June 17-18, 2005

Girls One Mile
Nike outdoor Nationals 2005
Sara Bowman of Virginia 4:36.95 winner!

Sara Bowman in Greensboro - Victor Sailer

Sara Bowman's Mile at Nike Outdoor Nationals - What an Effort!!

Certain events in Track and Field have a special raw appeal to people. While we are as patient as any "true" fan of the sport in that we will sit through any of the over twenty different running, hurdle, relay, and field events on the program, the pure speed of the 100 meters event and the balanced speed/endurance of the mile have a special appeal to close followers of the activity on the oval. The Girls Mile event this past week in Greensboro, North Carolina, for the Nike Outdoor Nationals was one of the best ever gathered at the high-school level, with the fireworks created on the track by the group ending with results that, as predicted, marked it as one of prep history's top contests ever over the distance.

With the privilege of announcing the race, during our preparation we noted that seven of the top ten from across the nation were entered in the race, with a crew that had met with great success from all across the country under different conditions and styles of approaching the tricky four lap event. The 2005 Nike Outdoor Nationals was probably the best ever as far as gathering fields that had the neat geographic diversity in its finals fields that made one rub their hands together in real anticipation contest after contest during the couple of days of the Meet. The weather really cooperated in 2005, with a spirited crowd willing to get involved in action on the track and in the field.

Headlining the Girls four lap mile event were some talented lasses! Brie Felnagle from Washington had blazed 4:40.9 for 1600m in a low key local setting, with a wicked 31 second last 200m during a 4:47 whipping of California's best in an early April Arcadia Invitational effort. Nicole Blood of New York was last year's winner, taking the contest in a stirring final 300m sprint at 4:42.40, a national soph class record. Sara Bowman from Virginia had blazing 2:05 800 speed, and a great triple in her state meet a few weeks back to go along with a National Indoor 1000m record this winter! Two mile winner here Elizabeth Yetzer from Minnesota showed a stunning finish in that eight lap event on Friday, leaving viewers wondering if the field would not fall victim to her big closer in Saturday's mile! South Dakota's Ramsey Kavan had proven dangerous this Fall and Spring, with a big Golden West Invite Mile win the week previous. Bridget Franek from Ohio had blazed 4:45 and 2:11 during an impressive state meet double! The depth of this field just never stopped!! Danielle Tauro from New Jersey impressed with a 4:47 state meet run, with Californian Alicia Follmar, Jackie Areson ( Florida), the Golden South Mile Champ, Nicole Schappert ( Florida), and Oregon's Annaliese Chapa super talents from their areas!

On a beautiful Saturday evening in Greensboro, all attention was glued to the track for the start of this Section 2 of the four lapper! With such a crew in attendance on the oval it would be one of those contests to see who would emerge "bigger than life" as this talented field could certainly press against the magic 4:40 barrier for the young ladies (four laps averaging 70 seconds), kind of similar to the 4:00 (four laps averaging 60) for the young men as a goal. Only three preps in US History had ever achieved the sub-4:40 clocking level, led by Polly Plumer (University, Irvine, Ca), who had raced 4:35.24 in 1982 during an open level race at the series of mid-May Sunday Olympic level competitions at UCLA run in her day (the "Pepsi" Meet in those days). Those contests were perfect for a top prep star to achieve something truly special, with a collegiate/open group to rely on pace-setting for, with the prep stars such as Plumer (and Jeff Nelson, whose elusive 8:36.3 National Boys 2 mile record was set in one of those affairs in 1979) achieving some great results. Not to demean Plumer's efforts at all, but the Southern Californian did not lead any part of her record race. Others did the pacing and she, as Nelson (who I remember split 4:16 and 4:20 miles during his effort), held on strongly! Kim Gallagher ( Pennsylvania), who still has the national 800m record at 2:00.07 was 4:36.94 as a prep, also in 1982, if we remember correctly against open competition, with 2003 star Arianna Lambie from Massachusetts 4:37.23 during a great season a couple back!!

Back to our 2005 contest. At the gun it was clear that one young lady from our talented group was intent on setting a quality pace that threw down a total challenge to our field that stated, "come and get me if you can!" Smooth, rhythmic striding Sara Bowman from Virginia lit out around the first turn and blazed past the 200m marker in 33.4. There would be no tight pack putting along at 36 for the first 200 with our crew politely looking around for someone to set the pace, with no one really volunteering at near 5 minute mile pace with the event featuring big moves over the final two laps ending with a fine time, but leaving us all a tad disappointed in the net result on the clock. This was "hold on for your life," as Bowman continued to press the pace, 67.0 at the 440 mark, with 1:42.1 (660) (35.1 for that 220 just over 4:40 mile pace), and a 2:17.2 880 yard split (the quality racing continued for that half lap segment also). The 2:17.2 880 will win 99% of all high school level two lap events, with it clear to all in the stadium that we were observing something truly special here. Our talented pack struggled to hold on, with the majority used to controlling their regional events with a time probably some 6 to eight seconds slower through the two lap point! Bowman had all of our attention! Through a 3:53.0 1100 yard mark (35.8 for that 200) and stunning 3:28.5 1320 clocking (we assume the fastest ever prep clocking for that distance during a "prep-only" mile run!), it did not take monster background in math to figure her 69 second per lap pace put her in reach of the just under that lap average record 4:35.24!

As happens during truly special efforts, it takes "two to tango," or secure a record effort, with Brie Felnagle, the talented Washington star, looking full of run as she came from 15-20 meters back at the start of the last lap to close down on Bowman during the backstretch of the final circuit. Sara passed the 1540 yard point (three and a half laps) at 4:02.7, with Felnagle probably racing that 220 yard segment at 32 seconds (Bowman was 34.3 for that half lap). Felnagle appeared to have fantastic momentum heading in to the final turn and 220, with something in the 32 second range needed to take down the prep mile standard! Bowman continued her spirited effort with a stunning move herself heading into that final turn to fight off the star from the Northwest, blazing into the homestretch with real momentum, edging away, and eventually crossing the finish line so very close to the prep record with her 4:36.95 effort, with Felnagle racing in at 4:39.71, making the duo the #3 and #5 prep milers in US History, with the contest the fastest ever run in an all high school field!! Seven courageous runners finished under 4:50 in the stunning contest!

Bowman's overall effort to decide to challenge for the best ever clocking, Felnagle's determination over the last lap and super clocking, and the participation of the rest of one of the greatest fields ever gathered was a truly monumental event during a weekend of stunning efforts by the young athletes in Greensboro. It was my favorite of the weekend, and there were a ton of great efforts during the weekend that will go down as one of the greatest prep track and field meets of all-time. It was a privilege to observe and be involved with.

We salute Sara Bowman and the rest of this championship field for their special efforts that day!!

Race Video (link at bottom of page when you get there)
Summary of Event!