CRR Diane Kukich at XC Club Nationals

Though she’s not a runner who takes well to cross country, CRR Diane Kukich is one who typically takes on a challenge, particularly if she sees in it a unique opportunity. Such was the case as she, CRR Keith Crispin, CRR Theresa Cannon, and CRR Doug Ridge competed in the USATF 2014 XC Club Nationals at Lehigh University on Saturday. So close to home that Kukich just had to do it.

Kukich finished an impressive 9th in her age group (60-64) with a 29:16 over the women’s 6,000m course. Cannon just broke the 30-minute barrier, finishing in 29:59, placing 48th among the 50-54s.

Crispin covered the men’s 10K course in a very respectable 39:46. Not bad for a 47-year-old.

A rather new septuagenarian, Ridge finished 10th among his 70-and-over peers in 52:54. Here’s how Ridge described the experience:

“XC & track may be the only sports where Olympians and 70-year-old amateurs compete in the same event. It is exciting just to be part of it. I enjoyed meeting my teammates and sensing the excitement of the field of runners from so many clubs and so many places. I hadn’t run in spikes in 50 years—since I was on Harvard’s freshman cross-country team. I have seldom run competitively on a course with such a history. It is a great memory to have.”

Each ran for the Pike Creek Valley Running Club.