Try, try, again! Another assault on the 4:00-minute mile in Chicago
The Magis Miles, the fastest Illinois high school mile race of the year, is back on Saturday, June 1, 2024.
For immediate release: For more information please contact
Ed Ernst, 773-407-5220, [email protected].
Tony Sacco, 773-354-7046, [email protected]
Chicago, IL—For eight of the last nine Junes some of the top runners in the Midwest have attempted to be the first ever to run a sub-4:00 mile on an outdoor track within the city limits of Chicago. It’s on again for this year. Have your stop watches ready at about 9:30 PM on Saturday night, June 1, under the lights at Saint Ignatius College Prep!
The Magis Miles event is back in 2024.
In its ninth year the Magis Miles is recruiting runners who have previously run under 4:00-minutes for the mile. The race will also bring together most of the best high school runners in Illinois, right after the Illinois state track championships.
The 2024 edition of the race features from Fleet Feet Chicagoland and New Balance. Fleet Feet owner Dave Zimmer will hold a microphone as event MC. “We’ve got a store in the neighborhood located just down Roosevelt Road,” he said. “This is a great event, and we want to support it.”
In March 2022 Cole Hocker and Cooper Teare came up just short of the American indoor mile record at the new Conrad Worrill Gately Indoor Track, with Teare winning in 3:50.17. Saint Ignatius 1960 grad Tom O’Hara ran 3:56.4 to set the world indoor mile record in the Chicago Stadium in 1964. But there has never been an outdoor mile race in Chicago in which a runner has broken the 4:00-minute barrier, according the Ryan Lamppa, from the organization “Bring Back the Mile.” Eight times runners have lined up for Magis Miles to make an attempt. “But this year, we hope to recruit the best field we’ve had,” said meet director Ed Ernst. “This year it is going to happen.”
For six years from 2015 to 2019 and then in 2021- 2023, “The Magis Miles” has featured a night of one-mile races on the track at Saint Ignatius in a spectacular setting on the near West side against the backdrop of Chicago’s skyline. The night features elite races for top professional and collegiate men and women runners, multiple heats for top Illinois high schoolers, and an “undercard” of open races for all-comers of all ages.
“We have a fast track, and we run with a great view of the Chicago skyline!” said co-director Tony Sacco, who is assistant coach for track and cross country at Saint Ignatius. “Everyone runs fast.”
Magis (pronounced ''MAH-jis') is a Latin word that means 'more' or 'better'. “At Saint Ignatius College Prep, we use the word Magis as an inspiration for doing more for others and our community,” says another meet organizer Ray Lewis, a Saint Ignatius alumnus class of 2012 and now a teacher and coach. “We hope this meet can be an expression of Magis for the running community.”
Open 1-mile races for all-comers will start in the late afternoon—first to sign up are the first served. “We will fill as many heats as we can fit into the day,” said Ernst. “Everyone who signs up gets to race with runners of similar time and ability, and everyone gets a shirt, just like before. We hope that high school runners who race in the afternoon one year will come back to earn a place in the evening program the next year.”
Early evening features high school races for the top boys and girls in the state of Illinois—and sometimes from other states. In the five previous editions more than 500 high school runners have competed at Magis Miles. “Our race has been a PR factory,” says Lewis. “Almost everyone who races runs a personal best. You run the state meet for a medal. Then you come to our race for a fast time.”
In previous years Magis Miles has produced some of the fastest high school times in the nation for the mile. In 2016 Sean Torpy from Carl Sandburg and Miami University of Ohio ran 4:05.10, with his twin brother Chris close behind in 4:07.13. In 2017 Illinois’s top high school runner, Soren Knudsen of Minooka, actually won the final elite men’s race of the evening, charging from behind to beat a crew of collegians and professionals in 4:05.58. Kelly O’Brien from Palatine and Northwestern ran 4:48.01 in 2016. Glenbard West high schooler Katelynne Hart, now at the University of Michigan, set a new meet record and a then new Illinois All-Time High School Best of 4:39.57 in 2019.
The winner of the high school boys mile in 2023 was Aden Bandukwala of Hinsdale Central in 4:10.74. On the girls’ side, Catie McCabe of Hinsdale Central ran 4:54.51 .
There are also races in the evening program for top middle school and high school freshmen runners.
The late night program features professional and collegiate runners. Previous winners of the women’s race include Hope Schmelzle from Northern Illinois University and Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, who ran 4:43.96 to win in 2016. Hart was the women’s elite race champion three years in a row, running 4:46.54 in 2017 and 4:44.63 in 2018. In 2022 Emma Watcke from Hinsdale and the University of Wisconsin won in 4:48.06.
On the men’s side, former Eastern Michigan runner and Polish national champion Greg Kalinowski won the inaugural race in 4 minutes and 4.07 seconds to win in 2015. St. Olaf College’s NCAA Division III champion Jake Campbell won in 2016, running the meet record of 4:02.05. Bradley University’s Taylor Floyd Mews won in 4:03.86 in 2018. Former Loyola University star San Penzenstadler won in 2019 with a time of 4:06.57. The 2021 winner was Australian and Illinois State runner Jack Anstey in 4:02.57, with former Lane Tech and Indiana State runner David Timlin close behind in 4:03.76. In 2022 Christopher Collet, who ran Magis Miles as an Illinois high-schooler, won in 4:05.01—one week after winning the Division III collegiate national steeplechase title for Wartburg College.
“We love to get the emails from men and women who ran the race as high schoolers, and now they’ve become top collegiate runners,” said Ernst. “They want run in our elite race now.”
“We think everyone needs more track and field in their lives, and we don’t get enough of it in Chicago, especially,” said Sacco, another event organizer. “When you watch our championship race, that is likely to be the fastest mile you will ever see in person.”
Bringing runners of different ages together is a big part of the event: “We are high school track coaches, first,” said Ernst. “So one big goal for this event is to put elite-level runners in front of our high school kids, so they can see what's possible.”
For the college runners in the meet, the race is often a homecoming. “When our high school hero runners graduate and move on to the college ranks, it seems like we never get to see them run again,” said Ernst. “This is an event where we bring the old Illinois heroes back to run in front of the new heroes.
“We have this beautiful facility in a beautiful city. We are excited once again to invite people to our campus for this event.”
Spectator admission is $5.00, cash only. The first races should begin at 4:00 PM. The meet runs on a tight schedule, with the National Anthem at 7:00 PM and the final race concluded by 10:00 PM.
There are other sponsorship opportunities available for the event.
FAT timing services are supplied by Dave Behof of LA Timing, with help from Illinois Prep Top Timing.
The Magis Miles track meet has an information and registration web site: www.magismiles.com . Follow the meet on twitter: @themagmiles. To get more information, contact the event organizers, Ed Ernst ([email protected]), 773-407-5220 and Tony Sacco, ([email protected] ), 773-354-7046.
The Magis Miles, the fastest Illinois high school mile race of the year, is back on Saturday, June 1, 2024.
For immediate release: For more information please contact
Ed Ernst, 773-407-5220, [email protected].
Tony Sacco, 773-354-7046, [email protected]
Chicago, IL—For eight of the last nine Junes some of the top runners in the Midwest have attempted to be the first ever to run a sub-4:00 mile on an outdoor track within the city limits of Chicago. It’s on again for this year. Have your stop watches ready at about 9:30 PM on Saturday night, June 1, under the lights at Saint Ignatius College Prep!
The Magis Miles event is back in 2024.
In its ninth year the Magis Miles is recruiting runners who have previously run under 4:00-minutes for the mile. The race will also bring together most of the best high school runners in Illinois, right after the Illinois state track championships.
The 2024 edition of the race features from Fleet Feet Chicagoland and New Balance. Fleet Feet owner Dave Zimmer will hold a microphone as event MC. “We’ve got a store in the neighborhood located just down Roosevelt Road,” he said. “This is a great event, and we want to support it.”
In March 2022 Cole Hocker and Cooper Teare came up just short of the American indoor mile record at the new Conrad Worrill Gately Indoor Track, with Teare winning in 3:50.17. Saint Ignatius 1960 grad Tom O’Hara ran 3:56.4 to set the world indoor mile record in the Chicago Stadium in 1964. But there has never been an outdoor mile race in Chicago in which a runner has broken the 4:00-minute barrier, according the Ryan Lamppa, from the organization “Bring Back the Mile.” Eight times runners have lined up for Magis Miles to make an attempt. “But this year, we hope to recruit the best field we’ve had,” said meet director Ed Ernst. “This year it is going to happen.”
For six years from 2015 to 2019 and then in 2021- 2023, “The Magis Miles” has featured a night of one-mile races on the track at Saint Ignatius in a spectacular setting on the near West side against the backdrop of Chicago’s skyline. The night features elite races for top professional and collegiate men and women runners, multiple heats for top Illinois high schoolers, and an “undercard” of open races for all-comers of all ages.
“We have a fast track, and we run with a great view of the Chicago skyline!” said co-director Tony Sacco, who is assistant coach for track and cross country at Saint Ignatius. “Everyone runs fast.”
Magis (pronounced ''MAH-jis') is a Latin word that means 'more' or 'better'. “At Saint Ignatius College Prep, we use the word Magis as an inspiration for doing more for others and our community,” says another meet organizer Ray Lewis, a Saint Ignatius alumnus class of 2012 and now a teacher and coach. “We hope this meet can be an expression of Magis for the running community.”
Open 1-mile races for all-comers will start in the late afternoon—first to sign up are the first served. “We will fill as many heats as we can fit into the day,” said Ernst. “Everyone who signs up gets to race with runners of similar time and ability, and everyone gets a shirt, just like before. We hope that high school runners who race in the afternoon one year will come back to earn a place in the evening program the next year.”
Early evening features high school races for the top boys and girls in the state of Illinois—and sometimes from other states. In the five previous editions more than 500 high school runners have competed at Magis Miles. “Our race has been a PR factory,” says Lewis. “Almost everyone who races runs a personal best. You run the state meet for a medal. Then you come to our race for a fast time.”
In previous years Magis Miles has produced some of the fastest high school times in the nation for the mile. In 2016 Sean Torpy from Carl Sandburg and Miami University of Ohio ran 4:05.10, with his twin brother Chris close behind in 4:07.13. In 2017 Illinois’s top high school runner, Soren Knudsen of Minooka, actually won the final elite men’s race of the evening, charging from behind to beat a crew of collegians and professionals in 4:05.58. Kelly O’Brien from Palatine and Northwestern ran 4:48.01 in 2016. Glenbard West high schooler Katelynne Hart, now at the University of Michigan, set a new meet record and a then new Illinois All-Time High School Best of 4:39.57 in 2019.
The winner of the high school boys mile in 2023 was Aden Bandukwala of Hinsdale Central in 4:10.74. On the girls’ side, Catie McCabe of Hinsdale Central ran 4:54.51 .
There are also races in the evening program for top middle school and high school freshmen runners.
The late night program features professional and collegiate runners. Previous winners of the women’s race include Hope Schmelzle from Northern Illinois University and Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, who ran 4:43.96 to win in 2016. Hart was the women’s elite race champion three years in a row, running 4:46.54 in 2017 and 4:44.63 in 2018. In 2022 Emma Watcke from Hinsdale and the University of Wisconsin won in 4:48.06.
On the men’s side, former Eastern Michigan runner and Polish national champion Greg Kalinowski won the inaugural race in 4 minutes and 4.07 seconds to win in 2015. St. Olaf College’s NCAA Division III champion Jake Campbell won in 2016, running the meet record of 4:02.05. Bradley University’s Taylor Floyd Mews won in 4:03.86 in 2018. Former Loyola University star San Penzenstadler won in 2019 with a time of 4:06.57. The 2021 winner was Australian and Illinois State runner Jack Anstey in 4:02.57, with former Lane Tech and Indiana State runner David Timlin close behind in 4:03.76. In 2022 Christopher Collet, who ran Magis Miles as an Illinois high-schooler, won in 4:05.01—one week after winning the Division III collegiate national steeplechase title for Wartburg College.
“We love to get the emails from men and women who ran the race as high schoolers, and now they’ve become top collegiate runners,” said Ernst. “They want run in our elite race now.”
“We think everyone needs more track and field in their lives, and we don’t get enough of it in Chicago, especially,” said Sacco, another event organizer. “When you watch our championship race, that is likely to be the fastest mile you will ever see in person.”
Bringing runners of different ages together is a big part of the event: “We are high school track coaches, first,” said Ernst. “So one big goal for this event is to put elite-level runners in front of our high school kids, so they can see what's possible.”
For the college runners in the meet, the race is often a homecoming. “When our high school hero runners graduate and move on to the college ranks, it seems like we never get to see them run again,” said Ernst. “This is an event where we bring the old Illinois heroes back to run in front of the new heroes.
“We have this beautiful facility in a beautiful city. We are excited once again to invite people to our campus for this event.”
Spectator admission is $5.00, cash only. The first races should begin at 4:00 PM. The meet runs on a tight schedule, with the National Anthem at 7:00 PM and the final race concluded by 10:00 PM.
There are other sponsorship opportunities available for the event.
FAT timing services are supplied by Dave Behof of LA Timing, with help from Illinois Prep Top Timing.
The Magis Miles track meet has an information and registration web site: www.magismiles.com . Follow the meet on twitter: @themagmiles. To get more information, contact the event organizers, Ed Ernst ([email protected]), 773-407-5220 and Tony Sacco, ([email protected] ), 773-354-7046.