It took 15 years – and a world class runner – to break Germán Fernández’s 5K course record

Just when highly decorated distance runner Diego Estrada thought he was on the last legs of a running career that has taken him to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London as a marathoner for México, his legs responded in spectacular fashion at Sunday’s Miguel Reyes 5K at Woodward Park.

The 32-year-old Salinas resident smashed the course record that had been held since 2007 by Riverbank High School standout Germán Fernández (14:27 at the state CIF cross country championships).

Estrada clocked a blistering 14:14.57 on a hilly course against a field of elite runners in their 20s on an overcast Sunday morning with more than 60% humidity.

“Once I saw the field, I realized that I could get the record,” said Estrada, who was born in Chilchota, Michoacán, México. “So, the goal was to just try to win.”

Estrada, who took the lead after the 1-mile mark and never looked back, was chased by former Immanuel High standout Kasey Knevelbaard and elite marathoner CJ Albertson.

Knevelbaard was coming off a blistering 3:38.78 1,500-meter race Friday in Tennessee. Albertson, a former Buchanan High star, was the defending champion and had also won the race in 2018.

The field included several Mexican runners who have competed on the world stage.

Estrada, who won the 2017 race in 14:51.4, said the focus was “to get competitive and go for the win.”

Having run the course previously, and while in high school, didn’t help him that much.

“I have the memory of a goldfish,” said Estrada. “When we pulled up this morning, my dad was kind of upset (because) I was trying to figure out where to park.”

Estrada, now a U.S. citizen, looked a the elevation profile of the course and figured “it’s going to be pretty flat.”

Except, there are a few hills that test the runners.

“At no point was I confident that I was going to win for two reasons,” he said.

One was Knevelbaard’s fast 1,500-meter race two days earlier which “is like a 3:55 mile,” he said.

“He’s local. He knows the course better than me. He was attacking the first mile, and it was just like a pack of wolves out there,” said Estrada, who has a road 5K best of 13:31 (2014).

Knevelbaard, who was third last year, finished second in 14:20.73, also under the record. Albertson was third in 14:29.67.

“I wanted to break 14 (minutes),” said Estrada. “My goal was to try to dip on the 14, but you have to remember that the course record was set by a high school kid.”

Estrada remembers he was sitting on a hill in 2007 at the state meet when he saw Fernández shock the running world with his record.

“I tell people 14:27 is not a soft record. That’s the equivalent of like a 13:44 on the track,” said Estrada. “That means I set a big, ambitious goal. Ten seconds under that was a 32-[year-old compared to an 18-year-old, I’ll take it now.”

Estrada, who helped with the kids’ races after his record run, said he enjoys the friendly atmosphere of the run, which was established in 2015 to honor local runner Miguel Reyes who died in a traffic accident while at work.

“We did a few runs together, and he was a good guy. It’s also a memorial for him, so it feels nice to take part in that,” said Estrada. “It’s just the atmosphere, like the kids’ races, the community.”

He said Salinas is a similar community, “so it just feels like home here.”

Estrada isn’t resting on his laurels. He is getting ready for the 20-kilometer U.S. championships on Sept. 5, “then we’ll try a marathon in the spring.”

Estrada hopes to be competitive in the U.S. Olympic marathon trials.

As long as his body holds up, Estrada is looking at about six more years on the running circuit. Hooking up with running coach Ryan Hall (the fastest American marathoner with a 2:04:58 time) helps.

“He rejuvenated me,” said Estrada. “Before, I was basically retired. But now, working with Ryan, I think I can definitely give it another Olympic cycle after the next one.”

Albertson: “It was definitely a fun race”

Albertson, who coaches at Clovis Community College, called the race fun.

“It’s fun to run with some faster guys,” he said. “It was fun to run faster than I’ve run in many months.”

Albertson, who became a dad this year, said running a personal best on Sunday “was not expected.”

He figures longer distances are more his style. He will be running the Valencia marathon in Spain on Dec. 4.

México’s Hesiquio Flores Romero was fourth in 14:36.90, while countryman Daniel Reyes was fifth in 14:39.44.

The top five finishers got $1,000, $850, $600, $450 and $350 for their efforts. Estrada picked up an extra $1,000 for breaking the record.

Clovis High graduate Nathaniel Ávila won the college division in 16:04.3; while Parlier’s Evan Torres won the high school race in 17:02.87. The middle school boys’ race was won by W. Ramírez in 19:44.34.

The Clydesdale division for those weighing more than 200 pounds went to Omar López of Porterville who timed 22:27.92.