This summer, June 3, 2023, the Belmont Mile race is making a long-awaited return despite the construction being done on Pleasant Valley High School’s track. This year, the race will be held in Rock Island at Augustana College’s track.
The Belmont Mile is an offseason race put on for the community as an opportunity to race in a unique way. Athletes race in the mile rather than a 5k, which is a more common distance in the track world. The race is open for all ages with divisions for junior high athletes,high school athletes, and collegiate and professional runners.
This event was established by Pleasant Valley teacher and cross country coach Nick Sacco. Sacco’s passion for running drove him to create an event involving running that meant bringing the community together. “Part of the reason I started this was to try and get people in the community to see what track and field was all about,” Sacco said. “Whether you are in the community race running a ten minute mile or the elite race trying to break a four minute mile, you get to see people competing against themselves.”
PV senior runner Jacob Mumey has enjoyed his time at the Belmont Mile in the past. “I think the cool thing is seeing kids from the area come out and give it their all in their only race of the night,” Mumey explained. In a traditional track meet, the mile is usually towards the end of the meet after the best runners have already run a few events. However, the Belmont mile is different because it allows for the elite runners to run only the mile, making for a more competitive race with faster times.
The Belmont Mile will also feature legendary commentator Mike Jay, who has announced the Olympic trials, USA track and field championships and NCAA track and field championships. Now, he will be bringing his legendary voice and Track Guy Foundation to the Belmont Mile.
The inclusion of Mike Jay is a win for everyone in attendance, as they get to experience a race with a pro level announcer. Some money that is generated contributes to Jay’s Track Guy foundation, which helps provide shoes for underprivileged school track teams.
If you are looking to try something new this summer, sign up for the Belmont Mile by June 2. It’s a great event that provides a unique opportunity for runners of all levels of experience and builds excitement for the sport of track.
If you are interested in running in the Belmont Mile, you can sign up on this link or contact [email protected].
