Grandma’s Minnesota Mile

Grandma’s Minnesota Mile

Sun, September 8,

Duluth, MN

The Grandma’s Minnesota Mile is run on a point-to-point course running through the heart of downtown Duluth on Superior Street. The event includes a number of race divisions: Wheelchair Mile, Verizon Wireless Kids Mile (Ages 8 to 14 - FREE), All City Mile (Recreational), Duluth Mile (Semi-Elite) and Minnesota Mile (Elite - $20,100 prize purse with $3000 for each Open race champion).

The two fastest Miles ever run in Minnesota happened at the 2013 event; see times and athletes below.

EVENT RECORDS
3:52.7 Ben Blankenship (USA / OR), 2013
4:21.3 Gabriele Anderson (USA / MN), 2013

2013 Minnesota Mile Champions
Ben Blankenship (USA / OR), 3:52.7, course record
Gabriele Anderson (USA / MN), 4:21.3, course record

The Minnesota Mile is the 14th stop and finale of the nationwide inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013.

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Inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013 Ends with a Flourish

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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Carlton County girls make strong showing at Minnesota Mile

September 12, 2013

Annual September road race in Duluth also saw fast Miles by the professionals with course records by Ben Blankenship (3:52.7) and Gabriele Anderson (4:21.3)

By Jana Peterson, Pine Journal

Last Sunday was a good day for Carlton County girls to run in Duluth.

Esko’s Kailee Kiminski took first place in the women’s Duluth Mile race, coming in at 5 minutes, 22 seconds, according to the Grandma’s Marathon website. (Dad Dan Kiminski says the exact time was 5:21.9).

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Making the Most of Your Mile: The Minnesota Mile

September 11, 2013

The Minnesota Mile was held on Sunday, September 8 and witnessed not only blazing fast new course records, but the fastest Miles ever run on Minnesota soil. Ben Blankenship, a Minnesota native and University of Minnesota Golden Gopher alumnus, lowered his personal best winning a close finish in 3:52.7 over two-time defending champion Craig Miller. While Gabriele Anderson, also a Minnesota native and Golden Gopher, returned to the states from her European summer tour to win convincingly in a new best 4:21.3.

The Minnesota Mile was the 14th and final stop on the inaugural BBTM Tour 2013 and featured more than $20,000 in prize money and citizen races spanning from semi-elite to recreational runners and youth.

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Blankenship, Anderson Shatter Course Records at Minnesota Mile

September 8, 2013

Fastest Miles ever run in Minnesota; eight men go sub-4 minutes; 7th edition ends inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013

By Bob Gustafson

DULUTH, Minn. – It was a day for records at Sunday’s seventh Minnesota Mile road race in downtown Duluth.

Ben Blankenship, 24, set a course record and personal best of 3 minutes, 52.7 seconds and claimed the winner's prize of $3000. The Stillwater, Minn. native edged two-time defending champion Craig Miller of Boulder, Colo., who placed second in 3:53.1 and Jack Bolas of Greenville, S.C. who was third (3:53.5).

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Miller, Kampf to Defend Minnesota Mile Titles

September 5, 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).

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Minnesota Mile Set for Sept. 8

August 28, 2013

Garry Bjorklund 2014 Half Marathon entries to 250 finishers; 7th edition the 14th stop and finale of nationwide inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013

DULUTH, Minn. – The seventh running of the Minnesota Mile road race is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 8 in downtown Duluth. This one-Mile event – hosted by Grandma’s Marathon – is open to runners of all skill levels.

The Minnesota Mile offers runners a unique opportunity to secure a spot in next year’s Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, as 250 finishers will be randomly selected to receive guaranteed entries into the 2014 half-marathon on June 21. This is an excellent chance for runners to gain an automatic entry to the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon without needing to enter the lottery system.

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Inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013 Reaches Mid-Point

June 11, 2013

Highlights of national promotional tour of iconic distance include meet, U.S. Junior, NCAA, course and State records; Footloose Freedom Mile on Thursday, July 4 next stop

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – (June 11, 2013) – The inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013, which features 14 events nationwide and one end-of-the-year gala, has reached the halfway point with plenty of highlights and Mile action. Bring Back the Mile (BBTM), launched in January 2012, is a national campaign to elevate and celebrate the iconic distance.

“To-date, the Bring Back the Mile Tour has generated some thrilling racing and also produced numerous Mile records in several categories,” said BBTM Founder Ryan Lamppa. “Without a doubt, the Tour events have engaged and entertained runners of all ages and abilities, the media, fans and the general public, and we look forward to the second half of the BBTM Tour 2013 and more Mile excitement.”

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Inaugural ‘Bring Back the Mile’ Tour Announced

February 8, 2013

By Presidio Sports

Santa Barbara’s Ryan Lamppa has always thought that the Mile distance deserves more credit. Once a showcase in American sports, the Mile has gradually slipped from prominence in running competitions throughout the country.

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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.

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