CEDAR RAPIDS — Samuel Lange has only been distance running for a year and a half.
The 15-year-old Cedar Rapids Prairie rising sophomore has long been swimming and biking, but when classmate and friend Cole Carrizales brought him to Prairie’s Memorial Day 5K race in 2023, Lange found a new passion.
“I just fell in love with it,” said Lange, who won the 5K run/walk at the annual Fifth Season Races on Thursday in downtown Cedar Rapids.
This was the second appearance in the Fifth Seasons 5K for Lange, who finished 10th last year behind a field that included Prairie cross country and track teammates Bennett Allred and Carter Mulford. This time, Lange improved his time by nearly three minutes and vaulted to the top in 16:27. Allred placed second (16:43) and Mulford’s third-place time of 17:01 completed the Prairie 1-2-3 trifecta, which certainly bodes well for the Hawks’ coming cross country and track seasons.
“This year we’re looking to get some state titles,” Lange said. “We have got some good runners coming.”
As a Prairie freshman, Lange ran varsity for both the cross country and track teams at Prairie. A promising cross country season was cut short due to shin splints, but Lange rebounded to compete in the 800-meter run and the 1,600 during track season. He plans to focus on the 1,600 this spring, but first things first. Fall cross country awaits. And soon.
“We just started our summer practices,” Lange said.
Rising Springville senior Jack Stamp — a two-time state qualifier in the 1,600 — finished fourth (17:37) behind the Prairie trio, while former Mount Vernon prep and current Western Kentucky University runner Carson Sansenbach placed fifth in 17:42.
Drake assistant highlights other 5K finishers
The women’s 5K field was led by West Des Moines’ Tara Benzing, 26, an assistant cross country and distance running coach at Drake. Benzing — who ran collegiately at Dordt — won the 5K in 20:04, 12 seconds faster than 13-year-old Mary Grace Lyons of Monticello.
Rising Linn-Mar sophomore Hailey Kozloski — a Class 4A cross country state-qualifier last fall — finished third in 20:32, while former Marion prep and current Wartburg runner Madison Prier (21:44) and Ali Squires of Waterloo (21:44) completed the women’s top five.
Corridor Running looks to 2025
The Fifth Season Races — which began in 1986 — is staged by Corridor Running of Cedar Rapids.
The group is already eagerly looking to 2025, when it plans to celebrate the annual Fourth of July running event’s 40th year.
“We are going to start preparing for the 40th anniversary race this fall,” Corridor Running Co-President Jim Dwyer said. “Usually planning starts about six months out, but since next year is the 40th anniversary, we are going to start early.”
Dwyer plans to invite all former race directors to next year’s event, which will also celebrate the nation’s longest-tenured 8K race.