RunBlogRun comments: NB Fifth Avenue miles were about a week early this season. But it was a huge race, with Olympic silver medalist Josh Carey destroying Sydney Marie’s 1981 race record. It was a remarkable run by Josh and we wanted him to get his real moment in the sun.
More than eight thousand competed in the NB Fifth Avenue Mile, the true granddaddy of road miles, on September 8, 2024. Josh Kerr ended his season in style in the same metro he started 2024 with, back in February at the Millrose Games. where he set a new world record for the 2 mile distance.
Carissa Schweitzer ran another race in 2024, competing in the Diamond League Finals 5,000 meters.
Long season for everyone this Olympic season.
KERR SET HISTORIC RECORD IN NEW BALANCE FIFTH AVENUE MILE
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2024 Race Results: Weeklyall rights reserved, used with permission.
NEW YORK (08-Sep-08) – With perhaps a little nudge from a friendly north wind, Scotland’s Josh Kerr of Brooks Beasts Track Club broke one of the oldest and most significant American road records here today, running away with the 43rd edition. New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile blistering 3:44.3. Kerr, an Olympic 1500m silver medalist who also won at Fifth Avenue last year, beat Sydney Marie’s impressive 1981 event record of 3:47.52, which had stood for 43 years.
“I told the meet director beforehand that I broke Sidney Marie’s NCAA (1500m) record … in 2018 when I was running for the University of New Mexico,” Kerr told reporters. “I know how hard it was when that time was. It was a nice, nostalgic moment trying to go after his record today. He is one of the most successful 1500m runners in history. These are the times I live in.”
Kerr executed today race perfect. He stayed on the outside during the first half, allowing Eric Holt (Puma/Empire Track Club) to take the $1000 half way lead. The first quarter, a touchdown, took about 57 seconds. Holt moved up midway but his move was covered by Ireland’s Cathal Doyle (Concliffe Harriers) who edged Holt for first. Kerr waited a few seconds, then left the field.
“I’m fit and healthy,” said Kerr, who finished fifth in the 1500m at the Zurich Diamond League meet on Thursday night. “I was really looking forward to this raceand entering into these things is of great importance.’
Hobbs Kessler (Adidas) was the only athlete in pursuit, but Kerr had a large lead by three quarters (about 2:51) and was still accelerating.
“I knew no one would have better conditions than a tailgate and a sunny day in New York,” Kerr said.
Kessler, who finished fifth in the 1500m at the Paris Olympics, faded badly in the final quarter and was only ninth in 3:52.1. 800m specialist Josh Hoy (Adidas), who ran 1:43.80 in July, was a surprise runner-up in 3:48.9. Kenyan Amon Kembo (Puma Elite Running) was third with a time of 3:49.3. Rounding out the top five were Vince Ciatei (Under Armour/Dark Sky Distance) and Germany’s Robert Farken (On Running) in 3:50.6 and 3:51.9, respectively.
Hoy had run just one road mile in his career and had never raced race before
“I’ve come (from the Philadelphia area) to watch it many times,” Hoy said Race Results: Weekly. He continued. “When Kerr took it down the middle, I knew it was going to be tough. I was ready to cover and focused on those last 400 meters.”
17 of the 19 men who competed had a four-minute break. Doyle, who won the prime, rounded out the top eight in 3:52.2.
SCHWEIZER TIES COURSE RECORD
Nike Bowerman Track Club’s Karissa Schweitzer was a no-show for today’s meet race as the favorite to win. It was only her first time running on Fifth Avenue, and her entire season was focused on the 5,000m and 10,000m, where she claimed the podium at the U.S. Olympic Trials and top-ten finishes in both events at the Paris Olympics.
Today, the 28-year-old, who ran for the University of Missouri during her NCAA career, showed she has as much speed as anyone. Close to the front in the first half, Schweitzer pulled away from the main field midway through as Kenya’s Suzanne Ejore (Under Armour/Dark Sky Distance) moved into the first half and compatriot Dorcas Evoye (Puma Elite Running) came on for the game. to drive The trio took down U.S. Olympian Whitney Morgan and slid along the sidewalk together in the third quarter. Schweitzer felt confident.
“I feel like I’ve got some momentum now that the season is really winding down,” Schweitzer told reporters. “But it was just fun race and no pressure on them tribes. Even the night before, I was like, oh, maybe I can even win this thing.”
The three main characters seemed to match up well in the last quarter. Ejore, who finished 6th in the Olympic 1500m, fell behind around three-quarters of the way but fought back and caught up again. Evoke made a big move for the win with only about 250 yards to go over Schweitzer, but the 2016 NCAA champion quickly regained the lead and stayed out front.
“I love the middle distance, the 1500 tribesbut I like them better as a power tribesSchweitzer explained. “I know this one always goes fast, so I was excited about it.”
The Evoque, which like Schweitzer was making its Fifth Avenue debut, finished second in 4:17.3, a time that would have won 38 previous editions of the race. He said he got confused about his position in the last quarter and got tired of driving the first quarter too fast.
“I was out of power,” Evoy lamented.
Britain’s Melissa Courtney-Bryant (New Balance) was fourth in 4:19.9, while newcomer Gracie Morris (Puma Elite Running) was a surprise fifth in 4:20.4. Emily Mackay, the only 2024 US Olympian in the women’s 1500m race here today, finished seventh in 4:22.1.
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With heat that started early in the morning today race had 8,807 finishers, according to New York Road Runners, the race founders and organizers. It was the biggest amount ever race The record of 9,276 was set in 2019. The oldest finisher was Eric Seif, 91, of the Bronx, who clocked 15:05.
