Show Luke Puskedrsa some love, he earned it!!

I gotta give props to all the guys mentioned thus far. I didn't see Puskedra's name being tossed around much this fall, not anywhere near as much as Derrick's or GF's anyway. Coming back after a long period of shit is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world, so major congrats. Same can be said about GF after doing nothing last year other than a 7:51 3k at the Husky Classic. Congrats to him. Colby Lowe keeps showing he's consistently near the top. Has this guy ever bombed? Mike Fout... don't know much about him. Didn't he win FLN in high school and run 4:01 or something? Then he didn't do shit for a while due to injuries? Congrats to him for coming back. Really, all these guys had a helluva day and impressed. Good job!

Fout has been plagued by injuries, as has Maverick Darling, who was 13th. Lowe underperformed his freshman year, but so did most of the team. Diego Estrada has had flashes of potential brilliance, so his 16th was a big race for him too. With Leung and Hill, you've got 9 guys from that class who are All-American, 10 counting Mecheso who went to high school in the U.S. and is likely to become a citizen. Great to see all of them overcome obstacles and show what they're made of.

RuKiddingMe! wrote:

oldoldrunner, you have never been more wrong in your life!

Do you know Luke personally?

Don't know him. But go to Flotrack and listen to his interview. I did not make it up. He said it.

Want to know if he is team oriented. Here is a direct quote from Puskedra's interview:

"The wind made it really tough," said the junior from Ogden, Utah. "From the team aspect, it hurts because we do everything as a team. On an individual level, it was great to know my freshman year wasn't a fluke."

Congrats to Luke, a great young man.

Luke's a front runner, an aggressive runner. You want him to hold back from running his race for the good of his team? His job is to score the least amount of points FOR HIS TEAM. I don't get this.

5th as a frosh plus 28:34 and now this. People shouldn't dismiss this guy. He had a soph slump that was mostly due to a health issue. Seems like he has that figured out and is back in top form. 27:5X next track season.

I am also curious about this concept of "pack running." Isn't the purpose of a race to score as few points? Finishing lower doesn't help that unless you think somehow some mental energy is going to flow between the runners and make the pack finish better. I don't see how it would, but if you believe that, then fine. Otherwise, though, the purpose of a race is to run as fast as possible for your team. There is just no other way to do it.

I've never been on a team good enough to benefit, but the main benefit seems to be psychological, which is no to be underestimated in a chaotic, stressful race situation like NC's. Also there could be some minor technical benefit if you can trade off leading, and at least not be aggressively elbowing your teammate, providing some degree of protection in addition to psychological comfort."pack running" seemed to work well for OSU today, not as well for Stanford.

someone else wrote:

I am also curious about this concept of "pack running." Isn't the purpose of a race to score as few points? Finishing lower doesn't help that unless you think somehow some mental energy is going to flow between the runners and make the pack finish better. I don't see how it would, but if you believe that, then fine. Otherwise, though, the purpose of a race is to run as fast as possible for your team. There is just no other way to do it.

Luke Puskedra: Just Letting it Happen

By Aron Taylor

He burst to the front and ran as it were a 400 meter dash. Running solo he pressed and pushed with a determination and effort few could have expected out of a freshman. Sixty-four the first lap, he knew only one pace... all out.

The meet was the 2005 Gerry Lindgren Invitational. Held at the East high school track stadium it would feature a special prep two-mile challenge to honor indoor two-mile record holder Gerry Lindgren (8:40.0) and outdoor two-mile record holder Jeff Nelson (8:36.3). It would also serve as the conduit for the first-ever meeting between the two prep legends.

Chris Rombough would be the victor that day over two-miles, a race which featured Patrick Smyth, Matt Barrett, Aden Ahmed, Jordan McNamara, David Morgan, John Ricardi, Jeff Helmer, Mohamed Ige, Gour Majak, Brett Kotter, TJ Strangeowl, Miles Batty, Cory Thorne, Jared Rohatinsky, Jared Bienlien, Isaac Stoutenburgh, Sam Luff, Michael Armon, Dane Steward and Chris Bick. Future all-american's and collegiate standouts. As the local news interviewing and recording the special moment as Lindgren and Nelson awarded and greeted the victors what I remember most was a freshman from Judge Memorial Catholic. A freshman who ran a race considered second-tier with such ferocity and passion, his name was Luke Puskedra.

It all started in the third grade when Luke's older brother came home from school after a p.e. mile for the 6th grade. He had run 7-flat for the mile and was an excellent soccer player. As they sat at the dinner table Luke said within himself, I can do that, if my brother can do that I know I can do that. He was only a third grader!

The following days Luke had met with p.e. teacher Mr. Tate and said he wanted to run a 7-minute mile. They went to the track and Luke sprinted as fast as he could. With no idea what a mile really was or what pacing truly was he thought I will just run as hard and fast as I can for as long as I can. He said to himself, I can do it. Looking back Luke says, "I told myself over and over I could do it, you have to believe you can do something or it will never happen." That day, Luke ran 6:32, as a third grader! As he put it, "I had pride at the dinner table that night."

In the coming years Luke's family would come to understand their son's love for running. He recounts, "I was in like 3rd or 4th grade and my mom wouldn't be able to find me. She would go across the street to the Ogden Athletic Club to find me running lap after lap on the indoor track. Not knowing why or for what reason I would just run."

Luke's favorite experiences in running came at a very young age when he and his father would travel together to various track meets. "In fifth grade I finally convinced my family to let me do summer track. I would finish third or better in every race because it meant I could go to another meet with my dad. Some of my most memorable moments would be those trips with my father. I just wanted to make him happy and I love spending time with him, just the two of us." He recounts his family never pushed him or set unrealistic expectations. They challenged him to expect the best out of himself and this positive reinforcement produced success. "I felt like I owed it to him (Dad), one time in 8th grade my father was away for business and he would call and ask if I ran today, I would reply yes, when he returned he brought me a pair of new shoes and took me to the track. I did 10x400 meters that day. My Dad made me finish when I did not think I could, he always believes in me."

As an 8th grader Luke was getting out of school an had an opportunity to travel with Weber head coach Joe Wilson and some of the Weber team. They had agreed to meet at a local McDonald's. As the van pulled up full of collegiate athletes there stood Luke with a big mac and a large soda. Jumping into the van without a care or clue Luke sat happily as they drove to practice. Weber State head coach Joe Wilson looked back and said, "you are like Cool Hand Luke." The name has stuck ever since.

The message received over and over with Luke is to work hard, be respectful, and not take things too seriously. While attending Judge Memorial Catholic, Luke was coached by Dan Quinn. Of his coach Luke recalls, "he taught me humility." During that first freshman year Quinn was contemplating retirement from running as his senior Pat Smyth would be graduating. Smyth will be known these days as a Big East champion and All-American at Notre Dame University. When Puskedra showed up the itch to leave left and Quinn stuck around as his protege experienced much the same success Smyth had achieve.

"Pat was and is a role model. Back then I was trying to stay with him in every run and I still do that today. Though I can stay with him longer now than I could in high school. Pat is a guy who busts his tail. During high school we had the same goals, he was and is humble and hardworking. Pat built me up and NEVER tore me down. He is my friend."

The high school success of Luke Puskedra can be easily googled or accessed from his University of Oregon biography. He was good, very good, one of the best all-time. A guy who ran to the front, from the front and accepted no limitations. Humble, persistent, who perseveres to the bitter end. Luke stays grounded in what matters most, Family and Friends. He even has a younger brother who is quite the golfer which he feels much pride regarding and talking about. "My brother goes out and practices early in the morning and late at night. He knows the value of hard work and I am proud of him."

Luke has been running at the University of Oregon for the past three seasons. He has been touted as the future of the program. He is moved by the history of the sport and the legends who came before, "Who isn't attracted by Pre, Frank Shorter or all the legends from that time? I want to be a part of something like that and I think we are seeing it today with Galen and Andrew and German. I am a part of a new history for American distance running...I belong in American distance running." "The most important thing I have learned here is, as Galen put's it, "to do rather than say"... when I run at Hayward there is something special on that track. Sometimes you lose touch with what your doing because the energy is so powerful. Even with one fan you can feel it, the magic. No other place has the energy this place holds."

Of all the accomplishments, accolades, and praise pushed down upon this collegiate true-junior no race stands out in my mind as the best race I ever saw as when he was a freshman at Judge Memorial Catholic in 2005. Not the 13:42.5 indoor 5000 meter at the Husky Classic in 2009, not the 5th place cross country performance as a freshman in 2008, not the 4:06.6 mile or 8:46.1 two-mile as a prep. The greatest race I have ever witnessed for Luke Puskedra was as a naive, limitless freshman as he traversed among legends at the Gerry Lindgren Invitational. That day he ran without limitations he ran without boundaries, he just let it happen. Of all the things Luke Puskedra has to achieve in his life and all the successes that await this remarkable young man perhaps nothing has defined his success as when he just let's it happen, as he puts it, "when its time to work, I work, I have fun and I work hard. I am focusing now on just letting it happen."

Luke heads into this falls cross country season as an individual favorite for the NCAA Championship.

The NCAA’s top cross country freshman and the 2008 Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year leads the next generation of Oregon distance runners. Was one of only two freshmen nationally to earn All-America honors in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. 2009 NCAA Indoor scorer at 5,000 meters for the national champions. Two-time Pac-10 scorer and NCAA Outdoor qualifier at 10,000 meters. Also earned selection in the 10,000 for the 2009 USA Track & Field Championships. Finished third at the USA Junior Cross Country Championships and represented Team USA at the World Championships. Repeat All-America selection for cross country, indoor track and outdoor track as a sophomore to bring his career total to six.

Question about team running- it seems like here the best runners of their respective teams (Derrick and German) held back to bring their team to a high scoring, or in other words they didn't run all out.

However, in World Cross Country, the Half Marathon World Championships, or even the long distance track events, it seems like it is the slower runners who instead run as fast as they can to help their fastest runner make the individual title. I think of the Eritreans in this past Half Marathon Championships, or even in the 2008 Olympics in the 10000m, gave Tadese a lead group as long as possible before they died. Same thing for the Kenyans, they were clearly running to help each other out until they couldn't hold the pace anymore. For example even though the Kenyans wanted the team title for the half marathon, it was clear both Wilson Kiprop and Sammy Kitwara were uncomfortable with the fast pace at the end, but ran as long as they could with each other to ensure the individual title.

Which is more important? Should people from OSU have been helping German hammer a fast pace? Should people have gone with Luke to help him in the beginning? This seems to be the tactic in World Cross, why shouldn't it be the tactic here?

is luke really 6ft 6? surely not.

German only won the 1500 as a freshmen because the top 1500m weren't in the race.

German won the 1500 in the NCAA's as a freshman because he was the fastest in the field that day. You win against who shows up - you know, kind of what it means to race

Fastnbulbous wrote:

Fout has been plagued by injuries, as has Maverick Darling, who was 13th. Lowe underperformed his freshman year, but so did most of the team. Diego Estrada has had flashes of potential brilliance, so his 16th was a big race for him too. With Leung and Hill, you've got 9 guys from that class who are All-American, 10 counting Mecheso who went to high school in the U.S. and is likely to become a citizen. Great to see all of them overcome obstacles and show what they're made of.

Are folks forgetting Don Cabral of Princeton? Same class, and one of the six favs going into FL '07 along with Derrick, Puskedra, Fout, Lowe, and Fernandez.

kuppate wrote:

is luke really 6ft 6? surely not.

6-4, still a big guy and an impressive performance. Probably the most impressive thing he's done yet, including the 28:34 as a frosh. Will be exciting to see how much he can bring it down.

Donn Cabral won the Northeast Regional in XC their senior year and was a favorite to win Footlocker... The big 6 in order of performance yesterday: Puskedra, Derrick, Fernandez, Lowe, (Leung), Cabral, Fout.Leung was also their year and very good in high school. However, he wasn't as dominant back then.

Rad Raz wrote:

Does everyone forget Colby Lowe? He's a 2x top ten placer now at NCAA cross... people don't seem to remember that he was right with Puskedra at the NON 2008 2-mile, and that he was clipping Derrick's heels at NXN in 2007...

We should be talking about the big -five-, if you throw in Mike Fout.

Someone out there wrote:

Are folks forgetting Don Cabral of Princeton? Same class, and one of the six favs going into FL '07 along with Derrick, Puskedra, Fout, Lowe, and Fernandez.

No, I just forgot that All-American is top 40, not top 30. Cabral is good, as is Pat DuPont, who was 17th at FL '07 and one spot ahead of Cabral yesterday. I believe Joe Bosshard (26th) is in that class too. Hard to keep track at this point, with the redshirt system. So the only major players still missing from top 10 '07 FL is Rob Finnerty, who was 9th, and 4th at the NON 2 mile '08 just behind Lowe, Kevin Havel (7th, didn't make Stanford's lineup for the big race) and Brandon Jarrett (6th).

In big argument with two friends I stated Luke would not go TOP 7 or beat Derrick. Bet was made. My friend owns print shop and photos etc. Loser had to get, about life size photo, and keep candles burning at base of photo like a shrine until outdoor track. I was so excited that my friend would have to have a 6' picture of Derrick, with candles burning for months in his livingroom! Argument had gotten pretty heated. Anywho I just got back with this months candles supply.

Got to admit I was screaming at 5000 for Luke to hold on, draft recover etc. At 450 meters to go I'm screaming at the computer to Luke..."Derrick is coming GO now Luke! Man what a run by Luke Puskedra. Pure guts. I was so proud to get the chance to see it happen. May the heavens bless all those young men!!!! Congrats Luke Puskedra!!!!!

Someone out there wrote:

Are folks forgetting Don Cabral of Princeton? Same class, and one of the six favs going into FL '07 along with Derrick, Puskedra, Fout, Lowe, and Fernandez.

I think something is up with Cabral healthwise. He was on fire early in the season and won Wisconsin in a fast time. It was a big surprise the last two meets that he was behind Leung. He is faster.