Mile News


Miller, Kampf to Defend Minnesota Mile Titles

September 05, 2013

Top field expected at Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013 finale; prize purse exceeds $20,000

DULUTH, Minn. – A premier class of one-Mile runners is assembled for Sunday’s Minnesota Mile in downtown Duluth. At the 7th edtion, among those entered are defending champions Craig Miller (4 minutes, 1.4 seconds) and Heather Kampf (4:36.5). They will be racing in an elite division that features a $20,100 prize purse with the men’s and women’s winners each receiving $3000. Both Miller and Kampf were the 2012 USA 1 Mile Road national champions.

Miller, 26, also the 2011 Minnesota Mile champion (4:03.8), was the 2013 USA Indoor Mile national runner-up (3:58.90 - March 3, Albuquerque) and won the 2013 Big River Festival of Miles (3:59.23 – May 30, St. Louis).

Also in the men’s field is former University of Minnesota standout and Stillwater, Minn. native Ben Blankenship, who won of a pair of Mile races last month (3:56.27, Falmouth Mile – Falmouth, Mass./4:06, Michigan Mile – Flint, Mich.). Two-time 1500 meter Olympian (Canada, 2008 and 2012) Nate Brannen will make his first appearance at the Minnesota Mile.

Known as the Queen of the Road Miles, Kampf, 26, has won numerous Mile races in 2013, including the Bermuda Mile, the Ryan Shay Mile, the Liberty Mile and the Michigan Mile. She’ll be joined in the women’s division by Team USA Minnesota teammates Gabriele Anderson and Jamie Cheever. Anderson has placed in the top five at the past three Minnesota Mile races, including a second-place finish a year ago (4:37.5). Cheever was sixth in 2012 (4:44.1). All three ran collegiately at the University of Minnesota.

Making her debut at the mile distance is Kenya’s Sarah Kiptoo, who won the 2013 Grandma’s Marathon on June 22 in a course record time of 2 hours, 26 minutes, 32 seconds.

The races begin one block east of Fitger’s on Superior Street and finish past the Holiday Center. In addition to the elite race, the event includes races for children, recreational and semi-elite runners.

The Minnesota Mile is the 14th stop and finale on the nationwide inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013. For more on the Bring Back the Mile Tour, visit www.bringbackthemile.com.

The Minnesota Mile is presented by Advantage Emblem & Screen Printing, American Family Insurance, Duluth Running Company, Duluth News Tribune, ESPN Radio 560 WEBC, Fitger’s, Holiday Inn & Suites, Kemps, KBJR 6 & Range 11, Super One and Verizon Wireless.

Grandma’s Minnesota Mile
Duluth, Minnesota, Sunday, September 8, 2013
Elite Division = $20,100 purse ($3000, $2000, $1500, $1000, $800, $600, $400, $250)
Masters Division (40 and older) – Men & Women ($500 for the winner)

Schedule of Events
9:00am         Verizon Wireless Kids Mile – Free for Children ages 8 to 14
9:20am         All City Mile - Recreational
10:00am       Duluth Mile - Semi-Elite
10:20am       Grandma’s Minnesota Mile - Elite ($20,100 prize purse)

For more information, visit GrandmasMarathon.com or call (218) 727-0947.

MEN
Bib# Name    Resides   Country Age  PR
1 Craig Miller  Boulder, CO  USA  26 3:54.2
2 Ben Blankenship Stillwater, MN  USA  24 3:54.10
3 Michael Coe  Oakland, CA  USA  25 3:49
4 Emmanuel Bor  Troy, AL  Kenya  25 4:01.63
5 Nathan Brannen Westlake, OH  Canada  31 3:52.63
6 Jack Bolas  Greenville, SC  USA  25 3:57.49
7 Matthew Elliott  Rock Hill, SC  USA  28 3:57.16
8 Dey Dey  Colorado Springs, CO USA  24 3:54.7
9 Chris Gowell  Austin, TX  GBR  27 3:57.85
10 Joshua McAlary  East Lansing, MI  USA  23 4:00.08
11 James Noonan  Rockford, IL  USA  23 4:00
12 Richard Kandie  Sun Prairie, WI  Kenya  28 3:53.70
13 Kenyon Neuman Boulder, CO  USA  26 4:02
14 John Coyle  Logan, UT  USA  23 4:04
15 Nelson Oyugi  Santa Fe, NM  Kenya  21 Debut
16 Joe Moore  Minneapolis, MN USA  29 4:10
17 Justin Grunewald Minneapolis, MN USA  27 4:11.04
18 Joey Keillor  Rochester, MN  USA  39 4:14
19 Adam Currie  St. Paul, MN  Canada  28 4:04.94
20 Diriba Degefa Yigezu New York, NY  Ethiopia 25 3:57
33 Lance Elliott  Edina, MN  USA  42 4:25
34 Lee Willis  Stevens Point, WI USA  40 4:29
35 Elly Sang  Coon Rapids, MN Kenya  22 4:10
36 Edwin Some  Coon Rapids, MN Kenya  22 4:07
38 Jacob Chemtai  Santa Fe, NM  Kenya  26 Debut
39 Jason Coffin  Duluth, MN   USA  22 4:18

WOMEN
Bib# Name    Resides   Country Age  PR
21 Heather Kampf  Minneapolis, MN USA  26 4:27.8
22 Gabriele Anderson Minneapolis, MN USA  27 4:26.5
23 Sara Vaughn  Centennial, CO  USA  27 4:34.29
24 Elizabeth Yetzer  Lakeville, MN  USA  25 4:40.7
25 Kellyn Johnson  Flagstaff, AZ  USA  27 4:37.5
26 Jamie Cheever  Minneapolis, MN USA  26 4:39.7
27 Nevada Morrison Chicago, IL  USA  23 Debut
28 Melissa Agnew  St. Louis Park, MN USA  22 4:46
29 Sarah Kiptoo  Santa Fe, NM  Kenya  24 Debut
30 Laura Paulsen  Lutherville, MD  USA  24 4:57
31 Ericka Charles  Durham, NC  USA  24 5:18
32 Breeda Willis  Stevens Point, WI USA  43 4:36
37 Doreen Kitaka  Coon Rapids, MN Kenya  29 4:47

Tags: nate brannen (14) , minnesota mile (32) , heather kampf (131) , gabriele anderson (27) , craig miller (16) , ben blankenship (72) , bbtm tour (196)

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