In this day of 5Ks, 10Ks, marathons and other organized feats of distance and endurance, a one-mile race just sounds so -- short. So easy. So inconsequential. So wrong.
"There's a misconception of it that it's just one mile, it's not worth it," says race director and Go! Running store owner Gary Taylor.
But one mile begins to feel pretty long when you're running full-out the whole time and when speed is key.
Racers who don't already know this will learn it at the Go! Mile, a one-mile footrace at 7:30 a.m. Saturday in the Burns Park Soccer Complex in North Little Rock.
"We've talked to lots of people who have done it in the past and are training for it this year, and they say in some ways it's so much harder than a long-distance race," Taylor says. "It's more intense. You're never comfortable the whole time you're running.
"Usually in longer races you're just uncomfortable toward the end. But in a mile race, straight off the bat, it's hard work and fast."
Mile running requires a different skill set and different training. It's not a simple sprint where anyone can just show up, run and set a personal record. (That could happen in rare cases but it isn't likely.)
"To run it well, you have to be a bit more specialized," he says. "You'll be running faster than you typically run. That isn't really dangerous but you can be a little sore the next day if you don't prepare for it."
He recommends a lot of stretching, interval workouts and adding quicker finishes -- kicking in -- at the end of a regular workout "just to use that muscle group."
That said, Taylor adds, "Don't be nervous about it. We do it in a way that everybody gets a fair shake."
The Go! Mile is a great opportunity for runners and spectators to see the full spectrum of mile-running athletes, from newcomers to some of the fastest men and women in the country. And it's all served up in an atmosphere of excitement and high energy.
There isn't just one race and a finish line. There are seven races -- boom, boom, boom, one right after the other every 15 minutes. Each heat is based on skill level, age and sometimes on sex.
The first heat is for novices, to allow them to "come into the event without having to feel intimidated standing along extra-fast types," he says. "If you haven't raced before, you can walk it or run it or whatever you do. Just get out there and do something."
That's followed by separate heats for men and women in age groupings of 39 and under and 40 and over. Competition and awards are given in that breakdown, and by having each competition group together in one race rather than spaced out in heats, it's easier for runners to gauge their progress and success.
Then comes the elite race.
"Everybody in the race is fast," Taylor says. "When that happens, it's a more exciting race to watch. For some of those guys, it would be no fun, if we had random drawings for heats, to be out front on their own."
There's one last run, the "mini-mile" half-mile run for ages 9 and under, to encourage younger children to get involved in running. Every child who finishes will receive a prize.
Breaking the heats down into these groupings makes the races more exciting, more productive and more competitive, as well as safer and more practical for finish line workers. The short distance and large number of runners makes it impossible to have just one run.
"We can't get 500 people on the starting line of a mile and manage that race effectively," Taylor says. "It wouldn't be safe."
The chip-timed running will begin with a starter's pistol, then there will be times called, clocks and bells at intervals along the route to help racers judge how hard to push themselves based upon their fatigue and the remaining distance.
People who don't feel up to the challenge of running, or runners who want to stick around and watch the other racers, will have a good view. One benefit of short-distance races is that the course doesn't vanish into the horizon.
That's particularly popular when it comes to the elite race.
"People love watching that race," Taylor says. "That was a surprise for us really the first year we ran the race. So many people stuck around and lined up to watch. I know the elite runners love that, coming down the finishing stretch with lines of people on either side of the finish."
An awards ceremony will follow.
Last year, the Go! Mile was the south region championship one-mile race for the Road Runners Club of America. This year, it has been chosen as the national championship.
"Representatives from the RRCA were here and they saw we did a good job and liked the event," Taylor says. "I think there will be some people from around the country. I do know one thing: The person who wins it will be the national champion."
One-mile runs aren't nearly as common as 5Ks, but, Taylor points out, "it's the ultimate unit of measure for running. We always talk about how many minutes per mile can I run a 5K or a marathon. When we first did it, people thought it was unusual. Now it's becoming a bit more commonplace.
"Miles used to be popular, and I think we'll get back there. It's fun to watch, anyway."
Registration, which may be done in advance and will also be available on site at 6:30 a.m. race day, is $15, $25 with a T-shirt. Children's entries are $5, free with an adult registration. Proceeds will benefit the Winston Penn Wardlaw Memorial Scholarship Fund at Catholic High School.
An expo and packet pick-up with a sale, music, food and prizes will kick off the weekend, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday at Go! Running, 1819 N. Grant St.
For more information, call (501) 663-6800 or visit gorunning.com/gomile.
Go with the flow
Vinyasa yoga depends on flow, so what better place to practice than down by the river?
Instructor Jo Ann Camp leads yoga enthusiasts, newcomers and everyone in between in a series of classes on vinyasa flow yoga and all its physical and emotional benefits at First Security Amphitheater in Riverfront Park.
Open to all ages and skill levels, these one-hour classes start at 5 p.m. Tuesday and June 17 and 8 a.m. Saturday and June 21.
The classes are free, but donations to Our House will be accepted and appreciated.
Call (501) 375-2552 or call rivermarket.info.
ActiveStyle on 06/09/2014