Luke Puskedra

 ( Living People ) 

Luke Puskedra (born February 8, 1990) is an American long-distance runner who competes over distances ranging from 10,000 meters to the marathon.

He grew up in Ogden, Utah and attended Judge Memorial Catholic High School before studying business administration at the University of Oregon. He competed for the Oregon Ducks track and field and cross country teams, earned 12 NCAA Division I awards and was a 10,000 meter finalist at the NCAA level four years running from 2009 to 2012. Luke Puskedra Oregon Ducks profile. Oregon Ducks. Retrieved on 2015-10-16.

In 2015 Puskedra won the Vancouver Sun Run.[2] Gary Kingston. Vancouver Sun: "They're Tough": Vancouver Winner Worried About Kenyan Runners. April 20, 2015.

---

Running career

---

High school Puskedra graduated from Judge Memorial Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2008. He was an eight-time state champion in high school winning Utah state track championships in the 1600 meters and 3200 meters as a sophomore, junior and senior and winning the state cross country championships as a junior and senior. High school boys track: Track stars run to glory Judge's Luke Puskedra dominates in distances. Retrieved on November 2, 2015 He set all-classifications records his senior year in track at 3200 meters (8:54.40) and 1,600 meters (4:09.40) and cross country (14:54.60). 2008 Utah Boys State Track and Field Results. Retrieved on November 1, 2015 Utah State Cross Country Championships results. Retrieved on November 2, 2015 He was also the first Utah high school runner to break 9:00 in the 3200 meters. He was the 2007 Nike Cross Southwest Regional champion winning the race in 14:48 breaking the meet record. He went on to place fifth at the 2007 Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships. 2007 Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships results. Retrieved on November 2, 2015 He ran the fastest high school indoor mile time in the country (4:08.77) in 2008 at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games. On March 16, 2008, at the Nike Indoor Nationals Puskedra ran the sixth fastest high school indoor two mile time in U.S. history winning the race in a time of 8:49.58. King of the Mountain: An Interview with Utah's Luke Puskedra. Retrieved on November 2, 2015 2008 Nike Indoor Nationals results. Retrieved on November 2, 2015 Luke Puskedra Going for High School Two Mile Record. Retrieved on November 2, 1015 Boys' Track Top Performers. Retrieved on November 2, 2015 In 2008 as a senior he placed second in both the mile (4:06.60) and two mile (8:47.06) at the Nike Outdoor National meet. 2008 Nike Outdoor Nationals results. Retrieved November 2, 2015 He placed tenth in the two mile at the 2008 Prefontaine Classic in a time of 8:46.41. 2008 Prefontaine Classic two mile results. Retrieved on November 2, 2015 As a junior he finished fourth in the Penn Relays high school boys mile in 4:25.11. Puskedra was a three-time Utah Boys Gatorade Athlete of the Year recipient (2006–07 and 2007–08 in track and 2007 in cross country). Utah Boys' Track Athlete of the Year. Retrieved on November 1, 2015 Judge's Puskedra Earns National Award. Retrieved on November 1, 2015 He was the 2007-08 Salt Lake Tribune Athlete of Year (all sports) and a USA Today All-American at one and two miles.

High school bests: Luke Puskedra Athletic profile. Retrieved on November 2, 2015

• 800 m - 1:58.37
• Mile - 4:06.60
• 1600 m - 4:09.29
• Two mile - 8:46.41
• 3200 m - 8:54.40

---

Collegiate Puskedra was recruited to University of Oregon where coach Andy Powell had him specialize in various long distances spanning from the 3 km to 10 km. He placed fourth overall in the men's 10,000 meter final at the 2012 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships.

---

Post-collegiate After graduating from Oregon, Puskedra signed a professional contract with Nike and joined the Nike Oregon Project. There he was coached by Alberto Salazar, and the training regimen was very similar to the college program as Salazar was largely influential in Powell's training philosophy at the University of Oregon.

However, at the end of 2014, his contract with Nike expired, and Puskedra did not anticipate continuing a professional career in running. He moved with his wife to South Africa and gained 23 pounds from his race weight in the course of a month. In spite of the time elapsed from his graduation, college coach Andy Powell remained in contact with Puskedra and gradually convinced him to return to running.

Puskedra and his wife returned to the United States, where he trained briefly for a marathon debut at the 2014 New York City Marathon. In his marathon debut, he ran 2:28:54, but given his half marathon personal record it was widely seen as a disappointing result. Although discouraged by his experience in New York City, he proceeded to train for the 2015 Grandma's Marathon, where he ran a significantly faster result of 2:15:27.

After 2016 US Olympic Marathon Trials, Puskedra switched from Nike to Asics following Team Hall's apparels unification. But he later reverted to Nike, due to connect with Evan Jager and Sam Crouser.

In January 2018, Luke Puskedra joined the Oregon Track Club.

Shortly after the 2019 Aramco Houston Half marathon, Luke Puskedra's Oregon Track Club contract becomes expired. Soon, Luke Puskedra retired from competitive running and turn into real estate. For 2019 season, Luke Puskedra won't run at the 2019 Faxon Law New Haven Road Race 20k. Instead, Jim Walmsley will run the 2019 Faxon Law New Haven Road Race 20k.

---

Competition record

---

Marathon

2014	New York Marathon	New York, New York	36th	2:28:54 2014 New York City Marathon men's overall results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2015	Grandma's Marathon	Duluth, Minnesota	6th	2:15:27 2015 Grandma's Marathon men's overall results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
	Chicago Marathon	Chicago, Illinois	5th	2:10:24 2015 Chicago Marathon men's overall results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2016	US Olympic Trials Marathon	Los Angeles, California	4th	2:14:12
	Chicago Marathon	Chicago, Illinois	19th	2:20:18
2017	Boston Marathon	Boston, Massachusetts	9th	2:14:45
	Chicago Marathon	Chicago, Illinois	20th	2:17:53

---

Half marathon

2012	Houston Marathon	Houston, Texas	4th	1:01:36 2012 Houston Half Marathon msn's overall results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
	World Half Marathon Championships	Kavarna, Bulgaria	17th	1:02:46
2015	Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon	Portland, Oregon	1st	1:05:10 2015 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2016	Houston Marathon	Houston, Texas	4th	1:01:29 On Final Day of Qualifying, Houston and Arizona Swell Olympic Trials Ranks. Retrieved on January 10, 2018
2018	Houston Marathon	Houston, Texas	34th	1:03:40

---

USA National Championships

---

Road

2012	USA 20 km Championships	New Haven, Connecticut	2nd	20 km	58:48 2012 USA 20K Championships. Retrieved on October 17, 2015
2014	USA Half Marathon Championships	Houston, Texas	6th	half marathon	1:01:48 2014 USA Half Marathon Championships results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
	USA 20 km Championships	New Haven, Connecticut	3rd	20 km	1:01:32 2014 USA 20K Championships results. Retrieved on October 17, 2015
2015	USA 15 km Championships	Jacksonville, Florida	18th	15 km	46:25 2015 USA 15 km Championships results. Retrieved on October 17, 2015
	USA 20 km Championships	New Haven, Connecticut	4th	20 km	59:30 2015 USA 20K Championships results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2016	US Olympic Trials	Los Angeles	4th	marathon	2:14:12 2016 US Olympic Team Trials - Marathon results . Retrieved on February 14, 2016
2018	USA 20 km Championships	New Haven, Connecticut	14th	20 km	1:03:31

---

Track and field

2012	U.S. Olympic Trials	Eugene, Oregon	8th	10,000 m	27:56.62 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials results. Retrieved on October 15, 2016
2013	USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Des Moines, Iowa	9th	10,000 m	29:27.28 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015

---

NCAA championships

---

Outdoor track and field

2009	NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Fayetteville, Arkansas	11th	10,000 m	29:20.18 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2010	NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Eugene, Oregon	14th	10,000 m	29:27.13 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2011	NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Des Moines, Iowa	6th	10,000 m	28:33.47 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2012	NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Des Moines, Iowa	4th	10,000 m	28:24.24 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships results. Retrieved on October 16, 2015

---

Indoor track and field

2009	NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships	College Station, Texas	6th	5000 m	13:50.82
2010	NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships	Fayetteville, Arkansas	9th	5000 m	13.57.98
			14th	3000 m	8:22.47
2011	NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships	College Station, Texas	14th	5000 m	14:02.26

---

Cross country

2008	NCAA Cross Country Championships	Terre Haute, Indiana	5th	29.27.8http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/archivemenu/33-archive/319-ncaa-xc-2008-men . Track and Field News. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2009	NCAA Cross Country Championships	Terre Haute, Indiana	21st	30:01.9http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/archivemenu/33-archive/320-ncaa-xc-2009-men. Track and Field. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2010	NCAA Cross Country Championships	Terre Haute, Indiana	3rd	29.38.0http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/archivemenu/33-archive/487-ncaa-xc-2010-men . Track and Field News. Retrieved on October 16, 2015
2011	NCAA Cross Country Championships	Terre Haute, Indiana	6th	29:09.3http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/archivemenu/26-news/948-ncaa-xc-2011-men-indiana . Track and Field News. Retrieved on October 16, 2015

---

Personal bests

Outdoor track	Eugene, Oregon
	Greensboro, North Carolina
	Eugene, Oregon
	Eugene, Oregon
	Los Angeles, California
	Eugene, Oregon
Indoor track	Boston, Massachusetts
	College Station, Texas
	Landover, Maryland
	College Station, Texas
Road	Vancouver, British Columbia
	Spokane, Washington
	Jacksonville, Florida
	New Haven, Connecticut
	Houston, Texas
	Chicago, Illinois

---

External links

• Luke Puskedra University of Oregon Ducks profile
• Luke Puskedra Joins the Nike Oregon Project

Categories: Living People, 1990 Births, Track And Field Athletes From Salt Lake City, American Men Long-distance Runners, American Men Marathon Runners, Oregon Ducks Men's Track And Field Athletes, Oregon Ducks Men's Cross Country Runners, 21st-century American Sportsmen

Post Comment