How the Sir Walter Miler went from kickstarter to elite competition
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: John Nepolitan. Courtesy of Sir Walter Running.
Twelve years ago, the Sir Walter Miler race started with $3,000 from a Kickstarter campaign and a dream of making a fun race for runners trying to break into a professional career.
Why it matters: Nowadays, though, the raucous Raleigh race has become one of the most unique events on the pro running circuit and attracts Olympians and some of the most elite runners in the world.
- The free-to-attend race has become one of the premier events for the Triangle's growing running community, where you can now find professional running teams on the region's trails and influential sports companies like Garmin investing heavily into the area.
Driving the news: When the annual one-mile races start under the lights tonight at Meredith College, some of the biggest names in running will be at the starting line, including:
- Sinclaire Johnson, who ran the fastest mile ever by an American woman last year at 4:16, and Olympians Heather MacLean and Juliette Whittaker.
- On the men's side: 2024 Olympian Hobbs Kessler enters the Sir Walter Miler with the fastest personal mile of any competitor to ever come to Raleigh at 3:46.
What they're saying: "When we started [the Sir Walter Miler], we were creating something for an underserved part of the elite running community, which was kind of fresh, out-of-college runners that were very good but not great," Pat Price, co-founder of Sir Walter Running, told Axios. "We called ourselves the AAA all-star game."
- "Now we're drawing an international field with multiple Olympians and American record holders," he added.
Zoom in: Price says the Sir Walter Miler has become a fixture for elite runners for several reasons — but most notably the event has an atmosphere unlike the majority of track meets.
- Instead of putting spectators in the stands, crowds gather inside of the track right on the edge of the race, creating an atmosphere not unlike the crowded mountain climbs of the Tour de France. Runners love it, Price said.
- It's also one of the few night-time track races, which adds to the primetime effect of the crowds, who gather before and after for drinks at Raleigh Brewing across the street from Meredith.
- It's designed to be all action. Before the Sir Walter Miler came to the area, Raleigh hadn't seen a sub 4-minute mile in 40 years, Sports Illustrated reported. It's now had nearly 100 runs under 4 minutes, Price said.
What's next: Fourteen years in, the Sir Walter Miler has earned its reputation across the country. But its organizers are also having to spend much more than they did in the early years to keep it going — roughly $50,000 this year.
- "Luckily, we've had more sponsors this year than we've ever had," Price said. "With running flourishing around [the Triangle] … we're hoping that will keep going because we have no plans to slow down."