The 45th annual Turkey Trot races in Newark saw Creek Road Runners garner four first place age-group awards; CRR Doug Repetti earned half of them, winning the 65-69 age group in both the 10K (50:34) and the 5K (24:30).
CRR Steve Tague led the way in the 10K with a 46:25, placing 31st out of 176 finishers. At press time, there was no way of knowing how he did in his age group, because it seems that didn’t get recorded. Hmmm. Don’t want anyone to know how old you are, eh? We get it. Of course, there were other notables who are not that young anymore too.
CRR Theresa Kauffman captured 2nd among the 55-59s in the 10K with a 53:58, while CRR Julie Brewer turned in a 1:01:16.
In the 5K, CRR Mark Deshon ran his best 5K time of the year, winning the 60-64s and placing 12th overall out of 444 finishers, with a 21:02. This race completed a “run” of 4-for-4 age-group wins in local races for Deshon in 2017. CRR Mary Braun finished 3rd among the 55-59s in 27:58. Multiple-state-record-holder CRR Bob Taggart placed 2nd in the 75-and-over age group in 31:10.
The fourth and final win on the day was CRR April Anderson’s, as she took the 5K’s 70-74 age group in 37:52.
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.
New Jersey resident and one of the original Creek Road Runners, 57-year-old CRR Robert Hesketh, posted a 1:11:37, finishing 45th and taking only 7th place in a tough age group (55-59). CRR Doug Repetti, 66 years of age, was 70th in 1:17:46, and CRR Theresa Kauffman finished 113th in 1:25:52.
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!
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 
CRR Theresa Kauffman (50-59), who ran 43:54.
Coming off heart surgery early this year, CRR Bob Taggart won his age group (75-79) in the 5K in 30:03. A 5K footnote—had CRR Mark Deshon actually registered for the race (he only did three of the 3.1 miles), he would have won his age group (60-64) by about three minutes.
CreekRoadRunners.org 