Successful miling by former ohio champs!

S

State The Obvious

Active member
Cory Leslie, former Sandusky Perkins/Ohio State star took 5th in indoor track's most prestigious mile, the Millrose Games Wannamaker Mile last weekend in NYC. Cory ran an indoor PR and came within tenths of his outdoor PR , running 3:53.87.

Clayton Murphy (Tri Village/Akron) broke 4 for the first time earlier this season, running 3:57.11 at Akron.

Sam Prakel (Versailles/Oregon) also broke the magic barrier for the first time a few weeks ago clocking in at 3:57.95.

Murphy and Prakel raced each other often in HS and now are 2 of the favorites going into the NCAA indoor mile. Prakel earned All-American honors in the outdoor 1500 as an Oregon true frosh 2 years ago (red shirted last year). Murphy was an indoor and outdoor All-American at 800 meters last year as an Akron soph.
 
 
This past weekend we saw two more elite performances by Ohio alum.

Colby Alexander (Strongsville, 2010), now running for the New Jersey/New York Track Club, ran a late season indoor debut on Staten Island. He set a track record in winning the mile in 3:57.74 over NJNY teammate and former Stanford multi All-American, Michael Atchoo (3:59.80).

Sam Prakel (Versailles), 2013) continued his solid running for the Oregon Ducks as he anchored the Oregon DMR to an NCAA qualifying berth Friday night. The relay ran 9:29.89 and now have the opportunity to defend their DMR NCAA title from a year ago. The NCAA Meet is in two weeks.
 
Ohio mile alum on the move once again

Some more exciting news from this past weekend from Alexander, Leslie and Prakel on the mile front.

At the United States Indoor National Championships in Portland, Oregon, Colby Alexander and Cory Leslie took 6th and 9th respectively in the 1500 finals. Matthew Centrowitz defended his title in a close win over Robby Andrews in a sit and kick, tactical race.

As you can witness in the online video, the pace was pedestrian until around 800 meters. At that point the pace significantly quickened. Between 900 and 1300 meters the entire 11 man field dropped a 53/54 second 400. The last 800 was covered between 1:50 to 1:53 by the top 8 or 9 guys and many of them, because of the congestion, were doing it out of lane 2 the entire last 800. Their seemingly effortless acceleration was incredible.

At the NCAA Championships, also this weekend, Sam Prakel came within tenths of a second of winning the NCAA mile title. In a blanket finish he wound up a hard-fought 4th. (Teammate Blake Haney was 2nd). Sam's 5 points helped the Oregon Ducks win their 3rd straight NCAA indoor team championship. Sam is now a 2-time All-American for the Ducks, having earned AA his freshman year in the outdoor 1500.
 
Even though this thread is about milers, it's hard not to mention Clayton Murphy's national title in the 800. His strength seemed to play a key role in the title as he was able to run 1:46.xx two days in a row and track down Rutto in the final 100 meters.

Some awesome performances by Ohio guys!
 
Ohio alum making ohio proud!!

Wow! Ohio sure churns out the milers!!

Ohioans rank 1-2 in the U.S. in the 1500 meter run with less than 3 weeks til the Olympic Trials!!

Colby Alexander (Strongsville/Oregon/NJNYTC) ran a USA #1 time on June 4th when he won the Furman Elite 1500 over an all-star cast in 3:37.32. That was only his 2nd race of the season. He beat the likes of 2 time NCAA mile champ from England, Lee Emanuel, last year's NCAA 1500 champ, Chad Noelle, 2 time Canadian Olympian, Nate Brannen, U.S. #2 ranked Johnny Gregorek, among a host of other top notch milers.

Colby opened his outdoor season 2 weeks prior at the Hoka One One High Performance meet in Los Angeles with a 2nd place finish to Hasan Mead, running 3:38.44. Other than Mead, he bested a top notch field that included Leo Manzano, Andrew Wheating, Johnny Gregorek and Pat Casey.

Colby's #1 USA rank only lasted 6 days though as another Ohio product, Akron's Clayton Murphy won going away at the NCAA Championships, running 3:36.38. Both Colby and Clayton have auto-qualified for the Olympic Trials (3:38.00 standard) but are just tenths of a second off the Olympic "A" standard (3:36.20). Colby's 3:36.56 from last year is 3 tenths off and Clayton's 3:36.38 is only less than 2 tenths off. Clayton will be gunning for the standard at the Portland Track Festival tonight and Colby will aim to go sub 3:36 at Princeton this coming Saturday.

Behind Clayton in that NCAA 1500 final were Brannon Kidder (Lancaster/Penn State) who finished 4th in 3:40.67, outkicking Sam Prakel (Versailles/Oregon)
who finished 5th in 3:40.84. Three of the top 5 NCAA milers this year were Ohioans!

It also looks like Murphy will own the fastest collegiate time in the nation this year at 3:36.33 while last year's fastest time went to Colby Alexander at 3:36.56. Those times are the 5th and 6th fastest times ever recorded for an American in NCAA history.
 
Last edited:
Murphy and Alexander get faster

Clayton Murphy and Colby Alexander have both qualified for the Olympic Trials at 1500 meters but as of 2 weeks ago they both were just tenths of a second off the Olympic "A" standard of 3:36.20 (3:53.49 mile equivalent).

They both made attempts at the standard over the last 2 weekends.

First, Murphy ran against a strong field of pro's at the Portland Track Classic and won with a strong kick over the last 200, running a PR 3:36.23. His time missed the standard by just 3 one-hundredths of a second! But it improved on his USA #1 time.

Meanwhile, a week later (just this past Saturday) at Princeton, Colby Alexander also PR'd, moving to the front with 500 meters remaining and posted a winning time of 3:36.26. Like Clayton, despite running a PR, Colby also just missed the "A" standard by (6)hundredths of a second!!

Of runners entered in the 1500 at the Olympic Trials (11 days away) Clayton and Colby own the two fastest times in the United States for 2016.
 
Last edited:
Colby Alexander posted the fastest 1500 ever run by an Ohioan when he ran 3:34.88 last night at Hayward Field at the Track Town Summer Series. He beat a field that Vin Lananna described as at least as good as the Olympic Trials 1500 final. Included in the field were three 2016 Olympians at 1500 meters and all 9 runners were Olympic Trials finalists (7 at 1500 and 2 at 5000).

Colby Alexander 3:34.88 (PR)
David Torrence 3:34.95 (2016 Olympian at 1500 for Peru)
Ben Blankenship 3:35.02 (PR) (2016 Olympian at 1500 for U.S.)
Kyle Merber 3:35.83
Eric Jenkins 3:35.94 (PR)
Johnny Gregorek 3:36.04 (PR)
Robby Andrews 3:37.19 (2016 Olympian at 1500 for U.S.)
Ryan Hill 3:40.19
Eric Avila 3:45.90

Link to the race. The men's 1500 starts around the 2 hour and 5 minute mark.

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/id/2835035/

The top 1500 runners in Ohio history now looks like this:

Colby Alexander 3:34.88 run in 2016
Rob Myers 3:34.89 run in 2005
Corey Leslie 3:34.93 run in 2013
Jeff See 3:35.21 run in 2012
Dave Wottle 3:36.2 (Hand Time) run in 1973
Clayton Murphy 3:36.23 run in 2016
 
Tom byers ran 3:35.75!!

FLASH!!
I am a stats nut. As with all dedicated stats nuts, we tend to go back and double and triple check stuff.

I had a hard time knowing that Tom Byers could run a 3:50.84 mile but couldn't run a faster 1500 than his listed 3:37.5 HT.

So I searched the internet and found that he has a career page on AllAthletics.com. It lists his career 1500 PR as 3:35.75 from a meet in Bruxelles, Belgium in 1982.

That's more like it.

So here is the revised ALL-TIME OHIO 1500 LIST

Colby Alexander 3:34.88 run in 2016
Rob Myers 3:34.89 run in 2005
Corey Leslie 3:34.93 run in 2013
Jeff See 3:35.21 run in 2012
Tom Byers 3:35.75 run in 1982
Dave Wottle 3:36.2 HT run in 1973
Clayton Murphy 3:36.23 run in 2016
 
All-time fastest milers (note...updated list later in thread)

Colby Alexander ran a 3:54.94 mile at Friday night's Sir Walter Miler in Raleigh, NC. Colby took 2nd behind NJNY/Hoka teammate Kyle Merber. Merber finished 3 tenths of a second ahead of Alexander in 3:54.57. Both runners finished under the 43 year old outdoor state (NC) mile record of 3:57.3 (HT) set in 1973 by Ken Popejoy.

Nine runners finished under 4 minutes with a tenth runner at 4:00.06.

Colby's mile time moves him from 8th to 5th on the All-Time Ohio list.

Another former Ohio champ, Corey Leslie, finished 8th in 3:58.51.

Here is the updated list of top milers in Ohio history.

1) Tom Byers 3:50.84 run in 1982
2) Dave Wottle 3:53.3 (HT) run in 1973
3) Corey Leslie 3:53.44 run in 2014
4) Rob Myers 3:53.78 run in 2004
5) Colby Alexander 3:54.94 run in 2016
6) Jeff See 3:55.24 run in 2012
7) Steve Foster 3:55.1 (HT) run in 1977
8) Kevin Ryan 3:55.9 (HT) run in 1983
9) Bob Kennedy 3:56.21 1994

NOTE: Dave Wottle's 3:53.3 was run in a race in Eugene, Oregon at Hayward Field. Pre invited Wottle to come and race him in a mile. Wottle outkicked Pre for the win in the second fastest time ever run by an American. Only Jim Ryun's World Record 3:51.1 was faster at the time. This race is featured in the "Fire On The Track" documentary on Pre.

NOTE: Colby Alexander ran a 3:50.30 mile at the NYRRC 5th Avenue Mile in 2016. That is the fastest mile ever run by an Ohioan indoors, outdoors or on a certified road mile.
 
Last edited:
In a field billed as the most competitive field of milers ever assembled on U.S. soil, Colby Alexander, Clayton Murphy and Corey Leslie repped Ohio very well at the 36th NYRRC 5th Ave Mile yesterday.

The pace was torrid the entire way as bonuses were being given out for fast times. The leaders hit 55, 1:53 and 2:51 at 440, 880 and 1320.

(link to the race below)

Alexander and Murphy went with the leaders from the gun. Murphy had the lead at the 800 with Blankenship, Centro, O'Hare and Alexander right there.
During the 3rd quarter, Centro took over and started to push. He opened up about 10 meters on Alexander who by then was moving into 2nd.

With about 150 left Alexander had caught Centro, passed him and looked to be on his way to the win. However, Jenkins (like Centro, another Salazar protege) was sneaking up on the curb. With 30 meters left, Jenkins caught Colby and Centro. At the line Alexander had fallen a few steps behind but Centro looked left to make sure Colby wasn't coming back and as he did Jenkins snuck by on his right for the win!

Jenkins 3:49.4 #6 time in 5th Ave history
Centro 3:49.5 #7 time in race history
Colby 3:50.3 #12 time in race history (fastest 3rd place time ever)

Murphy held on for 4th in 3:52.3 and Corey Leslie finished 15th in 3:58.2

That was the fastest 1-2-3 finish in the 36 year history of the race.
Over 700 world class milers have competed here over the last 36 years.

Race organizers claimed this was the most competitive field of U.S. milers ever assembled on U.S. soil. Basically it was the entire top nine finishers at the Olympic Trials 1500 final minus 5th placer, Craig Engels (he is currently running XC for his college team).

**So that includes the Olympic Champ, Centrowitz. 3:30, 3:50
**Olympic 1500 finalist Blankenship. 3:35, 3:53
**Robby Andrews who made the Olympic final but was later DQ'd for taking 2 steps over the rail. (My prediction is, with the sit and kick final, he'd have medalled).3:34, 3:53
**Mazano, 2012 Olympic 1500 silver medal. 3:30, 3:50
**Gregorek 3:36, 3:55
**Alexander 3:34, 3:54
**Winn 3:37, 3:56
**Merber 3:34, 3:54

After those 8 they added...

Clayton Murphy, Olympic Bronze medalist at 800 meters.
Olympic 1500 finalist, Brannen (Canada) 3:34, 3:52
Thiboutot, Canadian 1500 Champion, 3:34, 3:54
O'Hare, Great Britain, 3:34, 3:52
Donn Cabral, Olympic finalist in Steeple, 3:56
Corey Leslie, Olympic Trials finals in Steeple, 3:34, 3:53
Riley Masters, Olympic Trials finals at 5000, 3:36, 3:56
Ford Palmer, 2-time USA 1500 finalist, 3:36, 3:55
Eric Jenkins, missed Olympic 5000 team by 4 hundredths of a sec, 3:35
Jake Wightman, Great Britain, 3:54
Mason Ferlich, Olympic Trials finalist in Steeple, 4:00

link to the race

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UcorJqCYDs
 
I'm new to this site. I think it's wonderful that someone keeps a history on Ohio milers. It's really fun to pour over the stats and get re-acquainted with some of the names that you haven't thought about for awhile. Has anyone ever done this type of thing for any of the other distances(800, 3200)?
 
Cory Glines helps NAU win NCAA XC CHAMPIONSHIP

2012 D3 1600 State Champ from St. Thomas Aquinas, Cory Glines, helped Northern Arizona University to a D1 NCAA XC title on Nov 19 in Terre Haute.

It was the first NCAA D1 title in any sport for NAU.

Cory, a red-shirt junior, had been running in the top 3 all season for NAU. However around 3000 meters into the race Cory took a bad fall and by the time he gathered himself back together he found himself in dead last in the 251 man field.

Over the last 7000 meters, Cory passed 167 runners to place 84th overall and 66th in the team scoring. He was NAU's all-important number 5 man and would have undoubtedly made All-American had he not fallen. What a demonstration of facing adversity head-on and still contributing in a big way to a championship team.

Cory was almost a 2-time 1600 State Champ in HS. He won as a junior and just missed defending his title as a senior in 2013 when Clayton Murphy edged him out at State by 1 tenth of a second for the title.

Cory had set the D3 record in 2012 at 4:12.93 and then in 2013 both Cory and Murphy went under that record, running 4:11.72 and 4:11.83 respectively.

Cory looks to be one of the very best XC runners in America next season as NAU seeks to defend their title.
 
That's pretty cool, as his fall was overshadowed by that of NC State runner Eli Moskowitz (sp?) who had blood all over his face and singlet after also suffering a fall and a kick in the face. I completely missed this angle in NAU's win. Glines seriously kicked butt over the last 7K to pass that many runners.
 
Ohioans make final t&f news time rankings in 1500/mile

It's been 3 months since the official end of the international outdoor track season and T&F News has the lists of top times in each event for 2016.

Since this is a mile thread about sub 4 Ohioans, it is exciting to report that a number of former Ohio 1600 State Champs made the final U.S. lists in the 1500 and the mile.

OUTDOOR 1500

Top time was by Matthew Centrowitz at 3:34.09
#2 Ben Blankenship 3:34.26

Colby Alexander (Strongsville) ranked #3 at 3:34.88 (equiv of 3:52.07 mile)
Clayton Murphy (Tri-Village HS) ranked 10th at 3:36.23 (equiv of 3:53.52 mile)
Sam Prakel (Versailles HS) ranked 28th at 3:38.43 (equiv of 3:55.90 mile)

OUTDOOR MILE

Top time was3:53.83 by Ben Blankenship
#2 Evan Jager 3:54.21

Colby Alexander ranked #4 at 3:54.94


OUTDOOR ROAD MILE

Top time was 3:49.5 by Eric Jenkins
#2 MatthewCentrowitz 3:49.6

Colby Alexander ranked #3 at 3:50.3
Clayton Murphy ranked #4 at 3:52.3

INDOOR MILE
Top time was 3:50.63 by Matthew Centrowitz
#2 Robby Andrews 3:53.16

Corey Leslie (Sandusky Perkins HS) ranked #3 at 3:53.87
Clayton Murphy ranked #11 at 3:57.11
Colby Alexander ranked #17 at 3:57.74
Sam Prakel ranked #20 at 3:57.95

With Sam having a year of NCAA eligibility left at Oregon, Clayton entering his first year as a pro running for Nike and Colby only one year removed from Oregon and running for Hoka, these three young milers have an incredibly bright future ahead of them on the national/international level in the1500/mile. (Not to ignore Corey Leslie, however, Corey tends to focus on the mile indoors but then races the steeple outdoors where he has made 2 Olympic Trials finals as a steepler).
 
Alexander leads nation with 6 sub 4 miles

At year's end, Colby Alexander lead all U.S. milers with six sub 4 efforts. His NJNY teammate, Johnny Gregorek was right behind with 5.

Additionally, he ran six 1500 meter races between 3:34 and 3:38 which translate to between 3:52 and 3:56 for the mile.

Twelve races of that caliber in one season is quite remarkable.
 
Alexander earns top five ranking in 1500, Murphy 8th.

Track and Field News came out with their annual year-end rankings and Ohio was well represented at 1500 meters.

Colby Alexander earned a top 5 ranking (5th) and Clayton Murphy came in at 8th.

Colby's 5th place ranking was the highest by an Ohioan since Rob Myers ranked 5th back in 2007.

Colby's 3:34.88 ranked as the 3rd fastest 1500 by an American.
That time ranked 29th in the World and 10th among non-Africans.
He won the high profile Tracktown Summer Series 1500, ran more sub 4 minute miles than any other U.S. miler, was an Olympic Trials 1500 finalist and almost upset Olympic gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz at the NYRRC 5th Ave Mile, running 3:50.3.

As with Clayton's World ranking in the 800 (see separate thread), I thought Colby should have been ranked higher than 5th. Not much higher...but 4th...ahead of Manzano. Leo literally only had one good race all year (a 4th at the Trials) and otherwise had the worst year of his career. A ranking should be based on your body of work. Leo had no other races indoors or out to support a ranking that high. Barely top 10, IMO.

Clayton earned an 8th ranking based on his NCAA win and his 3:36.23, just 3 hundredths off the Olympic A standard. He was the 10th fastest American with his 3:36.23.

Way to rep Ohio!!
 
Ohio actually had a #1 US rank in the 1500 in 1973, Dave Wottle.
Funny because most people probably remember him as an 800 guy.
 
Thanks Rohbino. Go to the Yappi thread "Ohio schoolboys who have gone on to break 4 minutes for one mile".

State the Obvious has done an incredible job of researching out every Ohio schoolboy to break 4 and he updates the list every time someone accomplishes the feat. He may have even used the list you referenced as a starting point.
 
Colby Alexander and Clayton Murphy opened up their 2017 indoor seasons this last weekend.

Colby ran at the Armory in NYC in the Columbia East-West Challenge. He doubled, running the leadoff 1200 leg of the DMR for the Hoka NJNY Track Club and then coming back to run the 3000.

With Oregon, Penn, UCLA, UConn and Columbia in the DMR field, the goal was for the NJNY team to help set a fast pace to help set up some NCAA qualifying times for the collegiate entries.

Colby led off with the 1200 leg, running straight 29's for 6 laps, handing off in 2:54, giving NJNY a sizeable lead. It was a great first effort for the season as that is 3:52 mile pace.

In terms of helping the collegiate teams along, mission accomplished, as Oregon ran a collegiate leading 9:30. Edward Cheserek anchored with a 3:54 1600!

Alexander then capped off his first meet with some over distance work racing to an 8:10 in the 3000.

Clayton Murphy debuted as well, running in Boston at the New Balance Games.
He moved up in distance, running the 3000 vs a stellar field. He finished back in the field but ran a PR 8:16.

Both Colby and Clayton will be running the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in two weeks. This is the most prestigious indoor mile race in the world. It's a feather in our cap as Ohio track fans to have two former Ohio 1600 State Champs in such a world class event.
 
Clayton Murphy, Colby Alexander, and Cory Leslie are all racing today in the Wanamaker Mile of the Millrose Games at the Armory in Manhattan. Last year's HS sensation, Drew Hunter, is also in the field. The Wanamaker Mile starts at 5:50 and will be televised on NBC. Other events from the event will be televised on NBC starting at 4.

Wanamaker Mile field:

Colby Alexander, Robby Andrews, Johnny Gregorek, Drew Hunter, Eric Jenkins, Cory Leslie, Leo Manzano, Kyle Merber, Clayton Murphy, Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, Daniel Winn, Henry Wynne, Izaic Yorks
 
Clayton Murphy, Colby Alexander and Cory Leslie competed in the Wanamaker Mile Saturday night at the 110th annual Millrose Games at the Armory in NYC. The Wanamaker Mile is the most prestigious indoor mile in the world

Ater a start that saw all three Ohio schoolboy alums get off the line slowly, they eventually began moving up thru the field. Murphy used his lethal kick on the final lap to nail down second in 3:54.31.. Alexander moved up over the final 2 laps to secure 5th in the 12 man field in 3:55.99 and Cory Leslie placed 9th in 3:57.86.

My observation was that Murphy's slow start cost him the win. Or at least a good shot at it. Eric Jenkins won in 3:53.23 but had already gapped Murphy with a lap to go. He simply had too much to make up on the world-class Jenkins. Likewise, I thought Alexander's slow start cost him a top 3 finish. He has beaten all 4 runners that finished ahead of him but not going out and running with them from the start may have hurt him Saturday.

The good news is that both Clayton and Colby recorded indoor mile PR's. Those times should easily be fast enough to qualify them for the USA indoor championships in March.

Top 5 at Millrose Wanamaker Mile
Eric Jenkins Nike Oregon Project 3:53.23
Clayton Murphy Nike 3:54.31
Kyle Merber NJNY TC Hoka. 3:54.67
Charles Philibert-Thiboutot asics Canada 3:55.33
Colby Alexander. NJNY TC. Hoka. 3:55.99
 
Last edited:
OHIOANS 1-2 in USATF INDOOR NATS 1000

Clayton Murphy and Brannon Kidder took 1-2 at the USA Indoor National Championships today at 1000 meters in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Another Ohioan, Drew Windle (New Albany HS, 2011 D1 State Champ 800 Meters) placed 5th.

Murphy (2:18.60) and Kidder (2:19.10) were both under the USATF Chmps meet record. Murphy's winning time was the fastest in the world this year.

Colby Alexander was entered in the 1000 but was a last minute scratch from the meet. Had he run, Ohio could very well have had an excellent shot at a 1-2-3 finish!!

Congratulations to Clayton, Brannon and Drew!
 
How do you like the HS that had 3 girls between 10:51 and 10:53 in the 3200! How would you like it if they were here in Ohio and you had to make the decision of which one gets left out of the 3200 at the District.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top