The fourth annual Union Leader Millennium Mile,
this year offering scholarship assistance and an inaugural “Kids K”
race, will unfold down Londonderry Road on Sunday at 2 p.m. in
Londonderry.
Race directors have announced the formation of a
college scholarship to benefit two high school seniors from New Hampshire
looking to run competitively in college.
Former University of Michigan star and now Boston
College coach John Mortimer of Goffstown said his group is hoping to make
enough money to award a pair of $1,000 scholarships this year for a male
and female runner who would be intending to go to college and compete in
cross cvountry. Part of the scholarship requirement would be to write an
essay.
“Several directors were fortunate to have full
scholarships to run in college,” Mortimer said. “We had such good
experience running collegiately. If we can help provide that for another
student-athlete, it’s the least we can do to give back to the
community.”
The Kids K race is another new wrinkle in the
program that will begin at 11 a.m., with registration and a mile vendors
expo and autograph signing in the Londonderry High Gym.
In 2001, nine runners associated with Ahern,
Nichols, Hersey and Ahern Family Dentistry ran in the Millennium Mile.
Londondery residents Cory, Paul and Karen Ahern all ran the race in 2000
and 2001. Not to be outdone, six Herseys ran the downhill race in 2001 —
Don Hersey, his wife Rosemary and four children.
This year the practice has donated funds to
sponsor the first-ever kids race. Children 12 and under, along with their
parents, are eligible to run the 1,000-meter race that will start 10
minutes before the Millennium Mile, which begins at 2 p.m.
Andy Downin of Hampstead, a Georgetown University
product, a race director and two-time defending champion in the event,
should be challenged by another strong field that will also include
Mortimer and Andy’s brother Matt, a University of Wisconsin product.
Also having made a verbal commitment is Kevin Sullivan, the Canadian mile
champion who finished fifth in the 2000 Olympics at 1,500 meters.
Andy Downin tied the course record last year,
matching the time of 3:51 set by Scott Anderson in the first race.
Anderson’s run marked the first time anyone had run a sub 4-minute mile
in New Hampshire.
Race awards will be made at 2:15 at Mack’s
Apples, and there will be a post-race party at Whippersnappers restaurant
at 3 p.m.
