MAI HOANG
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
February 27, 2019
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Two Yakima natives and former college track competitors will bring a new 1-mile race to town in June with more than $20,000 in prizes.
Participants will race on Yakima Avenue on June 8 in the inaugural Virginia Mason Memorial Downtown Yakima Mile, according to a news release.
The course will start just east of 16th Avenue and head to the shadow of the Larson Building on the corner of Second Street and Yakima Avenue. The event will feature 11 races for different categories of runners and will cover 14 blocks in a gradual downhill stretch.
The idea for the event came from Chris Waddle, co-owner of Hogback Development Co. and Erik Mickelson, CEO of Howard’s Medical Supply. Both are former college track competitors and wanted to bring a new running event to the Yakima Valley.
“This will be a high-energy event and will highlight the abilities of the athletes, including elites, up-and-coming runners, families and the next generation of milers,” Waddle said in a news release.
The mile is a far less common distance compared to the 5K, which has been the go-to distance for community races. But there have been efforts nationwide to bring the mile distance back into vogue. The Yakima race is part of the Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour.
The categories will include a family mile, a wheelchair, a military versus first responders race and an open race for both children and adults. Within the open race, qualified runners in the men and women elite divisions will vie for $20,000 in cash prizes with a $5,000 cash prize for the top elite men and woman runner. A cash prize of $250 will be awarded to top woman and man in the open race as well as the top woman and man over 40. There are also prizes among the top finishers in the kids, high school, first responders and military and junior elite categories.
The event will benefit the Yakima School District.
As part of Virginia Mason Memorial’s sponsorship, those under 18 will receive free registration for the Downtown Yakima Mile. Registration for those 18 and older is $25. Registration is now open.
For more information and to register, go to www.yakimamile.com.
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