Inaugural Solvang Mile Draws Top U.S. Men’s Milers

By North American Athletics

On
Saturday, October 6, the streets of Solvang, California are going to be
packed with athletes of all ages and abilities chasing their fastest
times at the inaugural Solvang Mile.
The Elite Men’s Mile includes a crew of sub-4 minute milers and USA
national team representatives. The field will be led by San Diego native
AJ Acosta (3:53) and South African Peter van der Westhuizen (3:54). Joining them will be a Southern California contingent of sub-4 Milers including Morro Bay-raised Christian Hesch (3:58), local Santa Barbara runner Tommy Schmitz (3:58), UCLA grad Jon Rankin (3:56) and Cal Poly SLO alumnus Ben Bruce (4:00). Continue reading at bringbackthemile.com.
 

Centrowitz, Martinez Cap Year with Fifth Avenue Mile Titles

By Jim Gerweck, The Mile wire

For years, Bernard Lagat
has dominated Mile races on the indoor track of New York City, his
eight consecutive Wanamaker Mile titles at the Millrose Games allowing
him to appropriate the “Chairman of the Boards” title from Eamonn
Coghlan. Lagat’s string was broken this winter by a young upstart, Matthew Centrowitz,
and on Saturday on the Big Apple’s famed Fifth Avenue. Youth was also
served in the women’s pro race that preceded the men, as 25-year-old Brenda Martinez
(left, credit NYRR), whose 4:26.76 PR, set in winning Falmouth, made
her the world leader in the distance. After 20 blocks of racing down
Fifth Avenue, she still held that distinction, albeit with a new PR of
4:24.2, good for a 0.7 margin over Anna Pierce (4:24.9, also a PR). Continue reading at bringbackthemile.com.
 

Matthew Centrowitz, at 22, Gets Better and Better

By Peter Gambaccini, Runner’s World

Matthew Centrowitz,
22, was the 2011 IAAF World Championships 1500 meter bronze medalist
and placed fourth in the 1500 at the 2012 London Olympics. He set his
1500 meter personal best of 3:31.96 this summer. On Saturday, he won the
Fifth Avenue Mile in New York in 3:52.4, with Bernard Lagat second.
Centrowitz won the NYRR Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in
February. Peter Gambaccini sits down with Matthew reflecting on his
career thus far and his future in Portland with Alberto Salazar. Continue reading at runnersworld.com
 

The Secret to Running: Not Running

By Scott Cacciola, The Wall Street Journal

After Bernard Lagat
competes Saturday in the Fifth Avenue Mile, he plans to do something
that would feel completely foreign to many elite runners: He will toss
his sneakers in a closet and pig out for the next five weeks. No
running. No sit-ups. No heavy lifting, except for a fork. For a handful
of top-notch athletes, including Lagat and fellow U.S. Olympians Matthew Centrowitz and Leo Manzano,
Saturday’s race will mark the end of a taxing year of competition.
There were long training runs last fall, indoor races last winter and
meets throughout Europe this summer. Lagat is ready for a long break, so
he is going to take one‰ÛÓjust like he has every fall since 1999. Continue reading at wsj.com.
 

More on the Mile

Alan Webb Is Moving, But Where?

September 24, 2012 – By Peter Gambaccini, Runner’s World

Lagat Ponders the End of the Race

September 20, 2012 – By Joe Battaglia, NYRR News

Interview With A Running Legend: Jim Ryun – Running Career

August 14, 2012 – By Todd Grasley, MileSplit.com

Jim Gerweck Goes to 5th Avenue Mile

September 22, 2012 – By Bring Back the Mile