Competing masters miles include record attempt
The folks behind letsrun.com have announced a series of mile runs on May 13 in Ithaca, N.Y., including a professional race, called the Kip Keino Mile. The site says: “There will be masters miles, an open mile and quite a few corporate and club relays.” (Yet a day earlier, top masters milers will compete at the Fountain of Youth races in Oregon.) In New York, Kip will attend, and his main race offers prize money of $1,250 for first, $750 for second, $500 for third and $300 for fourth.” Any money for masters? I wrote to Weldon Johnson, a letsrun honcho.
Weldon replied:
Originally there was talk of having prize money for masters but they
have a limited budget. So they’ve taken away the prize money. Clearly, Keino’s name might resonate a bit more with the masters crowd so I’ll have them keep it in mind for next year.Originally, I told them to hold everything off for next year and just have a huge 40th year celebration of Keino’s 1968 win. Jim Ryun almost came to down in December when Kip was here so hopefully next year we can get him for sure. But if things go well this year, maybe next year we can get more support for the masters.
So currently there is no official prize money or travel assistance for masters, but I think they would be looking at things on a case by case basis. But if there is a huge mile elsewhere that day then we’ll try and just get as good as local guys as possible.
Hope this helps and good luck in Portland.
The Portland reference is to a Dave Clingan-produced meet featuring a masters mile record attempt in Canby, Oregon. M45 studs Tony Young and Pete Magill are on the hook May 12 in Oregon for a shot at the M45 world mile record of 4:16.75 set nearly 20 years ago by New Zealand’s David Sirl in December 1987. The American M45 mile record is 4:18.83 by Ken Sparks in April 1990.
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I looked at the Letsrun website and all I can say is that it is a run for elite athletes and the rest of the noise about open, masters, club races is just window dressing. There is a clickable email address for elite athletes – and then a note that says “If you are interested in anything else with the event or even want to just donate a check to the foundation let us know as well.” Not exactly an invitation to non elite milers to hustle to Ithaca, NY unless one just happens to live in the neighborhood.
Good comments Mary. I happen to live in the neighborhood and have given some feedback to Weldon and the organizers on what events might be construed as more than window dressing. I got the feeling that things were coming together rather quickly, probably due to working around Kip’s schedule, but they are *very* open to suggestions for both Masters and corporate events. I would guess that there won’t be the whole spectrum of races that make up the Hartshorne mile, but I would be very surprised if they did not include some Masters races.
In reply to another note, Weldon wrote me today:
“The current plan is for a masters elite mile and a masters open mile, men and women, but that could change. There also will be at least 1 masters relay for clubs. No formal prize money but we are open to making exceptions. Mark Coogan expressed interest today in coming so maybe we can build something around him.”
…let’s make that THREE big one mile races on the 5/12-13 weekend lest we forget the long running Age Graded Mile (traditionally hosted by National Masters News)at the nation’s premiere masters track and field meet, the Hayward Classic
http://www.haywardclassic.org/2007%20HC%20Informational.pdf
Thanks Mike for the note about the dates for the Hayward Classic – a month earlier than usual – I hope they are advertising this somewhere other than on the club website
Yes Mary, they have a full page inside back cover of the most recent National Masters News!
MF
I have yet to receive the March issue of NMNews – I will look for the ad- assuming my copy turns up. I received the February copy weeks after it was mailed out, and now am waiting again – apparently – for the March issue.
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