Mile News


Third Time’s a Charm for Jordan McNamara at GNC Live Well Liberty Mile

August 01, 2014

Gabriele Grunewald women's champion over two-time defending champion Heather Kampf; 1,000-plus participants at third edition; fourth stop on the Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour 2014

By Ryan Lamppa, The Mile wire

PITTSBURGH – (August 1, 2014) – At the third GNC Live Well Liberty Mile on Friday evening in downtown Pittsburgh, the American Development Program pro races ended in two thrilling finishes as Jordan McNamara of Eugene, OR and Gabriele Grunewald of Minneapolis, MN put on closing bursts to edge their respective fields, clocking 4 minutes, 3 seconds and 4:33, the latter just missing Heather Kampf’s event record of 4:32 set last year.

In the City of Champions on a warm summer evening, the women’s field was taken out by Sarah Brown on the elongated u-shaped road course run on Penn and Liberty Avenues. With a quarter mile remaining, Brown and Lauren Penney were together at 3:27 with the rest of the field right behind. In the final 100 meters, Grunewald and Kampf moved past Brown for the final sprint with Grunewald, 28, just edging two-time defending champion and Team USA Minnesota teammate Kampf, 4:32.04 to 4:32.09 (road times are converted to the next full second).

“I love a downhill finish and I executed my plan until the final stretch,” said a happy Grunewald who earned $4000. “I knew Heather was going to be there, but I had good leg turnover.”

In the men’s race, Trevor Dunbar from Eugene, OR led the first three quarter miles in 57 seconds, 1:59 and 3:02 as the rest of the field waited patiently to unleash their final sprints. McNamara, a two-time event runner-up in close finishes, finally hit the tape first here as he and 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano waged a stirring battle in a photo finish with McNamara beating Manzano by the slimmest of margins, 4:02.45 and 4:02.70 (official time for both was 4:03).

“Wow, I really wanted to win and it took three years in the making,” said McNamara. “I was marking Leo, covering his moves in the final stretch; it was like a game of chess. This win was filled with relief and adrenaline.”

Post-race, McNamara, 27, played to the crowd as he ran up-and-down the finish line area high-fiving spectators, signing his Big Head poster and taking photos with his many fans and savoring the long awaited victory.

In the earlier Unstoppable wave, two-time Canadian Olympian Nate Brannen finished first in 4:04 with Jimmy Spisak second in 4:07, while the Masters (40 and older) races were won by Daniel Pszeniczny, 46, PA and Sonja Friend-Uhl, 43, TN in 4:36 and 4:58, respectively, and both took home $500.

Overall, the third edition, with more than 1,000 participants, featured $25,000, the second largest Mile prize purse in the U.S.

The event was also the fourth stop on the Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour with Heather Kampf leading the women’s standings with 18 points and three men – Duncan Phillips, Rob Finnerty and Jordan McNamara – tied for first with 10 points. The next Tour stop is the Michigan Mile on August 22 in Flint, MI. The total prize purse for the six Tour events exceeds $85,000 plus $7500 for the Grand Prix purse. Per Tour event per gender, top 6 will score points (10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1) with the top 4 Grand Prix scorers earning GP money ($2000, $1000, $500 and $250)

3rd GNC Live Well Liberty Mile
Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour 2014
Pittsburgh, PA, Friday, August 1, 2014

MEN
1) Jordan McNamara (OR), 4:03, $4000
2) Leo Manzano (TX), 4:03, $2500
3) Trevor Dunbar (OR), 4:03, $1500
4) Jack Bolas (SC), 4:05, $800
5) Jake Edwards (OH), 4:06, $500
6) Daniel Quigley (OR), 4:07, $325
7) Daniel Stockberger (IN), 4:08, $150
8) Brandon Hudgins (NC), 4:09, $100
9) Tony Jordanek (OH), 4:09, $75
10) Landon Peacock (VA), 4:10, $50

WOMEN
1) Gabriele Grunewald (MN), 4:33, $4000
2) Heather Kampf (MN), 4:33, $2500
3) Sarah Brown (CA), 4:34, $1500
4) Angela Bizzarri (WA), 4:34, $800
5) Lauren Penney (NJ), 4:35, $500
6) Christy Cazzola (WI), 4:35, $325
7) Stephanie Charnigo (NJ), 4:42, $150
8) Stephanie Brown (AR), 4:44, $100
9) Brigitte Mania (NJ), 4:44, $75
10) Melissa Agnew (MN), 4:54, $50

MASTERS (40 and older)
MEN
1) Daniel Pszeniczny (46 / PA), 4:36, $500

WOMEN
1) Sonja Friend-Uhl (43 / TN), 4:57, $500

For complete results and more, go to: LibertyMile.org

Tags: trevor dunbar (12) , sarah brown (27) , ryan lamppa (110) , leo manzano (107) , lauren penny (1) , jordan mcnamara (45) , heather kampf (131) , gnc live well liberty mile (69) , gabriele grunewald (46) , bbtm tour (196) , american development program (5)

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!