Woody Kincaid sets AR for 5,000m, 12:51.61, in titanic struggle with Joe Klecker, 12:54.99, both under 13 minutes!

This is my piece on Woody Kincaid’s exciting AR at 5,000 meters. Woody seems like a gutty guy, and he is most definitely fit! Check out the FloTrack coverage of the Boston Terrier Classic. I had not watched Flotrack in some time and I must say, what a great job on tempering the announcing by allowing geeks like me to actually watch the races! 

So, it’s 11.30 PM in Wisconsin, I have just finished my story on Yared Nuguse’s AR at 3000 meters. I had finished my stories on INIT Karlsruhe and am planning Lilac GP coverage for Saturday, and waiting for photos from How Lao at Spokane’s PODIUM stadium. Just as How’s photos arrive, I get a note on Woody Kincaid’s brilliant 5,000 meters.

I find the video on YouTube (check out the FloTrack coverage, (they did a wonderful job, and sure do not want Mark Florio mad at me), then I watch Jonathan Gault’s kick-ass interview with Woody and Joe Klecker. Jonathan is a total pro, and he loves the sport, his interview with Woody is quite poignant.

Ollie Hoare, Commonwealth Games gold medalist at 1,500 meters, should get some serious credit for his pushing the first 4,000 meters. Just an observation, Ollie is pretty darn fit, what the heck is this guy going to do this season? But, I have to tell you, Joe Klecker is fit, you can open a bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola with his cheekbones (I love Mexican Coke, but can not drink it), he is so fit.

I love Joe Klecker. I know both of Joe’s parents, Janice was an Olympic marathoner and I remember how tough his Dad was in the old days.  Joe, he is a Beastmaster.

The problem is, so is Woody Kincaid. In 2021, Woody won the 10,000m at the Olympic Trials and took 3rd in the 5,000 meters. In 2022, Woody fought injuries and lost his father. In his interview with Jonathan Gault from LetsRun, Woody noted that he needed a change.

Since the beginning of 2023, Woody has been training at Northern Arizona University with Luis Grijalva and the squad under Coach Michael Smith. Woody had spent a couple of months training by himself, and he got himself pretty darn fit.

In the 5,000m on Friday night, Joe Klecker was…