Four Favorite Falmouth Mile Moments
Annual track event has produced fast and thrilling Mile performances over the past 19 years.
By Bring Back the Mile
While there have been a few more late-summer track Miles pop-up on the U.S. calendar recently, in 1995 the New Balance Falmouth Road Race had a novel idea - to run a professional Mile on the track the day before its famed seven mile main event. Now entering its 19th year, the Falmouth Mile once again welcomes a stellar field. BBTM has taken a look at its rich history and here are our four favorite Falmouth Mile moments.
Four Fast Facts:
- The inaugural Falmouth Mile champions were Erik Nedeau (4:03.98) and Julie Henner (4:32.41).
- Six U.S. women have run under 4:30 in Falmouth for the first time, the most for any event world-wide.
- Brenda Martinez's winning 4:26.76 in 2012 was fastest Mile time for women in 2012.
- At the 2013 Falmouth Mile, 10 American men ran sub-4 minutes, a U.S. record in the same track event.
#4 MEN'S MOMENT
2008: Jon Rankin outlasts two others by half-a-second, winning in a meet record 3:56.45.
#4 WOMEN'S MOMENT
2009: Olympian Erin Donohue wins in 4:27.91 and leads three others to personal records; the fastest outdoor women's Mile run in the world that year.
#3 MEN'S MOMENT
2013: Ben Blankenship edges fellow Minnesotan Will Leer, 3:56.27 to 3:56.45; ten men run sub-4 minute Miles matching 2011 output. Watch race video here.
#3 WOMEN'S MOMENT
2012: Brenda Martinez and Gabriele Anderson (now Grunewald) run sub-4:30 Miles for the first time; Martinez wins in 4:26.76, the second fastest mark in Falmouth Mile history and fastest Mile time for women in 2012.
#2 MEN'S MOMENT
2012: David Torrence defeats defending champ Jordan McNamara in exciting finish; his 3:55.79 second fastest winning mark in Falmouth Mile history.
#2 WOMEN'S MOMENT
2006: Three American women break the 4:30 Mile barrier for the first time in the same race; 2004 Olympian Carrie Tollefson clocks a PR winning 4:27.96.
#1 MEN'S MOMENT
2011: Jordan McNamara sets meet record of 3:54.89 to lead ten men under the coveted 4 minute Mile barrier.
#1 WOMEN'S MOMENT
2002: Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton wins event and sets still standing meet record, 4:25.27; the fastest outdoor women's Mile run in the world that year.
Who will make the Falmouth Mile Moment at this year's race?
