N.J. run part of a revival of the Mile road race
Ocean Avenue Mile slated for Saturday, Sept. 14
By Jen A. Miller, The Philadelphia Inquirer
On Sept. 14, Long Branch, N.J., will be host to another big race. But it's not nearly as long as a marathon. Not even a 5K. No, the race held on that Saturday morning will be just one Mile, which is as hard or as easy a run as you make it.
The Ocean Avenue Mile is part of a revival of the Mile road race, which is longer than the 1500 meter track race, and, obviously, not done on a track. In 1999, the United States had 330 road mile races. Now, according to Running USA, there are more than 600, and the "Bring Back the Mile" campaign is in its second year.
So is the Ocean Avenue Mile race.
"When we train for marathons, we do a lot of Mile repeats. When we do the 5K, we always start with the Mile," said Aaron Levine, director of the race. "Running in general revolves around the Mile and how you can compete with that distance."
Levine, 33, lives in Long Branch and has been running for nine years, and he has seen the benefits of training for Mile racing in his own results. He has dropped 23 seconds off his 5K time and five minutes off his time for the half-marathon. His personal record in the Mile is 5 minutes, 55 seconds.
The race will start on Ocean Avenue in Long Branch, and finish on the boardwalk in front of the Ocean Place Hotel - the same finish line of the Long Branch Half Marathon and the New Jersey Marathon.
Continue reading at: www.philly.com
