Nick Willis runs fastest mile ever in Michigan (3:53.5), Ajee Wilson wins 800 in 2:00.29 at 2014 Michigan Track Classic

Running in MI wrote:

There will be many more pictures up on

http://www.RunMichigan.com

soon

How about some results? If you get them, please post them below.

Actually, wrote:

The website is

http://www.runmichigan.com

That website makes letsrun look "organized".

where is the video of the race???

Great event. Tremendous honor for Coach Warhurst. Wilson looked easy at 2:00, while Willis was challenged. Crowd was great but the announcer left a lot to be desired.

Thank you T-Mobile for all the finances support.

so a pro runner from NZ (with a little sponsor help) can organize & put on what sounds like was a great meet with solid attendance. should pros just grab the sport by the b*lls and start organizing their own meets around the country during the summer? save the travel money & jet lag that comes with traveling to run smaller Euro meets? and maybe most importantly, bypass giving the stooges at USATF/Nike/other big T&F governing bodies the chance to muck things up in the organizational process?

there seem to have been several small, well-run & well-attended meets like this in the US throughout the summer. many of them were small & centered around a fast mile/1500 or something, probably a big reason they were well-attended as the average joe/jane wouldn't get bored out of their mind at an actual full-on track meet.

Here are the results.

SOS Rehydrate Women's 800

1. Ajee wilson - 2:00.29

2. Charlene Lipsey - 2:01.15

3. Kate Grace - 2:01.22

4. Heather Kampf - 2:01.78

5. Erica Moore - 2:02.28

6. Katie Mackey - 2:02.69

7. Nicole Sifuentes (Canada) - 2:02.72

8. Moran Uceny - 2:02.90

9. Geena Lara - 2:04.76

10. Phoebe Wright - 2:05.40

DNF Rebecca Addison

Running Institute Ron Warhurst Men's Mile

1. Nick Willis (New Zealand) 3:53.50

2. Garret Heath - 3:53.61

3. Kyle Merber - 3:55.08

4. Mac Fleet - 3:56.77

5. Jack Bolas - 3:57.39

6. Dorian Ulrey - 3:57.52

7. Craig Huffer (Australia) - 3:58.07

8. Lex Williams - 4:00.17

9. Riley Masters - 4:01.88

10. Cory Leslie - 4:05.88

11. Liam Boylan-Pett - 4:09.43

12. Josh McAlary - 4:11.87

13. Ian Boyle - 4:20.94

DNF Jake Edwards, Luke Pawlaczyk

Wow - Merber has been very consistent in running sub-4 this year. This is his 3rd sub-4 in the last 2 months, right?

From a financial standpoint, let's try to figure out all of the costs that went into putting on this event. Sure it was great for about 3000 people to enjoy a quick two event track meet but is this a model that can be replicated all across the country?

where is my post?

ladedah wrote:

Wow - Merber has been very consistent in running sub-4 this year. This is his 3rd sub-4 in the last 2 months, right?

He had a very good month of July:

July 8 Cork 3:56.72

July 11 Dublin 3:54.76 PB

July 13 Letterkenny 4:06.37

July 16 Watford 1:48.08 outdoor PB ( has one faster indoor mark)

July 19 Heusden 3:38.54

July 26 3:39.11

There will be many more pictures up on www.RunMichigan.com soon

Honestly, I'm super happy for Merber. It's good to see that his 3:35 in college wasn't a fluke. I think he's slowly proving to everyone that he can become a top level miler. As always though, time will tell, but his progression is looking great right now.

We've edited this post as more info became available

The favorites came through tonight in Michigan.

Willis achieved a narrow victory over Heath as shown by this pic:

https://twitter.com/RMDC_feed/status/498622613271613442/photo/1

Kyle Meber was 3rd and seven broke 4:00.

Ajee dominated in 2:00.29:

https://twitter.com/RMDC_feed/status/498618416455233537/photo/1

A good race reacp from mlive.com is now up:

http://www.mlive.com/sports/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/08/local_runner_breaks_state_mile.html#incart_river

Ahsley Higginson had some good updates via twitter:

https://twitter.com/AshleyHigz

Here are the results.

SOS Rehydrate Women's 800

1. Ajee wilson - 2:00.29

2. Charlene Lipsey - 2:01.15

3. Kate Grace - 2:01.22

4. Heather Kampf - 2:01.78

5. Erica Moore - 2:02.28

6. Katie Mackey - 2:02.69

7. Nicole Sifuentes (Canada) - 2:02.72

8. Moran Uceny - 2:02.90

9. Geena Lara - 2:04.76

10. Phoebe Wright - 2:05.40

DNF Rebecca Addison

Running Institute Ron Warhurst Men's Mile

1. Nick Willis (New Zealand) 3:53.50

2. Garret Heath - 3:53.61

3. Kyle Merber - 3:55.08

4. Mac Fleet - 3:56.77

5. Jack Bolas - 3:57.39

6. Dorian Ulrey - 3:57.52

7. Craig Huffer (Australia) - 3:58.07

8. Lex Williams - 4:00.17

9. Riley Masters - 4:01.88

10. Cory Leslie - 4:05.88

11. Liam Boylan-Pett - 4:09.43

12. Josh McAlary - 4:11.87

13. Ian Boyle - 4:20.94

DNF Jake Edwards, Luke Pawlaczyk

Here is a post-race video from Wilson:

Here is a post-race video from Willis:

More post-race interviews from RunMichigan here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmHx9V5K66zXKTd5yQSJNsw

Yeah, it's a model that can be replicated

Weary wrote:

Yeah, it's a model that can be replicated

Well, if you say so.

sloop john b wrote:

Honestly, I'm super happy for Merber. It's good to see that his 3:35 in college wasn't a fluke. I think he's slowly proving to everyone that he can become a top level miler. As always though, time will tell, but his progression is looking great right now.

Well, he hasn't equaled or surpassed that 3:35 yet so it still looks like a fluke. The current trend is in the right direction, however.

Congrats to Nick Willis on the win and the successful event. Every running event does not need to be a mass participation event.

I don't believe in flukes in middle distance running. to me, a fluke is when a football takes a funny bounce, falls into a guys hands, and he scores a touchdown. It might take perfect conditions and a quick pace for a certain athlete to run 3:35, but if he does it, it is only the result of his reaching a certain potential. It's not like he got lucky. Great event in Michigan. On the off chance he might see this, thanks to the T-Mobile executive who sweetened the prize pot.

I'm curious: with 3,000 in attendance, does anyone knowif admission was charged and how much? Thank you.

JohnODonnell wrote:

I'm curious: with 3,000 in attendance, does anyone knowif admission was charged and how much? Thank you.

Yes, it was $5 a ticket

Link to the Men's Mile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob2A4lkPLWU

Link to the Women's 800m

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBgVtorcaEg