Massachusetts Stands Alone for High School Mile
Only U.S. state to keep the Mile at high school level including at its State Meet thanks to the vision of Bob McIntyre; state federation petition drive at bringbackthemile.com
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – (February 21, 2012) – Massachusetts is known as a revolutionary state. Think Boston Tea Party, think Paul Revere, think Lexington and Concord, and now also think the high school Mile. Bring Back the Mile reporter Duncan Larkin uncovers how Bob McIntyre was able to keep the Mile for high school runners in Massachusetts.
“We applaud the vision of Massachusetts, particularly Bob McIntyre, who saw the importance of keeping the Mile and the 2 Mile at the high school level” said Ryan Lamppa, Bring Back the Mile Founder. “One of our objectives is to help return the Mile at the state high school level, and we hope that there are other track & field officials such as Bob McIntyre in other states who also see the wisdom of bringing back the Mile at their State Meets.”
On the bringbackthemile.com home page, join the movement to replace the 1600 meters with the Mile at State Championships across the country.
The Mile holds a special place in Track & Field and beyond because no running distance, or field event for that matter, has the history, the appeal, the “magic” of the Mile. The first sub-4 minute Mile by Great Britain’s Roger Bannister in 1954 is regarded as the greatest individual athletic achievement of the 20th century, and no other event has produced an equivalent of the sub-4 minute Mile standard in the sport, in the media and in the public’s mind.
Unfortunately, the Mile has lost some of its luster over the past decade, and the Bring Back the Mile mission is: To return the Mile to prominence on the American sports and cultural landscape by elevating and celebrating the Mile to create a national movement.
Visit bringbackthemile.com or contact milemaniac@bringbackthemile.com for more information.
*Bob McIntyre pictured top right (photo credit - Keith McIntyre)
