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Our two Webers (no relation), CRR Andrew Weber and CRR Bruce Weber each ended up with a top-ten finish in this year’s edition of Newark’s annual Main Street Mile, a straight-out dash from the east end of East Main Street to the Deer Park.
Andrew, the younger and faster Weber, was the top masters runner, finishing 5th overall in 5:07.5. Bruce, the elder Weber, came in 10th overall and won the 60-69 age group in 5:37.4. Conditions may not have been the best for these two speedsters, but they came through nevertheless.
For you nostalgia freaks, check out the results of the initial Main Street Mile, held way back in 1986. Yes, several Creek Road Runners were doing their thing back then, and the competition level was of a higher caliber than what it is today, though there are definitely more people who are running in 2022. Click on the image for a close-up view and note the results from the eight CRR participants.
We were all younger and faster back then.
In another event, held back on September 18, CRR Bruce Weber and CRR Bill Rose finished 7th and 11th overall, respectively, in the Ramsey’s Farm 8.3-mile trail race. Weber’s time was 1:04:56, and Rose’s was 1:11.37. They took 1st and 2nd in the 60-69 age group.
The second highest age-grade score was turned in by CRR Diane Kukich at 83.1*, by virtue of her 7:41.0 finishing time (7:31.2 chip). Kukich won the 65-69 age group.
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 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!
The fastest of the CRRs was CRR Andrew Weber, who just edged out CRR Clark Ridge for both 6th place overall and 2nd among the 30-39 men. Weber ran a 5:06.2, just ahead of Ridge’s 5:07.0, in the field of hundreds of runners and walkers.
Two CRRs won their respective age groups. In 13th place overall was CRR Bruce Weber, who ran a solid 5:22.2 to win the 50-59 age group. CRR Diane Kukich won her age group (60-69) in 7:12.6. These two winners posted wonderful age-graded scores in so doing. Weber’s 91.9 was the second highest among all competitors, and Kukich scored an impressive 87.0, fourth highest overall. (Scores from 90-100 are considered world class; 80-100 is considered national class.) By comparison, Andrew Weber’s score was 84.1, and Ridge’s was 83.9.
CreekRoadRunners.org 