Brown smashes all-time Maine record for the mile with her 4:51.54!
Waterville senior Bethanie Brown added to her growing legacy with a new Maine all-time best for the outdoor mile with her 4:51.54 record breaking effort at the Loucks Games. Brown's time took an amazing 4+ seconds off the former record held by former Kennebunk HS and current Oregon Duck Abbey Leonardi of 4:56.22. Bethanie finished 3rd overall in the race at the Loucks Games, the race was won by Benjamin Cardoza,NY standout Sabrina Southerland, who clocked 4:47.23. Southerland won the 800m National title indoors running 2:03.59
The race went out on pace at 72.x, but slowed over the next 400m which was around 2:28.x, the pace quicken back to 73.x over the next 400, which set up for a fast closing 69.x lap. MaineTrackXC caught up with Bethanie to ask her about her race, her is what she had to say about the race "I thought that the race went out at a smart pace, but on the second lap there were some girls in front of me who had started to slow down and it was tough to try to get past them, so that lap was slower than I would have liked. The fast finish felt good because it felt like I was actually getting back into the rhythm of race pace. I was surprised when I looked at the splits that I had a pretty big negative split."
Brown traveled to NY in search of a competitive race at the Loucks Games "My plan was definitely to get into a fast competitive race because I wanted to see what I could do in the mile. I knew that there were some fast girls in that race, so I was looking forward to racing with them. That plan certainly paid off. Several of her Waterville teammates also made the trip and came away with Class B or state leading marks (Kellie Bolduc-36-5 1/2 in the triple jump & Lydia Roy 60.93 in the 400m)
Last year Bethanie broke Abbey's 1600m all-time state best with her 4:50.39 clocking at the New England Championship. The effort at the Loucks Games indicates Brown is very fit, and her mile time is considered superior to the 1600m effort from a year ago. She will have several more attempts at lowering the 1600m this season, and will have to wait until the New Balance Outdoor National meet to lower her mile time. Brown is the defending 1600m & 3200m Champion in Class B, and she won both events at the New England Chmapionships last spring.
What's next for the University of Connecitcut bound senior. "I'd take a PR in anything; it's always gratifying to run faster than you've ever run before. Sometime before the season ends it could be fun to break 5 in at least one of the miles of my 2-mile." With that mindset the record books could be re-written a few times over the next month as Brown concludes a stellar career.Just last week she smashed the 3200m all-time best when she ran the #3 time in the country 10:13.90. Only the 800, and 2 Mile record don't have Brown next too them, how long will that last?
Personal Bests
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1,000 Meter Run 2:53.88
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1,600 Meter Run 4:50.39 (Maine All-Time Best)
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Two Mile Run 10:29.04
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3,000 Meter Run 9:49.98
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3,200 Meter Run 10:13.90 (Maine All-Time Best)
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5,000 Meter Run 17:11.14 (Maine All-Time Best)
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800 Meter Run 2:15.44
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One Mile Run 4:51.54 (Maine All-Time Best)
