There is a changing of the guard happening within American middle-distance running. This Saturday, Matt Centrowitz and Brenda Martinez won the 32nd NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile in New York, NY. Centrowitz took the men’s race in 3:52.4 and Martinez was in 4:24.2.

The last two years have been very kind to Centrowitz in the 1500m. In 2011, Centrowitz was the NCAA 1500m champion, USA national 1500m champion, and the IAAF World Championship bronze medalist. He has showed patience in slow tactical races and keen racing tactics in fast finals. When he races, you can expect two things from Centrowitz: he’ll slyly move up to the front of the pack at the bell lap and he’ll run so smoothly over the last lap that you won’t be able to tell that he’s closing in 53-seconds.

Centrowitz was able to pull a few meters ahead from Leo Manzano and Bernard Lagat and was able to throw up the “one’s” to the crowd. It's not quite Craig Mottram or his “throat slit” from the 2011 NCAA final, but he still delivers the message that he’s a forced to be reckoned with over the final 400m.

Centrowitz told NYRR, “This is definitely huge for me,” Centrowitz, whose father and mother both have strong ties to the Big Apple, said. “I love coming to New York. I came here twice this year and I’m 2-0. I’d like to come to New York a lot more in the future.”

Leo Manzano was not afraid of Centrowitz this summer. Manzano took the silver medal in the men’s 1500m at the 2012 Olympic Games with a devastating kick that moved him up from sixth to second in the final home straight. Centrowitz sprinted as well, but finished out of the medals in fourth.

Manzano took third at the Fifth Avenue Mile in 3:53.1. He told NYRR, "My plan was to really come out and be the last one to kick, but I kind of got mixed up,” he said. “With 200 meters to go, I really gave it a good push. I guess any time that you run a straight mile it is really easy to get excited and carried away. You have the markers but the finish line looks like it is right there. It seems a lot closer so it inspires you to really get after it.”

This ends a long season where Manzano beat Centrowitz twice in championship finals at the US Olympic Trials and Olympic Games. Although he did not run as fast as Centrowitz this season, Manzano told Runnersworld.com that his main goal this year was to have the strength and stamina to get through preliminary rounds.

Finishing between the two was Father Time, Bernard Lagat. Even at the ripe age of 37, Lagat still has both the speed and strength to be a factor in any race. Lagat told the Wall Street Journal that he attributes his success this late in his career to low mileage and rest. Lagat looked to defend his Fifth Avenue Mile title, but settled for second in 3:52.9.

Lagat even advised Manzano before the 1500m Olympic final that he should be patient at 300m left in the race when everyone else starts to kick. That advice helped Manzano earn a silver medal.

On the women’s side, Brenda Martinez finished off her long and impressive year with a win in 4:24.2. She told NYRR, "My coaches have taught me that for the 1500m or the mile to just be patient, never take the lead and kind of let everyone else do the work. I feel like I matured a lot this year and learned to be patient and to just get into a rhythm, be comfortable, and when it is time to go be ready.”

After her close second place finish to Jenny Simpson at the USA Indoor Championship 1500m, she was considered to be a factor at the U.S. Olympic Trials. However, she finished twelfth in at 1500m in 4:17.41 and sixth in the 800m in 2:01.67.

Not making the U.S. Olympic team did not discourage Martinez. After picking up an injury, Martinez returned to the European racing circuit and ran two personal bests in the 800m. She finished second (1:59.63) at the Zagreb IAAF World Challenge and fourth (1:59.14) in the Brussels Diamond League Meeting.

While Martinez is on the rise, Anna Pierce is looking more like the Anna Pierce from 2009. After switching from the 3000m steeplechase to the 800/1500m, Pierce ran her personal best of 3:59.38 in Zurich and placed sixth (4:06.19) in the 1500m at the IAAF World Championship in 2009.

Until recently, Pierce was unable to find the same form from that season. After not making the U.S. Olympic Team as well, Pierce won the 1500m (4:11.33) in Birmingham, took fifth behind Martinez at 800m (1:59.16) in Brussels, and second in the 1500m (4:11.20) at the Rieti World Challenge. Her seasonal best at 1500m was 4:05.42.

Centrowitz and Martinez are examples that a new generation of American middle-distance running is on the rise. While former generation is still very competitive, there are many younger runners who are hungry to compete. That hunger will ensure to keep even the most savvy racers on their toes.

 

Fifth Avenue Mile Professional Men
Pl.	Bib	First	Last	Age	City	State	Country	Affiliation	Time
1	3	Matthew	Centrowitz	22	Eugene	OR		Nike	03:52.4
2	1	Bernard	Lagat	37	Tucson	AZ		Nike	03:52.9
3	2	Leonel	Manzano	28	Austin	TX		Nike	03:53.1
4	14	Craig	Huffer	22	Ann Arbor	MI	Australia		03:53.5
5	7	Ryan	Gregson	22			Australia	Nike	03:53.7
6	4	David	Torrence	26	San Francisco	CA		Nike	03:53.8
7	5	Craig	Miller	25	Madison	WI		New Balance	03:54.2
8	10	Elliott	Heath	23	Palo Alto	CA		Nike OTC	03:54.3
9	8	Garrett	Heath	26	Palo Alto	CA		Saucony	03:54.4
10	6	Jordan	McNamara	25	Eugene	OR		Nike OTC	03:56.5
11	17	A.J.	Acosta	24	Eugene	OR			03:57.7
12	12	Haron	Lagat	29	Lubbok	TX	Kenya	adidas	03:58.4
13	16	Donn	Cabral	22	Glastonbury	CT			03:59.1
14	9	Cam	Levins	23	Black Creek	BC	Canada	Nike	03:59.1
15	15	Liam	Boylan-Pett	27	Washington	DC			04:04.8

Fifth Avenue Mile Professional Women
Pl.	Bib	First	Last	Age	City	State	Country	Affiliation	Time
1	23	Brenda	Martinez	25	Big Bear	CA		New Balance	04:24.2
2	25	Anna	Pierce	28	Mammoth Lakes	CA		Nike	04:24.9
3	22	Hannah	England	25	Birmingham		Great Britain	Nike	04:26.0
4	24	Gabriele	Anderson	26	Minneapolis	MN		Brooks	04:26.5
5	21	Shannon	Rowbury	28	San Francisco	CA		Nike	04:27.0
6	26	Heather	Kampf	25	Minneapolis	MN		Asics	04:27.8
7	32	Julia	Bleasdale	31	Dorking		Great Britain	adidas	04:28.8
8	33	Chelsea	Reilly	23	Davis	CA		New Balance	04:29.0
9	30	Eilish	McColgan	21	Carnoustie		Great Britain	Dundee Hawkhill	04:29.7
10	20	Jenny	Simpson	26	Monument	CO		New Balance	04:29.9
11	28	Sarah	Bowman	25	Knoxville	TN		New Balance	04:30.3
12	27	Liz	Maloy	27	Washington	DC		New Balance	04:30.3
13	29	Barbara	Parker	29	Atlanta	GA	Great Britain	New Balance	04:34.9