Parker Wolfe runs to records, titles despite battle with COVID
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (BVM) 鈥� It鈥檚 easy to understand why Parker Wolfe is considered the top boys cross country runner in the nation when simply looking at what the Cherry Creek High School senior accomplished last fall.
In September, Wolfe set a course and Colorado soil record by running a 5K time of 14 minutes and 30 seconds at the Heritage Distance Classic. He followed that up with another record-setting performance at the Class 5A state meet in October, winning the championship with a time of 15:10.50. The University of North Carolina commit then solidified in November by running away with the RunningLane National Cross Country title in 14:26.聽
Given all that he鈥檚 achieved, it鈥檚 therefore not too surprising that Wolfe was named the 2020-21 Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Player of the Year. But there was a time last summer when he couldn鈥檛 have envisioned any of those accomplishments. Wolfe contracted symptomatic COVID-19 in July.
鈥淚t was rough,鈥� Wolfe said. 鈥淚t was super tough and I didn鈥檛 even know if I鈥檇 be able to come back to running this cross country season. I鈥檇 have up and down weeks trying to get back and recover from it. I never would鈥檝e thought I鈥檇 be the national champion or the Gatorade National Player of the Year. It just makes it that much more special being able to go through all of those challenges and then still come out on top.鈥�
Wolfe鈥檚 battle with the virus came at a crucial training time for a high school athlete in his sport, and despite being sick for multiple weeks, he attempted to train through it, even by going on midnight runs to avoid other people.
鈥淚t was a critical month,鈥� Cherry Creek cross country head coach Ethan Dusto said. 鈥淚t was the end of July into the beginning of August so that鈥檚 kind of when we鈥檙e peaking our distance mileage and we鈥檙e starting to transition into speed work and he missed all of that. That said, he trained a ton over the summer and it鈥檚 incredible to me how he held his fitness from doing all that work. It was a tough battle back, it was hard mentally, but he鈥檚 really strong mentally.鈥�
Wolfe admits that his battle with COVID took a mental toll on him.
鈥淚t was more of a mental setback than physical,鈥� Wolfe said. 鈥淢y lungs took a hit and I had to take a good month to recover from that and then trying to run through it and trying to get back in shape was just a whole other beast. But the mental part of it, just trying to get back in shape and be happy with where I was, was really tough as well.鈥�
Wolfe fought his way past the mental and physical hurdles to find the level of success that he鈥檚 capable of when there鈥檚 nothing holding him back, although there are still some lingering effects of the virus that have stuck with him. Wolfe said he has 鈥渓asting heart issues鈥� and he takes aspirin to help manage inflammation of his arteries, a problem which has already led to one hospital stay. He also now has to use an inhaler before he runs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely scary not knowing the long-term effects people are having,鈥� Wolfe said. 鈥淚 think that I鈥檒l be fine in the future. Hopefully nothing comes up again, but you never know. It鈥檚 a new thing that no one really knows what鈥檚 going to happen, so it鈥檚 definitely on my mind, definitely still keeping an eye out for things, but hopefully, everything will be all right.鈥�
Assuming good health, Dusto doesn鈥檛 see anything else holding Wolfe back from becoming an even more accomplished runner going forward at UNC.
鈥淚 can’t think of more than a couple of workouts where he finished that workout and he was totally gassed,鈥� Dusto said. 鈥淚 also think that his better races are longer distances. I鈥檝e seen him run a five-mile tempo run at a five-minute pace and not have his heart rate spike above like 160 and so i think that the 10k is going to be his event. I think he鈥檚 got serious potential. If he stays healthy and continues to grow and he can make that extra jump forward, I think we鈥檙e going to see him at NCAA nationals as a freshman.鈥�
