Outerbridge Excited For Front Street Mile Race
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Ryan Outerbridge says his first appearance in the Butterfield Front Street Mile elite race will be a “wonderful opportunity” to gain high-level experience.
He joins training partner Dage Minors as the two local runners in a seven-man field, including Americans Grant Grosvenor, Christian Harrison, Dylan Lowry, Jordan Schilit and Adrian Haines of Britain.
Outerbridge, who has claimed Front Street Mile Primary School, Middle School and Senior School titles, told Bernews: “I’m really looking forward to the race. It’s one of the biggest local races, and it will be great to gain elite-level experience.”
The 20-year-old remembers watching the elite races from the balcony at Flanagan’s Irish Pub and Restaurant after his school competitions and hopes the return of the popular event following a three-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic will attract a bumper crowd.
“It’s always a good feeling to compete in front of a home crowd,” he said. “It’s always a great atmosphere with people lined up along Front Street.”
Outerbridge has followed in Minors’s footsteps by attending Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire, the pair still sharing the same coach, Zacc Emerson, the director of track and field programmes at the university.
“Dage has given me advice based on his experiences of the elite mile,” said the former St David’s Primary, Clearwater Middle School and Berkeley Institute student.
“He still trains with the Franklin Pierce team, and it’s great to have him around.”
Having competed at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Track and Field Championships in the Bahamas and the Caribbean Games in Guadeloupe last summer, Outerbridge is eager to continue representing Bermuda on the international stage.
“I want to take my [athletics] career as far as I can,” said Outerbridge, who focuses on the 1,500 metres and mile races.
“Hopefully, I can take a strong performance in the Front Street Mile into the collegiate indoor season, which starts at the end of the month.”
where can i sign up? i always wanted to run the mile. can i just join or are there a bunch of hoops and hurdles we have to go thru to take part?
You have to run in the trials which are held in December. Top 20 runners in each trial qualify for the race in January. Good luck in the 2024 edition.