Mile News


Uceny Seeks Fresh Start with Return to U.S.

September 23, 2013

A disappointing track season ends with strong road Mile results; looking ahead to 2014 and beyond

By Peter Gambaccini, Runner's World

Morgan Uceny, the #1-ranked female 1500 meter runner in the world in 2011, had worked with coach Terrence Mahon as part of the Mammoth Track Club in the mountains of California. Late last year, she, Anna Willard and Mahon’s wife, Jen Rhines, followed him to Great Britain, situating themselves in Loughborough, England, when Mahon took a job as lead endurance coach of British Athletics. Last week came the news that Mahon is leaving that position and returning to the United States.

So is Uceny. “I’ve known for a few weeks it was all happening,” she said in New York on Friday, referring to Mahon’s decision. “So when I came here yesterday, I had packed all my stuff to bring with me. I’m not exactly sure where I’m going yet” for the long-term, at least. “The plan is to go on vacation for a few weeks, home [to Indiana], and then I’m going to go out to Mammoth Lakes and do my altitude training in the fall.” But after that, said Uceny,  “I’m not exactly sure where I’m going back to.”

She does know what she aspires to do in 2014, a year without a global outdoor track championship. “I’m actually really looking forward to indoors, and making the indoor World team is kind of my main goal,” Uceny said. “I might not take as long of a break as I usually do and try not to gain as much weight as I usually do -- try and keep some kind of semblance of an athlete there so I can come back in better shape.”

That gently self-deprecating comment was a bit easier for Uceny to make well into September than it would have been earlier in summer. On September 14, she had won a Mile – mostly a road Mile, with a track finish – in 4:33.97 at Newcastle’s Great North CityGames, defeating a field that included 2013 World Championships 1500 meter bronze medalist Hellen Obiri of Kenya. ‘It’s really nice getting a win in a good field after I’ve had such a frustrating season,” she commented.

Continue reading at: www.runnersworld.com

Tags: morgan uceny (55)

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!