Return to the Mile?

[Dutra5]

"Ladies and Gentlemen.....THE WANAMAKER 1500 Meters!!"

Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue

[18.99s]

I wish the international standard had been the 1600 instead of 1500. 4 laps, follows the doubling progression from the 100, 200, 400, 800, and much more relatable and convertible to the mile.

Many of you bash the high school system for having the 1600, but if the 1600 were the international standard it wouldn't be a "bastardized" event.

[BBTM media]

1. I like the mile. I think it is a terrific event, but this idea is a short term fix to increase interest among people who know their history. It's short term because most of the people who fondly remember the mile are OLD at at least getting old. They are aging out of their relevance to this conversation.
The idea to return to the mile in only the US is even sillier if we are serious about the Olympics and World Championships (and any other international event of significance).
3. I miss the mile too. I also miss rotary dial phones, record albums and sex after marriage. Times change. The best we can do is remember the good 'ole times fondly and move on. There is no future in the Mile.

First, as Garry Hill mentioned the Mile is not just for the "old". Approximately 50% of our Mile Maniacs are under 30 and they too want to see the Mile elevated and celebrated. Bring Back the Mile's Facebook and Twitter followers have a similar percent under 30-years-old. Why? Because no track & field event has an equivalent to Roger Bannister’s historic and still revered first sub-4 minute Mile; put simply, it is iconic and timeless.

Second, the Mile can be brought back in any country that wants to take up the banner; if not, that's fine. Also, the Mile does not hurt the U.S. place or presence at the Olympics and World Championships. NOTE: at the 2012 World Indoor Championships, Mile times were accepted for the 1500 meters (both genders) as well as the 2012 Olympic Trials 1500m (men).

Third, BBTM does not see the Mile as a way to "save" the sport, but the Mile is an event that goes beyond the choir because it is relatable and understandable, particularly in the USA. No American boy has dreamed of breaking 4 minutes for the 1600 despite the misfit distance being on the HS books for more than 30 years.

Fourth, there is a future as well as a wonderful past and present for the Mile. Join us at http://www.BringBacktheMile.com

Go Mile!

[Marlow]

What "real" fans want is irrelevant to the future of the sport. Talk about hidebound thinking!

This from the guy who said he LIKED the fact that our sport was a niche sport and didn't care if anyone else got it or not. The only way we're going to get Joe Six-Pack is we Vegasize it - the women wear thongs and the men run in jocks through rings of fire. Do we really want it to become a Monster Truck Rally?

[bambam]

I think Garry is right - T&F needs to do everything it can to appeal to average sports fans. Getting rid of the mile would be a bad move in the US, just as I think getting rid of the 100 yards was as well.

The rest of the world can say the US shouldn't count, but we do - the sport will only prosper again in the US if it is popular and popular on television, and if its not on US television, the money will not be nearly as great. Witness how the US television rights fee for the Olympics is 50% of the total world-wide rights fee - and it used to be more.

About 10 years ago, Garry had a column at the beginning of an issue about how he thought another bad thing was the dearth of world records. He said we should have more world records (things like 250 metres, etc), and not less. All us statheads can pontificate all we want about how something is altitude aided, or the Boston Marathon course was 80 metres downhill or whatever, but as Garry said, Joe Sixpack doesn't care diddley-poo about that and more records bring more interest to the sport.

And the mile in the US would bring more interest to the sport in the US as well to Joe Sixpack. Not to the high school runners, but again Garry's right on this one, that's not the population you need to sell the sport to.

Can't believe I'm sucking up so much to EGH.

[TN1965]

Joe Sixpack probably cannot tell the difference between a mile and 1500m (or 1600m for that matter.) So it really does not matter to them which distance is run. They may think it's funny that runners are starting 9m before the finish line or 100m ahead of the finish line. But once the race starts that all becomes irrelevant to them. It's all about "Us vs. Them" whether it's countries, schools or whatever.

[Dutra5]

I don't think the switch to 100m from 100yds had the same effect because of the time element. For instance...today...a guy who runs under 10 secs most people know is pretty good. Same with the women and 11 secs.

In the mile...there is the 4 min barrier whether it's relevent to elite status or not. It still is something that matters to a more casual fan.

[Daisy]

Do we really want it to become a Monster Truck Rally?

They're fun, right? On the other hand, so is lawn mower racing, especially if you know the people driving. Part of track and fields problem is that most of the athletes are completely anonymous.

[aaronk]

I don't think the switch to 100m from 100yds had the same effect because of the time element. For instance...today...a guy who runs under 10 secs most people know is pretty good. Same with the women and 11 secs.

In the mile...there is the 4 min barrier whether it's relevent to elite status or not. It still is something that matters to a more casual fan.

So do many other "English" barriers.

7 foot HJ
200 foot DT
70 foot SP
27 foot LJ
13.00 110H
sub-50.0 400H
etc, etc

Not world beaters or records, but still psychological barriers that, once surpassed, gives one a taste of being an elite athlete and an Olympic prospect.

So the sub-4 mile ain't a record breaker, but it does provide the athlete a rung on the ladder where he/she can envision medals and victories.

Let's keep it.
What harm does it do??

[tandfman]

Joe Sixpack probably cannot tell the difference between a mile and 1500m (or 1600m for that matter.)

Joe Sixpack knows how long a mile is, but has no idea at all how long either 1500 or 1600 meters is. That matters.

[TN1965]

...So do many other "English" barriers.
13.00 110H
sub-50.0 400H

These two are metric records.

So the sub-4 mile ain't a record breaker, but it does provide the athlete a rung on the ladder where he/she can envision medals and victories.

I don't think we will see a 4-minute mile by a woman within my lifetime. On the other hand, any woman who runs a 4-miunute 1500m is an excellent candidate for an Olympic / World medalist.

[BBTM media]

So the sub-4 mile ain't a record breaker, but it does provide the athlete a rung on the ladder where he/she can envision medals and victories.

Let's keep it.
What harm does it do??

Yes, and that sub-4 minute Mile will also likely be covered by the athlete's local media unlike a comparable 3:42 for 1500 meters.

In short, the Mile has media value and interest.

Go Mile!