Graham Blanks Runs 12:59 5K at BU as Doris Lemngole (14:52) Breaks NCAA Indoor 5K Record

BOSTON — One year ago when Harvard’s Graham Blanks ran 13:03.78 to set the collegiate record in the men’s 5,000 meters at Boston University, he celebrated with a bow after crossing the finish line. Blanks had some extra energy because he had relied on Stanford star Ky Robinson to make the pace up front before taking the lead with 400 meters to go and kicking to victory.

This time around, the celebrations had to wait. Upon crossing the line, Blanks went to the ground and sat, catching his breath and soaking in the final race of a 2024 campaign that included a ninth-place finish in the Olympic 5,000m final and a repeat NCAA cross country title. After a minute, Blanks rose to his feet at the crowd’s urging and doled out high fives on a mini victory lap before celebrating on the infield with his teammates.

Blanks celebrated with his fans after the race

Part of the reason for the added fatigue was because Blanks ran almost four seconds faster than 2023 — 12:59.89, just the second collegian ever under 13:00 and just the fifth American to do it indoors. But the main reason was because this time, Blanks was the one who had to push the pace once rabbit Anthony Camerieri dropped out with a mile to go. This race was centered around Blanks chasing the 2025 World Championship standard of 13:01.00, and no one else was strong enough to hang at that pace. It had to be him, and he did it, closing in 4:05 for his final 1600.

“This was way harder,” Blanks said. “Last (year) was great. I ran a selfish race last year. I didn’t hit the front until two laps to go. I think I had that karmic justice today running eight laps solo…I’m pretty sure that was indicative of a 100% effort.”

Blanks’ time places him #2 on the NCAA all-time list behind Nico Young (12:57.14), who is also the only American to break 13:00 at a younger age than Blanks (22 years, 227 days). Blanks earned a convincing win over some of the best runners in the NCAA as he finished more than 10 seconds ahead of runner-up Liam Murphy of Villanova (13:10.42). It was most likely his final race in a Harvard singlet (he is expected to turn professional now), but Blanks, wearing a New Balance scarf (he has an NIL deal with the company), said he did not have any news to share as of today.

“That’s certainly a decision I have to make by the end of the year,” Blanks said. “I’ll get back to y’all.”

Blanks’ performance was one of many quick times on the famously fast BU oval at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener on Saturday, including duelling 7:30s from UNC teammates Ethan Strand and Parker Wolfe (that race gets its own article) and an NCAA indoor record of 14:52.57 by NCAA XC champion Doris Lemngole of Alabama. Below, a rundown of the rest of the action.

*Results

Women’s 5000: Lemngole edges out Olemomoi again

Just as at the SEC cross country championships in October and the NCAA cross country championships in November, Alabama’s Doris Lemngole defeated her former teammate Hilda Olemomoi of Florida to take the victory in the women’s 5,000m today, in a new indoor collegiate record of 14:52.57 to Olemomoi’s 14:52.84. Lemngole ran her final 200m in 30.66 to get the win and get just under Parker Valby‘s 14:52.79 NCAA indoor record from last year’s NCAA champs.

The top four were the same top four from NCAA XC two weeks ago in Madison, the only difference being that Olemomoi took second over New Mexico’s Pamela Kosgei, who was second at NCAAs but third in Boston in 15:00.36. Just as in Madison, Amy Bunnage of Stanford was 4th in 15:00.75, obliterating the old Australian indoor record of 15:15.79 set by Lauren Ryan on the same track in January.

Quick Take: It’s incredible that Parker Valby barely lasted a year as NCAA indoor record holder

When Valby ran 14:56.11 at this meet last year, it was viewed as a humongous run. The previous NCAA record (indoor/outdoor) of 15:01.70, set by Jenny Simpson on an indoor track, had stood since 2009, and Valby took more than five seconds off of it. Given the margin Valby broke it by and the historic dominance of her 2023-24 campaign (five NCAA titles), it looked as if Valby, who lowered the indoor record to 14:52.79 at NCAAs in March, could stay as the record holder for some time.

Instead, Valby’s indoor record is already gone. And though she retains the overall collegiate record thanks to her 14:52.18 from NCAA outdoors last year, that one may not last much longer given Lemngole is only a sophomore.

On the other hand, perhaps we should not be so surprised. The talent level is very high in the NCAA right now — Lemngole ran 14:40 on the roads before even enrolling at Alabama — and unlike Valby, the women tonight had a pacer. It will likely be the case that, moving forward, you need to be capable of running sub-15:00 in order to be the best woman in the NCAA.

Overall, tonight’s race featured four of the five fastest women in NCAA 5,000m history.

Updated all-time NCAA women’s 5000m list

1. 14:52.18 Parker Valby, Florida 6/8/24
2. 14:52.57i Doris Lemngole, Alabama 12/7/24
3. 14:52.84i Hilda Olemomoi, Florida 12/7/24
4. 15:00.36i Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico 12/7/24
5. 15:00.76i Amy Bunnage, Stanford 12/7/24

Women’s 3000: Hertenstein wins as four collegians break 8:50

Colorado alum Bailey Hertenstein, now training with the Nike Union Athletics Club, got the win in the fast heat of the women’s 3000m, taking down the collegians thanks to a big last lap (30.62 final 200, 63.29 final 400). Behind her, a parade of collegians dipped under 8:50, led by Providence’s Shannon Flockhart (8:45.67), who moved to #7 on the all-time NCAA list. Virginia’s Margot Appleton, who took 4th in 8:46.23, actually had the fastest final lap of the race (30.16).

The latter half of the all-time collegiate looks a bit different now as Saturday’s races featured three of the fastest times ever in the women’s 3000m:

1. 8:35.20 Katelyn Tuohy, NC State 2/22/23
2. 8:40.21 Olivia Markezich, Notre Dame 12/2/23
3. 8:41.50 Parker Valby, Florida 3/9/24
4. 8:41.60 Karissa Schweizer, Missouri 2/3/18
5. 8:42.03 Jenny Simpson, Colorado 3/14/09
6. 8:45.50 Hilda Olemomoi, Alabama 2/10/23
7. 8:45.67 Shannon Flockhart, Providence 12/7/24
8. 8:45.97 Ceili McCabe, West Virginia 12/7/24
8. 8:45.97 Alicia Monson, Wisconsin 2/9/19
10. 8:46.23 Margot Appleton, Virginia 12/7/24

Hertenstein helping to lead rebirth of Union AC

It is the end of an Olympic year, which means that professional contracts are expiring and training groups are gaining/losing members. Few groups will look more different in 2025 than the Nike Union Athletics Club. Coach Pete Julian and Japanese marathoner Suguru Osako remain, but that is about all that is the same from previous years. Hertenstein, who was 3rd in the NCAA 5,000m for Colorado in June, joined this fall, and the team will be looking to add new members moving forward.

“I would hope so,” Hertenstein said. “I would love to have training partners. I would love to have a community that’s being built so we’ll see what Nike chooses to do.”

(Note: Hertenstein said in the interview that Arkansas’ Yaseen Abdalla had been training with the group this fall, but she actually meant 8:17 steepler/UVA alum Yasin Sado, who was 5th at the Olympic Trials this year).

Talk about BU on our world-famou fan forum / messageboard:

• ETHAN MF STRAND and PARKER MF WOLFE
• Blanks 12:59.89
• Jesus christ Bosley! Ruined race for graham
• OFFICIAL 2024 BU Dec. Indoor THREAD (Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener) \
• Have ya seen Yaseen? 3K: 7:34 & 5k: 13:22 Double.
• Graham Blanks REVEALS the KILLER workout that let him know he was ready to repeat as NCAA XC champ
• Are Wolfe and Strand the new Teare/Hocker of the NCAA?