Luke Puskedra (born February 8, 1990) is an American long-distance runner who competes over distances ranging from 10,000 metres 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 and was a 10,000 meter finalist at the NCAA level four years running from 2009 to 2012.
In 2015 Puskedra won the Vancouver Sun Run.
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. 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). 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. 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. 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. He placed tenth in the two mile at the 2008 Prefontaine Classic in a time of 8:46.41. 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). 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:
- 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 3K to 10K. 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.
Competition record
Marathon
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
---|
Representing the United States |
---|
2014 | New York City Marathon | New York, New York | 36th | 2:28:54 |
2015 | Grandma's Marathon | Duluth, Minnesota | 6th | 2:15:27 |
Chicago Marathon | Chicago, Illinois | 5th | 2:10:24 |
Half marathon
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
---|
Representing the United States |
---|
2012 | Houston Half Marathon | Houston, Texas | 4th | 1:01:36 |
World Half Marathon Championships | Kavarna, Bulgaria | 17th | 1:02:46 |
2015 | Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon | Portland, Oregon | 1st | 1:05:10 |
USA National Championships
Road
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
---|
2012 | USA 20 km Championships | New Haven, Connecticut | 2nd | 20 km | 58:48 |
2014 | USA Half Marathon Championships | Houston, Texas | 6th | half marathon | 1:01:48 |
USA 20 km Championships | New Haven, Connecticut | 3rd | 20 km | 1:01:32 |
2015 | USA 15 km Championships | Jacksonville, Florida | 18th | 15 km | 46:25 |
USA 20 km Championships | New Haven, Connecticut | 4th | 20 km | 59:30 |
2016 | US Olympic Trials | Los Angeles, California | 4th | marathon | 2:14:12 |
Track and field
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
---|
2012 | U.S. Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 8th | 10,000 m | 27:56.62 |
2013 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 9th | 10,000 m | 29:27.28 |
NCAA championships
Outdoor track and field
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
---|
Representing Oregon |
---|
2009 | NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Fayetteville, Arkansas | 11th | 10,000 m | 29:20.18 |
2010 | NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 14th | 10,000 m | 29:27.13 |
2011 | NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 6th | 10,000 m | 28:33.47 |
2012 | NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 4th | 10,000 m | 28:24.24 |
Indoor track and field
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
---|
Representing Oregon |
---|
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
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
---|
Representing Oregon |
---|
2008 | NCAA Cross Country Championships | Terre Haute, Indiana | 5th | 29.27.8 |
2009 | NCAA Cross Country Championships | Terre Haute, Indiana | 21st | 30:01.9 |
2010 | NCAA Cross Country Championships | Terre Haute, Indiana | 3rd | 29.38.0 |
2011 | NCAA Cross Country Championships | Terre Haute, Indiana | 6th | 29:09.3 |
Personal bests
Surface | Event | Time | Date | Location |
---|
Outdoor track | 1500 m | 3:53.79 | March 21, 2009 | Eugene, Oregon |
Mile | 4:06.60 | June 18, 2008 | Greensboro, North Carolina |
3000 m | 7:59.33 | May 3, 2013 | Eugene, Oregon |
2 miles | 8:46.41 | June 8, 2008 | Eugene, Oregon |
5000 m | 13:31.88 | May 17, 2013 | Los Angeles, California |
10,000 m | 27:56:62 | June 22, 2012 | Eugene, Oregon |
Indoor track | Mile | 4:08.77 | January 26, 2008 | Boston, Massachusetts |
3000 m | 8:00.69 | February 30, 2010 | College Station, Texas |
2 mile | 8:07.41 | January 25, 2014 | Landover, Maryland |
5000 m | 13:50.82 | March 13, 2009 | College Station, Texas |
Road | 10 km | 28:53 | April 19, 2015 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
12 km | 35:47 | May 3, 2015 | Spokane, Washington |
15 km | 46:25 | March 15, 2015 | Jacksonville, Florida |
20 km | 58:48 | September 3, 2012 | New Haven, Connecticut |
Half marathon | 1:01:36 | January 15, 2012 | Houston, Texas |
Marathon | 2:10:24 | October 11, 2015 | Chicago, Illinois |