Posted: June 4, 2007

Athletics: Don Bowden Mile, Stockton, CA

Don Bowden Mile Presented by Nike and Fleet Feet Sports Stockton (Pacific Association/USA Track & Field Road Mile Championship) University of Pacific, Stockton, CA Sunday, June 3, 2007 Distance: 1 mi., certified flat double-loop road course Finishers: Approximately 300 Weather: Sunny, low to mid 70s F Prize Money: $2,500 plus time bonuses to top Pacific Association/USATF individuals and teams Race Records: Men: Jamey Harris, 4:06.41 (1996). Women: Julia Stamps, 4:43.59 (1996). Race Director: Doug Thurston, raceinfo@ffsac.com RECAP 50 years ago, almost to the day of this year's race, Don Bowden became the first American to break 4 minutes for the mile. While running for the University of California-Berkeley, Don ran 3:58.7 at the University of Pacific cinder track on June 1, 1957. The Don Bowden Mile starts and finishes close to the original location of the track, long since torn down. A plaque near the race finish commemorates Don's spectacular race, set at the Pacific Association/USATF Track & Field Championship. 50 years later, Don was in attendance at the race honoring him. Appropriately, former Cal-Berkeley All-American and 3:53 miler, Richie Boulet (Oakland, CA), won a tactical open men's race in 4:18.8. Boulet, 33, waited until the final 200-meter straightaway to sprint from a bunched front pack. "There's a lot of muscle memory there from over the years," said Boulet, who admitted he wasn't in top shape. "But, when it's close to the finish line, I can still dig down and come up with something," Betsy Keever (San Francisco, CA) employed patience in a pack of four women for the first three-quarters of the race before surging to a 4:54.3 open women's victory. "My plan was to stay connected until the last quarter mile, and then kick," Keever said. "It just felt good, so I just took off." Thirteen separate divisional races were conducted. TOP MEN Open: 1. Richie Boulet, 33, Oakland, CA 4:18.8 $200 2. Sean Marzolf, 23, Lodi, CA 4:19.2 $100 3. Alex Mason, 25, Alameda, CA 4:19.9 $50 4. Tulian Marsh, 33, unknown 4:23.0 5. Todd Rose, 34, San Francisco, CA 4:25.2 13 & Under: Tyler Sorensen, 13, Lafayette, CA 5:18.9 14-19: Samir Benouar, 19, Sacramento, CA 4:34.3 40-49: Jeffrey Adkins, 46, Granite Bay, CA 4:38.6 $100 50-59: Tom O'Reilly, 50, Corte Madera, CA 4:55.2 $50 60-69: Fred Martin, 63, El Dorado Hiils, CA 5:32.5 $50 70-79: Irv Faria, 75, Carmichael, CA 6:45.6 80+: Sam Hirabayashi, 80, San Rafael, CA 7:30.5 Cydesdale (200+ pounds): Brent Butler, 36, unknown 5:15.6 Racewalk: Pradeep Chand, 34, unknown 7:29.2 TOP WOMEN Open: 1. Betsy Keever, 32, San Francisco, CA 4:54.3 $200 2. Bridget Duffy, 23, unknown, 5:01.4 $100 3. Elissa Riedy, 29, Oakland, CA 5:09.1 $50 4. Lindsey MacLise, 23, San Francisco, CA 5:12.7 5. Allison Kerr, 30, Vacaville, CA 5:17.0 13 & Under: Madeleine Ankhelyi, 12, Folsom, CA 5:38.3 14-19: Andrea Johnson, 17, Stockton, CA 5:45.6 40-49: Carla Kehoe, 43, Granite Bay, CA 5:19.0 $100 50-59: Karen Kunz, 51, Folsom, CA 6:04.5 $50 60-69: Barbara Miller, 67, Modesto, CA 6:56.4 $50 70+: Nova Poff, 70, Davis, CA 8:05.1 RacewalK: Kelly Wong, 31, San Jose, CA 8:16.4