Liberty runner breaks 42-year 5K record at Penn Relays

Liberty University sophomore Allie Zealand torched the competition Thursday at the 130th Penn Relays, clocking a time of 15:26.38 in the women’s 5K to break Olympian PattiSue Plumer’s record of 15:29.0 set in 1984.

Zealand’s record performance also bested Liberty’s 5K record of 15:48.63 set by All-American Ednah Kurgat at the 2016 Mt. SAC Relays and now ranks No. 11 in the NCAA this season.

Zealand surged to the lead at the 3K split and churned out a 4:49.05 final 1,600 and 2:20.90 last 800 to finally shake off runner-up Rylee Blade, who lowered the Florida State record to 15:29.45. The talented field also featured reigning ACC indoor 5K champion Imogen Gardiner of Boston College and 2025 NCAA Northeast Region cross country champion Charlotte Richman of Army.

Zealand followed in her mother and coach’s footsteps in fashioning a memorable performance at Franklin Field. Heather (Sagan) Zealand captured the Penn Relays Olympic Development women’s mile title as a Liberty senior in 2002, earning Women’s Top Individual Event Performer honors.

Allie Zealand has now recorded NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet qualifiers in three different events, including the 800 (personal-best 2:04.17) and 1,500 (4:10.57) at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., earlier this month.

Read more about Zealand and Liberty’s overall performance at the Penn Relays at LibertyFlames.com.