7th Annual One Mile Bang – Sunday, June 25, 2017
The “new and improved” One Mile Bang 2017 presented an exciting “7 for 7” lineup this year, celebrating its 7th Annual race by hosting seven separate races overall. In addition to our regular community Family Fun Run, we added a special High School Challenge division, and also five USA Track and Field / Pacific Association Grand Prix races, which offered $3,000 prize money to top running clubs and individuals from all over Northern California and beyond. The Pacific Association (PA) races really elevated the level of competition, with the Overall Male and Female course records both broken by multiple runners, and also a new Men’s 40+ (Masters) record being set this year. The weather certainly cooperated, as only a week previous, temperatures were in the high 90’s and into the 100’s, but on race day, there was a nice layer of fog and cool weather, high 60’s/low 70’s which was perfect for running a fast Mile. Starting off the morning was the traditional Family Fun Run. This year, we had 15 kids 12-under, more than we have ever had before, and many of them had parents or siblings running alongside as well. First place in the boys 12-under was Matthew Mullane, 11, Sunnyvale, 6:20.5, and first place in the girls 12-under was Katherine Mullane, 9, Sunnyvale, 6:42.0. Nice brother and sister combo there! Our overall winner in the Family Fun Run was local runner Lee Klarich, 42, Los Gatos, 4:51.6. This was a new course personal record for Lee, beating his previous best of 4:56 back in 2014. Following in the Dzfast familydz theme of this year, the overall Female winner was Lee’s daughter, Lucy Klarich, 13, 5:53.6, an excellent time for any age, but especially for being only 13 – way to go for the hometown Father-Daughter Duo! The PA races started shortly afterward, giving the earlier runners a great opportunity to watch some exciting finishes while enjoying refreshments andcollecting age group awards and random drawing prizes during the Family Fun Run Awards Ceremony. Starting off was the Men’s 50+ race. Taking first with a dominating performance was Daniel Filip, 54, San Jose, who won it with a time of 4:50.4, a full 9 seconds ahead of second place runner Andy Belk, 52, Campbell, who came across just under 5:00 at 4:59.6. Third place went to Raymundo Cruz, 52, San Francisco, 5:01.8. Fourth place (and 1st in 60+) was Doug Steedman, 62, San Francisco, 5:02.7. In the Women’s 40+ race, Nancy Thomas, 47, San Francisco, took top honors, breaking the tape in 5:31.6. The battle for 2nd place was a hotly contested one, with 5 women finishing all within 2 seconds of each other. Leading that pack to take 2ndplace in 5:40.0 was Samantha Forde, 44, competing for the local Wolfpack Running Team, based at West Valley College in Saratoga. Close behind was third place runner Riya Young, 49, Palo Alto, 5:40.6. Right on Riya’s heels in 4thwas Liz Gottlieb, 42, Impala, 5:41.2. The last two in that fast pack battled it out for the top 50+ spot, with Eileen White, 54, of Piedmont prevailing with a time of 5:42.1. Eileen Brennanerler, 56, San Rafael, took 2nd in the 50+ (6th overall in the 40+) finishing at 5:42.7. In the 40-49 Men’s race, local favorite Kevin Pierpoint, 41, of Los Gatos, was the cream of the crop, taking first in 4:31.6. Second place was Jaime Heilpern, 47, San Francisco, 4:37.0. Third place went to Chafik Azerki, 43, Alameda, 4:38.0.
Pierpoint, who was also the overall winner of The Great Race this year, set a new Masters (40+) course record, besting the old mark, previously held by Jose Pina, San Jose, 4:35.4, 2012. Breaking into the mix next was the High School Challenge Race. Diego Escobedo, 17, Burlingame, and Kole Tippetts, 15, San Jose, ran together up front early on, but ultimately Escobedo pulled away with a strong surge midway through the race, finishing first with a time of 5:08.9. Tippetts took 2nd at 5:14.6. Third place went to Julian Vargas, 13, Hollister, 5:59.7. In the PA Women’s Open Race (39-under), Ayla Granados, 25, Castro Valley, led the race from start, and just kept extending her lead the further it went on, finishing in an excellent 4:40.1, breaking the women’s course record by a whopping 8 seconds! (previously held by Kris Paaso, 4:48, 2012). The next two runners also broke the old course record, 2nd place – Tasia Potasinski, 27, San Francisco, 4:45.6, and 3rd place – Teresa McWalters, 32, San Francisco, 4:47.4. Right on their tails in 4thplace, competing as an Open runner, was the former record holder herself, Kris Paaso, 46, Menlo Park, 4:49.7. With a very fast field assembled at the start, the last race of the day, the PA Men’s Open Race (39-under) was the climax of the entire morning’s festivities. First overall was Darius Terry, 26, San Jose, winning with a blazing time of 4:06.8! Like Granados in the women’s race, Terry also smashed the course record by 8 seconds (previously held by Justin Marpole-Bird, 4:14, 2015). Closely contested right to the very end, Benedikt Buenz, 25, Strava Track Club, took 2nd in 4:09.0, just fractions of a second ahead of 3rd place runner Thomas Poston, 24, Goleta, 4:09.4. Proving the quality of the field, these runners also broke the previous Men’s course record: 4thplace – Phillip Reid, 31, Hoka Aggies, 4:10.6; 5th place – Bryan Crock, 23, Strava TC, 4:12.5; 6th place – Gordon Sturgess, 25, Hoka Aggies, 4:13.0. The 7th Annual One Mile Bang was a huge success, with over 200 runners participating, the most ever in the history of the race! While keeping the spirit of the family and the community intact, the PA Prize Money Grand Prix races added new excitement, with lots of highly competitive races contested and several course records being broken. By continuing to donate proceeds from this growing event to City Team Ministries of San Jose, we hope to not just raise funds but also bring a heightened awareness and ownership in helping to solve the problem of homelessness in our community and beyond. Because, as we say at the One MileBang, “Anyone can run a mile, and everyone deserves a home.” We thank you for being a part of this year’s event and look forward to seeing you all again next year!
Sincerely, -Scott Bang Race Director, One Mile Bang 2017