Posted: August 30, 2005

Athletics: Excellent Back-To-Back Road Miles Ahead In September

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak & David Monti

The track season will be over, but fans will be able to see some of the world's best milers compete in excellent road miles on back-to-back weekends in late September.

On Saturday, September 17 the BUPA Great North Mile will take place in Newcastle, England. Defending champion Ivan Heshko of Ukraine will have to turn back the challenges of Daniel Kipchirchir Komen, the year's most consistent 1500 meter runner, and Alan Webb, the U.S. 1500m champion who will be making his road mile debut. World Championship and Olympic bronze medalist Rui Silva will also be in the race, along with Britain's top miler, Michael East.

One week later, on September 24, Webb and Silva will be in New York City for the revival of the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile in Manhattan. With sponsorship support from an ESPN2 television movie about Roger Bannister, entitled "Four Minutes," this race will be run at an elite level for the first time since 1998. In addition to Webb and Silva, Australian world championships bronze medalist Craig Mottram will be competing in New York, supported by a strong international field.

When asked recently about his road mile debut Webb said, "No I've never done one but I have been told it isn't that much different from racing on the track."

Heshko ran 4:02.6 to win last year in Newcastle in a near dead-heat with Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya. The New York race was held at only a local level last year and El Arbi Khattabi of Morocco won in 4:10. In the last high level version of the Fifth Avenue Mile, Isaac Viciosa of Spain won his fourth consecutive title in 3:55.59. The course record, 3:47.52 by Sydney Maree, was set in the inaugural year (1981) and is one of the oldest road racing records in America.