ELITE RUNNERS SHINE AT 5000
The start of the 36th Carlsbad 5000 pro races were delayed 19 minutes on Sunday after AMTRAK train schedules were altered following a pedestrian fatality.
At about 10:50 a.m. a pedestrian was struck near the Leucadia Boulevard rail crossing near North Coast Highway 101. Train service was stopped. When service resumed, multiple trains began running, causing the delay of the professional men’s and women’s races.
The 3.1-mile course crosses train tracks twice, about a quarter of a mile into the race on Grand Avenue, then about 200 yards from the finish on Carlsbad Village Drive.
“First, and most importantly, our sympathies and prayers go out to the pedestrian who died,” said John Smith, co-owner of the race.
“Our number one priority is always the safety of our runners. Therefore, we had to wait for the adjusted train schedule, based on the accident. Again, the runners’ safety will always be our number one concern.”
Runners weren’t aware of the fatality during the 19-minute delay.
“We were just told they had to make sure the course was clear,” said San Diegan Reid Buchanan, who finished second in the men’s race.
The 5,000-meter men’s race was won by Ed Cheserek, a 28year-old Kenyan and 17-time NCAA champion. Cheserek defended his 2019 title, winning in 13 minutes, 44 seconds. The race was not run the past two years because of COVID protocols.
Buchanan finished one second back.
Cheserek’s time, a 4:25 permile pace, was 15 seconds slower than the world record he set at the race three years ago. A significant breeze made conditions less than ideal.
Biruktayit Degefa, a 31year-old Ethiopian, won the women’s race in 15:29, a 4:59 per-mile pace. South African and two-time Olympian Dominique Scott finished second in 15:48.
Beginning at 6:55 a.m., the Carlsbad 5000 featured nine races, the two for professionals and seven for age-groupers. The age-group races were not impacted by the fatality.
Race officials said more than 6,000 runners and walkers participated.
For the bulk of the men’s race, Cheserek and Buchanan were separated by no more than a stride. Near the 2-mile mark, in front of Army and Navy Academy, Cheserek made a move.
“I’ve raced him a lot since college,” said Buchanan, 29, who moved to San Diego two years ago and lives in North Park. “He likes to check over his shoulder and if he thinks he has it, he starts to coast.
“I was going to try to time it after he looked back, give it another sprint. But he had another gear I couldn’t match. He’s no slouch. I think everyone knows that. I wanted to make him work for it.”
Cheserek is a world-class runner who finished second in March at the 13.1-mile NYC Half. His nickname is “King Ches.”
Cheserek said he didn’t exert a full effort Sunday to preserve himself for the 5,000 meters at next Friday’s Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore.
“I got the win,” he said. “That’s most important.” The winners earned $4,000. As usual, thousands of spectators lined the course, particularly along Carlsbad Boulevard.
“There were a lot of people shouting,” said Cheserek. “We got a lot of energy from that.”