Highlights of national promotional tour of iconic distance include thrilling races and numerous meet, U.S. Junior, NCAA, course and State records; $120,000 awarded to top Milers
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – (September 12, 2013) – The inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013, showcasing 14 events nationwide, produced exciting Mile racing throughout the year including the Tour finale at the Minnesota Mile on Sunday, September 8 where Americans Ben Blankenship and Gabriele Anderson shattered course records, clocking 3 minutes, 52.7 seconds and 4:21.3, respectively, and running the fastest Miles ever in Minnesota. Bring Back the Mile (BBTM), launched in January 2012, is a national campaign to elevate and celebrate the iconic distance.
“The first Bring Back the Mile Tour exceeded our expectations, with numerous thrilling Tour event finishes and record or near record number of participants for virtually every Tour event as well as many national, NCAA, state and event records were set,” BBTM Founder Ryan Lamppa said. “The Tour events, which awarded $120,000 in prize money, and the top Milers inspired, engaged and entertained runners of all ages and abilities, the media, fans and the general public, and we look forward to bringing back the Tour in 2014 to create more Mile magic.”
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May 28, 2013
Deep Open and high school fields plus new events highlight sixth edition
ST. LOUIS – The Big River Festival of Miles presented by Under Armour, the sixth stop on the Bring Back the Mile Tour, has announced it expects a record crowd at Saint Louis University High School on Thursday night. This year's event will be the sixth Festival of Miles and pre-meet buzz surrounding deep high school and professional fields has organizers confident they will break the meet's attendance record of 1,200 set in 2012.
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May 13, 2013
Pifer, Braun and Solares headline deepest field in meet history; sixth BBTM Tour 2013 stop
ST. LOUIS – The Big River Festival of Miles presented by Under Armour, the sixth stop on the inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013, has released the field for the Saint Louis Track Club Elite Men’s Mile on Thursday, May 30. Traditionally the highlight of the evening, the Men’s Mile has produced nine sub-4 minute miles in the last four years including the meet and State record of 3:55.29 set by 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano in 2009. This year’s field includes nine men who have already broken four or run the equivalent for 1500 meters. Included in that group of nine are Edwardsville (IL) native Stephen Pifer, 2013 GO! St. Louis Half Marathon champion Aaron Braun and 3:54 miler Pablo Solares of Mexico.
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March 14, 2013
St. Louis Track Club Men’s Mile champion could take home $4000, including $1000 meet record bonus; Leo Manzano’s 2009 performance stepping stone for his 2012 Olympic silver medal
ST. LOUIS - On a late May evening in 2009, a collegiate star and 2008 Olympian from the University of Texas stepped onto the St. Louis University High School track to race the Mile at the Big River Running Festival of Miles in his first full professional season. Three minutes and fifty-five seconds later, Leo Manzano had a new personal best, a Missouri state record and the third fastest time in the world at the time. Later that summer he would make the 1500m final at the IAAF World Championships. Fast forward three years and he would have an Olympic silver medal hung around his neck in London.
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May 29, 2012
Community, food and fun in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - 2012 marks the fifth Big River Festival of Miles presented by Under Armour. Taking place at St. Louis University High School, festivities begin at 6:30pm with the GO! St. Louis Healthy Kids Mile and is capped off with the MoMileSplit High School Miles and St. Louis Track Club Elite Men’s Mile....
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May 8, 2012
Track meet expected to draw more than 1,200 fans
ST. LOUIS - (May 8, 2012) – Big River Running Company has announced that proceeds from the fifth Festival of Miles presented by Under Armour will go to the family of Chris Lister. Lister was badly injured after being hit by a car while...
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March 19, 2012
Athletes from across the Midwest expected to compete
ST. LOUIS - (March 19, 2012) – Big River Running Company is excited to welcome MoMileSplit.com as a new sponsor to the fifth annual Big River Festival of Miles presented by Under Armour.
MoMileSplit.com, the unparalleled leader in high school cross country and track and field coverage in the State of Missouri, will be the presenting sponsor for the boy’s and girl’s High School All Star Races at the Festival of Miles on Thursday evening May 31 at Saint Louis University High School. The high school races were new to the event in 2011 and produced two of the most exciting moments of the night with Westminster Christian’s Daniel Everett winning the boys race in four minutes, seven seconds and Nerinx Hall’s Colleen Quigley running 4:52 to take home the girl’s title...
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