ATHLETICS
Given
Parker lifer Reflects on his passion for all-things running By Matthew Piechalak When Kenan Pala runs, he smiles— not because he’s talented, which he absolutely is. He smiles out of a sheer, unadulterated love for the sport he has dedicated so much of his life to during the past decade.
University beginning fall 2022; and recently, he claimed the record for fastest time in CIF San Diego Section history when he clocked in at 14:11:11 on a three-mile course at the CCA Ravens XC Invitational on Sept. 4, 2021.
“I love smiling while I run because I’m supposed to have fun,” says Kenan, Class of 2022. “I do this sport because I want to, so if I’m racing, I’m smiling.”
Long a proponent for setting lofty personal benchmarks he hopes to attain, Kenan acknowledges something about that race felt different. “Going into the race, I wanted to break 14:28 because that means I can break 15 minutes for the 5K, which has been a dream of mine since I started high school,” Kenan says. “The race finishes halfway across
Throughout his Upper School years, Kenan has grown into an exceptional runner. The Parker lifer has ascended the ranks at the local, state, and national level; he has secured a commitment to run track and field and cross country in the Ivy League at Yale
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Parker Magazine FALL 2021
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