th, respectively.
On Saturday, CRR Andrew Weber (see photo, achieving liftoff) finished 2nd overall out of 213 runners in Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County’s Halloween Hustle 5K, crossing the line in 18:01 and winning the 30-39 age group. CRR Mark Deshon managed a 21:47 while winning the 60-69 age group and placing 14th. Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity.
Today’s Five & Wine 5 Mile Run in Newark produced five age-group winners among Creek Road Runners and one 
Among the other age-group winners were CRR Andrew Weber (30-39), who finished second overall to national-class runner Steve Sinko in 30:06; CRR Dan Weile (40-49), who placed 9th overall in 34:25; CRR Mark Deshon (60-69), who finished 11th overall in 34:47 while competing in his first race in this age group; and 
CreekRoadRunners.org 