Masters rips US/World #2 time in Mile 3:56.25 to win Tyson Invitational Mile
Former Bangor HS runner Riley Masters currently at the Univeristy of Oklahoma, but running unttached this winter won the Tyson Invitational Mile @ the University of Arkansas on Friday evening. Masters clocked a huge personal best of 3:56.25 in winning, the time currently ranks him #2 in the US/World behind only Galen Rupp.
What does Masters think about the World #2 "I try not to invest too much into the stats like that. It's fairly arbitrary since it so early in the year. It will be cool to know I'm #2 tonight, I'm sure after that mile in Washington gies off tomorrow I'll move down a few spots."
Before the race, Master's personal best was 3:57.74 run just 2 weeks ago at the Terrier Classic, where he finished 3rd in the same race Galen Rupp ran the 5th fastest indoor mile of all-time 3:50.92.
Riley followed the rabbit Eric Harasyn, a former teammate at the University of Oklahoma through 1k (2:29.43) then decreased the pace down even further as he ripped the last 600 in 1:26.81 as he clicked off splits of (29.09, 29.15, 28.53). Masters covered the first 809m in 2:00.02, with the last 800m at 1:56.24.
"The race was actually set up for one of my teammates Frezer Legesse to run a time that would get him into nationals. Harasyn was suppose to take the pace through 1k, and I was supposed to take over from there and go trhough 1300-1400"- explained Masters.
"I ended up feeling well enough with a lap to go to finish the race, luckily I ended up with a personal best." Masters said via text post race.
Before the race he ranked 3rd (3:57.74) on the all-time mile list for native Mainers, he leaped frogged over Matt Lane (3:57.57) and surpassed the record of 3:57.28 of Erik Nadeau to stand alone at the top.
Masters next race will be a 2 Mile race at the Millose Games where he'll take on Bernard Lagat, who will be aiming the get back his American Record in the event. It's safe to say that Riley should finish that race with a new personal best as well, his fastest 2 Mile is from HS, a 9:38.
More Coverage
Interview from 2010 w/Riley (MaineTrackXC)
Maine All-time Mile List
3:56.25 Riley Masters, Bangor 2013
3:57.28 Eric Nedeau, Kennebunk 1995
3:57.57 Matt Lane, Yarmouth 2002