Cole Pschunder of Rutgers out of Eastern Regional High School ran a big 5,000 PR of 14:26.53 Saturday at the IC4As.
Pschunder, a Rutgers junior, took 15 seconds off his previous PR of 14:41.84 from the Big Ten meet two weeks ago. Before that, his 5,000 PR was a 15:21 at an outdoor meet last spring on his home track in Piscataway. Pschunder never ran a track 5,000 in high school or in college before last spring.
According to the timing site, Pschunder ran his 1,000s in 2:51, 2:51, 2:56, 2:59 and closed in 2:47, which is roughly 2:13 800 pace for the last five laps.
Pschunder, who also has a 4:11.99 mile to his credit this winter, moved up to No. 3 in Rutgers history in the indoor 5,000, behind only Manalapan High graduate Jim Casey, who ran 14:12.9 hand-timed in a meet at Jadwin Gym in Princeton in 1981 (and is now a NJSIAA Central Jersey sectional meet director), and Chris Banafato (from Bridgewater-Raritan), who ran 14:21.06 at the 2015 IC4A’s in Boston.
Only Casey has run faster than Pschunder’s time outdoors in Rutgers history. He ran 13:57 at the 1982 outdoor IC4As at Princeton.
Cole Pschunder is apparently the same person as Nick Pschunder, which is how he is listed in various results.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 