Mile News


Second-annual Rocket Mile a boon for downtown Rocky Mount

May 05, 2015

“The Mile distance is one that’s really special. Everyone relates to it, so for the running community it’s our bridge to the non-running world." - Sandy Roberts, men's winner

By Foster Landers, Rocky Mount Telegram

As runners milled about prior to Sunday’s Nash-UNC Health Care Rocket Mile at the Imperial Centre in downtown Rocky Mount, Michael Forrester, the event’s director, offered a simple directive: “You will make three left turns in this race. If you make any more than that, you’re off the course.”

This was not your usual road race. It didn’t begin as the sun rose, before the morning chill wore off, and it didn’t cover a distance unfathomable to all but the most dedicated of runners. That was the goal, after all.

“The Mile distance is one that’s really special,” Sandy Roberts, who won the men’s race in 4 minutes, 20.5 seconds, said. “Everyone relates to it, so for the running community it’s our bridge to the non-running world. A 10K or a half marathon, it’s too long and the public loses interest. A Mile, everyone plugs in.”

Roberts, a former Georgetown and N.C. State runner and holder of one of the fastest Mile times in North Carolina history, beat his nearest competitor, David Thomas, to the finish line next to an old, red-brick warehouse on Gay Street by more than seven seconds.

Continue reading at: www.rockymounttelegram.com

Tags: sandy roberts (8) , nash-unc health care rocket mile (1) , michael forrester (1)

Facebook Comments

Return the Mile to prominence on the American & worldwide sports and cultural landscape by elevating and celebrating the Mile to create a movement.

ELEVATE
Bring Back the Mile as the premier event in the sport, and increase interest in and media coverage of the Mile for both those who love the distance as well as the general public.

CELEBRATE
Bring Back the Mile to celebrate the storied distance and to recognize the people who made and make the Mile great and to promote Mile events and the next generation of U.S. Milers.

NATIONAL MOVEMENT
Bring Back the Mile to create a national movement for the Mile as America’s Distance,
to inspire Americans to run the Mile as part of their fitness program and to replace the 1600 meters at High School State Track & Field Meets across the country.

Become a Mile Maniac member or a BBTM sponsor today! Join us, and go Mile!

Join Us

Thanks for joining the movement and being a Mile Maniac. We'll keep you up to-date with our Mile wires as well as exclusive contests and opportunities. Help us spread the word by sharing our site and joining us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!