OK, it looks like at least one Creek Road Runner has been itching to get out and compete in real organized races with physical participants.
Despite some nasty conditions, CRR Doug Repetti got out this month and won his age group in two 5Ks.
Repetti competed on Feb. 7 in the Touchdown 5K in Glasgow, Del., even though it was snowing and the flat course was snow-covered and slushy. He won the 70-79 age group in 29:45 (without falling once on the slippery surface) and finished 31st overall.
Less than a week later, on Feb. 13, he drove to Delaware Indian River Park near Bethany Beach to run the Surfin’ Snowman 5K, which included out-and-back lengths of the Indian River Inlet Bridge. Even though it was raining and very windy, Repetti finished 28th overall in 26:43, taking the very senior 70-and-older age group.
Well done, Doug. Hope you have better weather for your next 5K.
Showing no signs of letting up even though he’s the oldest in his age group, CRR Doug Repetti placed first among the 65-69 contingent in 25:06. Taking a third place in the 60-64s was a notable podium finish for CRR Joe Dombroski. Dombroski’s chip time placed him third, but his 25:48 gun time, which is what Creek Road Runners reports, means that he was actually the second—by a second—to cross the finish line among his age group.
Notably absent from last Saturday’s Turkey Trot races here in Newark was CRR Andrew Weber. That’s because he ran the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday. The 40-year-old Weber placed 400th overall in a huge field, breaking the 3-hour mark in 2:59:44 and qualifying for the Boston Marathon in the process. Congratulations to him on a major accomplishment in his new age group.
In the Rothman Orthopedics 8K (rough metric equivalent of a five-mile race), part of the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend, 52-year-old CRR Bill Farquhar finished in 29:59, 4th in his age group and 122nd overall (out of 4,130 competitors). That’s a six-minute/mile pace for this speedy senior!
Short-distance speedster CRR Bruce Weber (no relation to Andrew, except for similar fast-twitch acumen) took care of winning the 55-59 age group in 19:31. An annual racing event for her, CRR Ann Jornlin won the 65-69 age group with a 30:06.
Chilly, but calm, conditions provided a near ideal day for the 47th Annual Turkey Trot 10K and 5K races here in Newark. There were several notables among the Creek Road Runners, as several took age-group awards.
In the 10K, CRR Clark Ridge of College Park, Md., placed 4th overall (out of the 195 finishers) and took 1st among the 35-39 men in a fast 36:38. (Yes, the photo at left is one from his college days.)
In the 5K, CRR Mark Deshon led the Creek Road Runners, placing 39th overall (out of 541 finishers) and turning in an inspired 7-min./mile pacing at 21:42, taking 1st place in the 60-64 age group. This is Deshon’s 10th consecutive age-group win, dating back four years to the 2015 Turkey Trot. OK, the jinx is now on!
Of the 661 finishers in this year’s running of the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon, the oldest of all road races in Delaware, four senior Creek Road Runners competed in this, the 56th edition, contested on March 24 in Wilmington.
In order of finish, 68-year-old CRR Doug Repetti clocked a 1:56:18 (1:55:52 chip), finishing 7th among the 65-59s; 58-year-old CRR Holly Scott turned in a 1:56:24 (1:55:06 chip), finishing 6th in her five-year age group; 56-year-old CRR Theresa Kauffman finished in 2:02:47 (2:02:12 chip); and 61-year-old CRR Kevin McCooey crossed the line in 2:08:51 (2:08:04 chip). Congratulations to each.