Below is an excerpt from the Fast Women newsletter, posted with permission. Fast Women produces a high-quality, weekly newsletter, focused on women’s track & field, with an emphasis on distance running and women’s voices.
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From the Fast Women Newsletter
Distance Medley World Record
On Friday night, a mostly New Balance team of Heather MacLean (1200m, 3:14.9), Kendall Ellis (400m, 52.0), high schooler Roisin Willis (800m, 2:03.3), and Elle Purrier St. Pierre (1600m, 4:23.6) set a Distance Medley Relay world record of 10:33.85, taking 6.06 seconds off the 10:39.91 Ella Donaghu, Raevyn Rogers, Sinclaire Johnson, and Shannon Osika ran in February. The race, which was basically a time trial against the pacing lights, helped christen New Balance’s new indoor facility, the TRACK at New Balance. And holding the event on Boston Marathon weekend brought some additional fans to town.
Shoe companies frequently stage events to showcase their new racing shoes and how fast they are. I imagine part of wanting to open the track with a world record was to demonstrate how fast this new facility is. But I think the assembled quartet could have set the record on any of the four banked tracks in Boston, so we might have to wait until next winter to find out how fast it really is.
Kendall Ellis was a last-minute hero as Sydney McLaughlin was originally scheduled to run the 400m leg, but she pulled out due to a minor hamstring issue. Ellis said she was in California on Thursday, planning to race at Mt. SAC, when she got the call. She took a red-eye flight to Boston, arrived at 6:30 a.m., and raced 14 hours later. “A world record doesn’t come often, so [it was] definitely worth it,” she said.
Credit also goes to Ellie Baker for pacing MacLean through 1000m and the quartet from the Battle Road Track Club that was willing to line up against world class runners and get lapped three times. Races need three starters (but apparently only one finisher) to count as official races. The DMR is only a world record (vs. world best) event outdoors, but because they ran faster than the outdoor world record, this is considered a world record. You can watch the race here for free. (Results)
