Isaac Updike
Isaac Updike is a steeplechaser – he finished third at USA nationals last summer and made his Team USA debut at the World Championships — so racing other distances is a means to an end.
Still, the 31-year-old from Ketchikan would have liked a sharper indoor-season debut than he delivered Saturday night at Boston University’s Sharon-Dolyear-Danville Season Opener on a track known for generating fast times.
Updike clocked 13 minutes, 36.46 seconds to finish 13th in his 5,000-meter heat and 37th overall among 208 men’s finishers spread across 10 heats. The time was about 10 seconds off Updike’s personal best in the distance, run on the same track 10 months earlier.
“Sounding like a broken record because it’s similar to the (NY 5K road race in November),’’ Updike texted. “Definitely hoped for a better time, but I guess it makes sense with where we are in training.
“I’ve been consistently higher than I’ve ever been with mileage, and doing solid strength work, but nothing 5K (3.1 miles) specific. So, it’s not shocking I felt flat after two miles. Just another good steppingstone on steeple fitness for the spring/summer.’’
Updike’s focus in the 2024 outdoor season will be on USA nationals, which will determine qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games.
NCAA cross-country champion Graham Blanks of Harvard finished first overall in 13:03.78, using the fitness banked leading to his national title two weeks ago.
Sadie Tuckwood
Meanwhile, Gonzaga University junior Sadie Tuckwood of Juneau made her indoor 5,000 debut on the same track Saturday and banged out a personal-best 16:55.0 to slash 40 seconds off her previous best at the distance. Tuckwood’s time is the fourth-fastest all-time by a Gonzaga woman.
Tuckwood finished 122nd overall among 166 finishers. According to the college track and field results database, Tuckwood’s only previous 5K was the 17:35.84 she raced outdoors in 2021.
Florida junior Parker Valby, who two weeks ago seized the women’s NCAA cross-country title, finished first overall in 14:56.11 to become the first NCAA woman to break the 15-minute barrier.