Running has been good for Ben True. Recently, the Hanover resident came in sixth at the Abbott Dash and USATF 5K Championships in New York City. He was third in his age class, with a finishing time of 13:59 minutes.

On True’s Instagram account (benjtrue), he wrote about the race: “Thank you @nyrr for letting us runners take over NYC with #abbotdash5k and @nycmarathon. It has been a wonderful experience to race the streets and watch history unfold.”

True, age 31, is the 5K American record-holder on the roads, having broken his own record at the Boston Athletic Association 5K in April, when he prevailed in a two-man sprint to reach the tape in 13:20. His previous American-record mark of 13:22 was also set at the BAA 5K back in 2015.

Originally from Maine, True spent his youth as a two-sport athlete—running and Nordic skiing. At Dartmouth University, he was an All-American in cross-country and outdoor track, as well as being an All-American on the Nordic ski team. After graduation in 2009, he focused exclusively on running.

Since becoming a professional athlete, True has won eight of the thirteen 5K road races in which he’s participated. His sixth-place finish at the 2013 IAAF World Cross-Country Championships led the US men to a surprise team silver medal, and he has won seven national titles on the road in his career.