Tri State
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Billy Mills sends message to runners: pursue your dreams
1964 Olympic Gold Medalist speaks to hundreds before Race for the Nation 5K
By Kevin Spradlin
Tristaterunnur.com
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - After nearly 73 minutes of presentation, Billy Mills gave the crowd inside the Chambersburg Area Middle School gymnasium a chance to leave if they so desired.
After all, the South Dakota native had promised only 50 minutes of his time on Friday night, the eve of the 1st annual Race for the Nation 5K. Proceeds from the race are to be split equally between the Chambersburg Steelers Youth Football team and the Southwest Indian Foundation’s Housing program.
Almost everyone stayed. They weren’t about to pass up a chance to hear more from Billy Mills, the last American to win gold in the 10,000-meter run in the Summer Olympic Games.
1992 Olympic marathon Steve Spence encouraged members of his Shippensburg University cross country team to attend on Friday night, one night before the Raiders were to compete in their first meet of the fall season. Spence said he wanted his runners present to witness something special, something inspirational.
“I don’t think we were disappointed at all,” Spence said.Read More
1964 Olympic Gold Medalist speaks to hundreds before Race for the Nation 5K
By Kevin Spradlin
Tristaterunnur.com
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - After nearly 73 minutes of presentation, Billy Mills gave the crowd inside the Chambersburg Area Middle School gymnasium a chance to leave if they so desired.
After all, the South Dakota native had promised only 50 minutes of his time on Friday night, the eve of the 1st annual Race for the Nation 5K. Proceeds from the race are to be split equally between the Chambersburg Steelers Youth Football team and the Southwest Indian Foundation’s Housing program.
Almost everyone stayed. They weren’t about to pass up a chance to hear more from Billy Mills, the last American to win gold in the 10,000-meter run in the Summer Olympic Games.
1992 Olympic marathon Steve Spence encouraged members of his Shippensburg University cross country team to attend on Friday night, one night before the Raiders were to compete in their first meet of the fall season. Spence said he wanted his runners present to witness something special, something inspirational.
“I don’t think we were disappointed at all,” Spence said.Read More
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Byrne leads by example, burns field in first Race for the Nation 5K
By Kevin Spradlin
Tristaterunnur.com
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – Matt Byrne has a goal to “toughen up the Philly boys” he trains with in the Philadelphia Track Club.
Those in his charge can rest assured he’s leading by example. The 33-year-old Scranton, Pa., native led 136 competitors to the finish line on Saturday at the 1st annual Race for the Nation 5K in Chambersburg. Byrne was the first to receive a congratulatory handshake from race starter and 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills after stopping the clock in 15 minutes, 32.6 seconds.
Former Wheeling Jesuit University standout Matt Abel, 26, of Wheeling, W.Va., was second in 16:00.5 and Army National Guard runner Troy Harrison, 32, of Hustontown, Pa., was third in 16:03.
Twenty-nine-year-old Sarah Boward, of Fayetteville, Pa., led the women’s 56-runner field in 19:40.9. Shayna Weir, 22, of Chambersburg, was second in 20:54.7 followed by Amanda Turner, 36, of Gettysburg, Pa., in 21:13.7. Read More
By Kevin Spradlin
Tristaterunnur.com
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – Matt Byrne has a goal to “toughen up the Philly boys” he trains with in the Philadelphia Track Club.
Those in his charge can rest assured he’s leading by example. The 33-year-old Scranton, Pa., native led 136 competitors to the finish line on Saturday at the 1st annual Race for the Nation 5K in Chambersburg. Byrne was the first to receive a congratulatory handshake from race starter and 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills after stopping the clock in 15 minutes, 32.6 seconds.
Former Wheeling Jesuit University standout Matt Abel, 26, of Wheeling, W.Va., was second in 16:00.5 and Army National Guard runner Troy Harrison, 32, of Hustontown, Pa., was third in 16:03.
Twenty-nine-year-old Sarah Boward, of Fayetteville, Pa., led the women’s 56-runner field in 19:40.9. Shayna Weir, 22, of Chambersburg, was second in 20:54.7 followed by Amanda Turner, 36, of Gettysburg, Pa., in 21:13.7. Read More
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John Macklin: Meeting Billy Mills ‘made my day’
By Kevin Spradlin
Tristaterunnur.com
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – For 44-year-old Ridgeley, W.Va., resident John Macklen Sr., meeting Billy Mills on Saturday might not have been the opportunity of a lifetime. But it was close.
Macklen and his wife, Tina Macklen, competed in the 1st annual Race for the Nation 5K, a 3.1-mile race in which John Macklen ran better than usual. It was a distance of about 30 feet that he was more interested in.
By Kevin Spradlin
Tristaterunnur.com
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – For 44-year-old Ridgeley, W.Va., resident John Macklen Sr., meeting Billy Mills on Saturday might not have been the opportunity of a lifetime. But it was close.
Macklen and his wife, Tina Macklen, competed in the 1st annual Race for the Nation 5K, a 3.1-mile race in which John Macklen ran better than usual. It was a distance of about 30 feet that he was more interested in.
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That was the gap between him and Mills, the 1964 Gold Medalist at 10,000 meters, just a few minutes before the start of the race. Mills served as the official race starter and master of ceremonies. Mills, now 70, is the only American, male or female, to win a gold medal in the 10,000-meter run since.
“I’m a fan of Billy Mills,” said John Macklen, born around the time Mills was 26 years old and winning gold in Tokyo. “I remember seeing the movie ‘Running Brave’ when it came out. I’ve always been a fan of the Olympics since I was a kid back in the 70s.”
Local photographer and Tristaterunnur.com creator Darrell Cavey was chatting with Mills near the starting line – and then waived the Macklens over. After a brief introduction and handshake, “he put his arms around us,” John Macklen said. “He was telling us some pretty emotional stories.” Read More
“I’m a fan of Billy Mills,” said John Macklen, born around the time Mills was 26 years old and winning gold in Tokyo. “I remember seeing the movie ‘Running Brave’ when it came out. I’ve always been a fan of the Olympics since I was a kid back in the 70s.”
Local photographer and Tristaterunnur.com creator Darrell Cavey was chatting with Mills near the starting line – and then waived the Macklens over. After a brief introduction and handshake, “he put his arms around us,” John Macklen said. “He was telling us some pretty emotional stories.” Read More