A day prior to the 38th CIGNA Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, August 15, a slew of elite runners will take to the track to compete in the CIGNA Falmouth Invitational Mile. On Saturday, August 14, invite-only male and female elite runners will race for the Falmouth Mile title, and the 2010 field will now include the 2008 Beijing Olympian Nick Willis of New Zealand.
The elite runners will take to the track to race for the $2,000 grand prize, plus some sweet incentives to run faster. If the winning male runs a sub-4:00 mile, he will earn an extra $1000, while any man under the four minute mark will garner $500. For the women, a winner under 4:32 and those thereafter will earn the same prize winnings.
For the 2008 Olympian Nick Willis of New Zealand, a sub-4:00 mile isn't a stretch. The former University of Michigan standout and Beijing Olympics 1500 meter silver medalist holds a personal best mile time of 3:50.77. In Beijing, he ran 3:34.16 for the silver medal, and also won a gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 3:38.49.
In 2009, Will Leer of Eugene, Oregon won in 3:57.28 over Stephen Pifer, also of Eugene, in 3:58.58. On the women's side Erin Donohue of Haddonfield, New Jersey ran a blazing 4:27.91 for the win over Nicole Edwards of Ann Arbor, Michigan in 4:29.33. Currently, the Falmouth Invitational Mile records are held by Suzy Favor-Hamilton in 4:25.27 from 2002 and Jon Rankin in 3:56.45 from 2008.
In addition to the CIGNA Falmouth Invitational Mile on Saturday, August 14, race directors and the Massachusetts Air National Guard created a companion race to take place for Military personnel currently serving in Afghanistan as a unique compliment to the Falmouth Road Race on Sunday. Major Don Chapin will be in charge of directing the U.S. Military race at Camp Phoenix, which will run one day prior to the stateside event.
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