Posted: August 12, 2007

Athletics (RRW): Record For Reilly At Falmouth Mile

From David Monti © 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com FALMOUTH, Mass. (11-Aug) -- With a big surge with 200 meters to go, Jonathon Riley pulled away from his training partner Chris Solinsky to win the 12th edition of the Falmouth Mile here today at the Falmouth High School track. The race was held one day before the 7 mile CIGNA Falmouth Road Race which will be contested for the 35th time tomorrow in this coastal town on Cape Cod. Riley, 28, ran his last quarter in 56.8 seconds to finish in 3:57.07, an event record and a personal best. Solinsky, this year's NCAA 5000m champion, finished second in 4:00.10. Brad Lowery took third in 4:02.54. "I was really happy to come to this race," said Riley who missed making the U.S. World Championships team at 5000m by just one place when he finished fourth in the 5000m at the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships last June. Although he had finished fourth, he seemed to have a good chance of making the team because winner Bernard Lagat initially said he would not contest the 5000m in Osaka and focus on the 1500m, exclusively. But Lagat announced last week that he had decided to double in both events. "In order to be prepared for Worlds I had to have that focus," said Riley who also said that he was "in shape at the right time" to win today's race. The previous event record was 3:57.82 set by Rwandan Alexis Sharangabo in 2000. The women's race was a much more tactical affair. Mary Jayne Harrelson, the recent Pan American Games silver medalist at 1500m, led the field through half-way in a pokey 2:25.6. The entire group of six women remained tightly packed, with Chrisin Wurth-Thomas and Amy Mortimer following Harrelson closely. At the bell, Wurth-Thomas was on the front with Amy Mortimer following closely. Steeplechaser Anna Willard, who finished second at AT&T USA Outdoor Championships in her specialty, remained in the pack and was fighting to improve her position. Wurth-Thomas was leading through turn three, and appeared to be successfully holding off Mortimer. But Willard, who had broken free from the chase pack, launched a feirce sprint out of the final turn. Hugging the inside lane, she ran away from the field to win easily in 4:37.55. "I had wanted to go a little earlier, but I got boxed in, "Willard explained. She said that this race served as an excellent tune-up for Osaka. "I didn't get to go to Europe as I wanted to," she said. "It feels good to get out here." Mortimer passed Wurth-Thomas to get second in 4:38.44, and Wurth-Thomas took the final podium spot in 4:39.11. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest