While the state’s best prep distance runners will gather this week for the UHSAA championships, a former Utah champion is reflecting on his amazing 2012 season.
Luke Puskedra, a former Judge Memorial High runner who grew up in North Ogden, fared well in a pair of elite level world competitions over the past month.
In September, Puskedra finished second in the USA 20K Championships as part of the Stratton Faxon New Haven Road Race in New Haven, Conn
On Oct. 6, Team USA’s men finished fourth at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Kavarna, Bulgaria. Puskedra and teammate Augustus Maiyo led the U.S. with top-20 finishes.
Maiyo was the top American in 15th; Puskedra was not far behind as he took 17th. Kenya took first place with Eritrea second and Ethiopia third.
Earlier in the year, Puskedra completed his illustrious college career at the University of Oregon with All-America honors in his distance specialties.
He made his first big splash in January, winning the Houston Half Marathon. Along the way, Puskedra finished eighth at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in the 10,000 meters.
Just prior to the world half marathon championships, Puskedra told Runnerspace.com’s Scott Bush what the key to his season was.
“Coming into this year, I was too uptight about the things I could not control. I dug myself into a hole by obsessing about the training instead of looking at it for what it was for: training to race. I’ve learned this last year to take everything as it goes and to work day to day to improve in the long run.”
Good advice for all competitors.
To read the full interview, visit http://www.runnerspace.com/news.php?news_id=53646.
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