By Zoe Staum ’14
Photo Courtesy of Chris Parker ’13
Last Sunday, Chris Parker ‘13, a middle distance track runner, set a new personal record in the 1500m race at 3:57.27, finishing first in the Lafayette 7-Way Meet at Metzgar Field. Parker’s first place finish was the theme of the day, as the Lafayette men’s track team went on to finish first overall, continuing their strong start to the outdoor season.
Parker has only run the 1500m distance three times. “[The 1500m] is definitely a challenging race,” Parker said.
First lap: goes by like that. Second lap: you start to feel it a little. Third lap: the toughest. And the fourth? Survival mode. “That’s when I get that extra little bit of adrenaline where I kick it into top gear and give it everything I have.”
Parker is certainly no stranger to tough races, competing at a high level at Neenah high school. His 4x800m relay team qualified for the Wisconsin State Championships twice, placing third each time. “At first it was overwhelming,” he said. “The venue where [the state meet] is held is just amazing. I’ve never performed in front of so many people in my life.”
Despite the successes in his career, the team aspect and “camaraderie” are Parker’s favorite part about track. “A lot of people think track is an individual sport but it really isn’t,” he said. “You need guidance, you need people there with you or it is impossible to get better.”
His teammates are essential to his training. With weekly mileage in the sixties, Parker thinks the toughest part about the sport is simply “getting out the door.” He said, “It’s so much easier when you have teammates there… so you have people there holding you accountable for going out and running everyday.”
All six members of his immediate family have run or are currently running so it is no surprise that a talent for racing seems to run in the Parker family. Parker and his three sisters are following nicely in their parent’s footsteps.
Interestingly, both of his parents ran track here at Lafayette. His father, Jeff Parker ‘84, was a distance runner while his mother, Sharon Lukenda-Parker ‘84, was a sprinter, which is partially why the 800m is Parker’s preferred distance to run. Getting a mix of his parents specialties, Parker finds himself most comfortable running middle distances, which require a balance between speed and endurance.
His parent’s influence was not the only motivation that led him to track. After playing soccer and basketball for quite awhile, Parker began running track in the sixth grade and never looked back. “My heart has always been in track,” Parker said. The fact that track was his most talented sport and that it “came more naturally” to him also influenced his decision.
Possessing a strong desire to compete in track at the Division 1 level, Lafayette was an obvious choice and in fact the only college Parker applied to. “[Lafayette] is kind of a family tradition,” he said.
Parker competes again tomorrow when Lafayette hosts Lehigh in a dual-meet starting at 11:30am.