INDIANAPOLIS — A young runner from Bedford turned heads in downtown Indianapolis over the weekend, securing a top podium spot in a massive field of thousands at one of the state’s largest annual community road races.
Zander Strunk, a sixth-grade student at Lincoln Elementary School in Bedford, earned a 3rd-place finish in the male 1-12 age division at the 14th annual Indianapolis Colts 5K on Saturday, September 12.
The sold-out event drew an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 runners to downtown Indianapolis to kick off the football season. Crossing the finish line directly on the 50-yard line inside Lucas Oil Stadium, Strunk finished 256th overall out of the entire field, placing 3rd in his specific division out of 111 young competitors.
Strunk, who has been running since age six, is a familiar face in the local Lawrence County running community, regularly competing in 5K events around Bedford each year.
During the post-race awards ceremony inside Lucas Oil Stadium, organizers officially recognized Strunk’s achievement over the stadium public address system—giving a special shoutout to his hometown of Bedford as he stepped up to receive his honors.
The annual Colts 5K features a course through the streets of downtown Indianapolis, culminating inside the NFL stadium.
