Masters Track News and Muse

Alisa Harvey adds indoor mile record to legend

Four indoor records in one season. Not bad. After setting W40 American indoor bests in the 800 (twice) and 1500, Alisa Harvey today added the mile mark by topping a field of collegians half her age at Lynchburg University's Last Chance Meet (for NCAA qualifiers). Alisa ran the mile in 4:50.95 to crush the listed W40 indoor record of 4:53.91 by North Carolina's Joan Nesbit, 40, in 2003. Alisa also was faster than the listed W40 outdoor record of 4:54.0 by Californian Laurie Binder, 43, in 1991.

A couple weeks ago, Alisa ran a 4:55 mile at a meet where she set the 800 record. This time, she got the mile record and was listed as DNF (did not finish) in the 800. Her sub 4:51 mile would have put her in the USATF men's Top 25 indoor 40-44 list in 2005!

Results from that Saturday meet in Lynchburg, Virginia:

Women 1 Mile Run

1 Harvey, Alisa Unattached 4:50.95
2 White, Catherine unattached 4:56.58
3 Braffet, Meghan Maryland 4:57.27
4 Jefferson, Laurel Maryland 5:00.94
5 Purcell, Katie Maryland 5:01.10
6 Ricksecker, Rebekah Liberty Universi 5:01.64
7 McKinley, Kylynn Maryland 5:13.23
8 Stein, Sarah Maryland 5:13.48
9 Burbey, Ariel unattached 5:14.05
10 Talbert, Jacklyn Milligan 5:14.08
11 Roberts, Sarah Liberty Universi 5:16.66
12 Quiroz, Reyna Liberty Universi 5:16.93
13 Carney, Allison Maryland 5:17.57
14 Goulds, Kortney Milligan 5:20.08
15 Osborne, Ashley Liberty Universi 5:22.70

A week ago, I got a note from Alisa, replying to a query about her upcoming meets. She wrote about her plans to run at Lynchburg and added: "The following weekend I will be racing at the U.S. Nationals in Boston (800m). From there I will go back to some road-racing -- that's how I keep my strength and motivation. I just race locally."

As of today, Alisa is the fourth-fastest qualifier in the 800 at the open USATF nationals:

Women's 800m Qual. Mark Entry
Frances Santin Santa Monica Track Club 2:03.43 qualified
Krista Ferrara The Farm Team, Inc. 2:05.82 qualified
Nikeya Green unattached 2:06.26 info needed
Alisa Harvey unattached 2:07.23 qualified
Mishael Bertrand unattached 2:07.89 qualified
Christin Wurth unattached / Nike 2:08.20 qualified
Hazel Clark unattached / Nike 2:01.30 open
Alice Schmidt unattached / adidas 2:02.32 open
Caryn Waterson Central Park Track Club 2:10.26

The Boston nationals, of course, are the USA team trials for a March meet in Msocow: The IAAF World Indoor Championships. The qualifying mark for women in the 800 is 2:04. Alisa has three seconds to go, but she's already amazed us many times this season.

Alisa also responded to my question on whether the W40 world records held by the legendary Russian Yekatarina Podkopayeva (who ran the 1500 in 3:59.78 at age 42) are in reach.

Alisa wrote:

"As for Podko world records, I certainly had no goal to come even close to her records when I started this season, but as things have progressed her records enter my mind off-and-on. Though, I would have to become as serious at training as I was when I was a young elite runner. That is the hard part. I run mainly for the fun and find myself skipping workouts here-and-there."

The kidlets at Lynchburg might disagree on whether Alisa's training is "serious." They got smoked by one of the greats today.

Posted by kenstone at February 18, 2006 6:22 PM