This past weekend, April 12th, 2026, a new American record holder was crowned in the 5k for the 80+ age group. Gary Ostwald (age 80) ran a 21:22 at the Carlsbad 5000 – aka the “Worlds Fastest 5K” – holding a remarkable 6:53 pace per mile. Gary finished first in his age group (M80-84), and 187th place overall in a field of 1,098.
Most importantly, Gary broke the long standing american 5k record – previously held by Warren Utes (Flossmoor, IL) made in 2001. That previous record was 21:59, which Ostwald was able to break almost 25 years later by 37 seconds! Gary didn’t just race, he made history.
We are truly inspired by Gary’s performance this past weekend. His status as a Boulder Road Runner is a represenation of what we are all about!
Congratulations!