Tim Chichester bested Sam MacKenzie at the finish line of the McMullen Mile. (Photo/ Tim Matthews)
Chichester, who finished 11th at this year’s Boston Marathon and runner up at the Flower City Half Marathon and Medved Lilac 10km, does not normally run shorter distance races like the mile.
“I’m not a miler; I was topped out the whole way,” Chichester said. “I’m not use to breathing that hard during a race. I was running as fast as I could the whole time.”
Chichester, who attended SUNY Geneseo, only ran the mile or 1500meters once or twice.
“I only ran the mile a couple of times in my life so today’s race was huge for me, this was about a six-second personal best,” he said.
Chichester led from the gun hitting the first lap in 1:06 and crossing the half point just under 2:11. With Chichester controlling the pace MacKenzie and Mike Kurvach of Victor were right on his tail. As the leaders crossed the third lap in 3:15, the group of three runners hit the back stretch of the track moving into position to make one last attack to claim victory. When MacKenzie turned into the final 100meters, he made his move and took the lead from Chichester. However, Chichester had one last kick in him, and he was able to edge out MacKenzie at the line.
“I didn’t feel great out there,” MacKenzie said after the race. “I went too early at the end and Tim was able to get me, but he deserved the win he did with all the workout there.”
MacKenzie is a MD/PhD candidate at SUNY Upstate who has personal bests in the mile with a time of 4:08.84 and in the 5km with a time of 15:04. He has set up a interactive website called www.sub15minutes.blogspot.com, where he blogs and post videos of his quest at running 14:59 or faster in the 5km which averages out to 4:49 per mile.
The McMullen Mile is a race to honor Charlie McMullen, an accomplished Rochester runner who was the first American to ever break 4minutes in the mile and run a 2hour 15minute marathon. He passed away in 2003 at the Age of 53 of Colon Cancer. McMullen attend college at the University of Missouri where he was an all American in Cross Country and Track. McMullen excelled in the mile where in 1973 became the 56th American to break the sub 4minute mile barrier by running 3:59.7. In college, McMullen was battled tested running in the Big Eight Conference where he battled Keith Palmer, Jeff Schemmel, who competed for Kansas State, and Ted Castaneda, who ran for University Colorado – all sub 4minute milers. After college, McMullen decided to up the distance, and he decided to run a marathon, where he finished in the time of 2:20:48.
“Charlie’s knack was always in the mile, and he put a lot of pressure on himself in that event,” McMullen’s brother Tim McMullen said. “I think that’s why he liked the Marathon because he felt there was less pressure.”
Later that year, McMullen won the Drake Relay Marathon by cruising to a 2:15:19 victory. Shortly after that race, McMullen packed his bags for California where he could train full time with the Santa Monica Track Club and Coach Joe Douglass. When the Olympic Trials came around in 1980, McMullen hurt his knee and was unable to run. In 1981, McMullen moved back to the Rochester area where he took some time off from serious training. However, when McMullen was approaching his late thirties he was back training hard, with his new training partner – his brother Tim. When McMullen was 40-years-old, he competed in the World Cross Country Championships and ran a 4:17 mile on the track.
“Because of my brother’s accomplishments as a master runner (40+) and his success, I think that’s what made masters running in Rochester what it is today,” Tim said. “He showed when you’re older you still have a running career ahead of you and you can be successful.”
In 1999, McMullen won the National Masters Cross Country Championships at the age of 49. A few months later in March 2000, he developed colon cancer. Even when McMullen became sick, he still decided to stay fit and jump in a race here and there. In 2001, McMullen finished the Run for Hospice 5km in a time of 20:07.
“It means a lot that this mile track race is held for my brother,” Tim said.
McMullen lost his battle with cancer in the summer of 2003. A few years later, the McMullen Mile was established to remember and honor him.
“It’s a great honor and shows a lot of respect for my brother’s accomplishments,” Tim said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?