Defending Champion Ben Blankenship & Top U.S. Miler Amanda Eccleston Headline 2018 GNC Live Well Liberty Mile
July 20 night time 1-mile race offers a $30,000 prize purse presented by GNC Live Well; event is third stop on the BBTM Grand Prix Tour 2018

PITTSBURGH (July 5, 2018) – Defending champion Ben Blankenship and top U.S. miler Amanda Eccleston headline a deep field of professional runners at this year’s GNC Live Well Liberty Mile, scheduled for Friday, July 20. The evening road race will offer a prize purse of $30,000, one of the largest for U.S. road mile races.  

Winning back-to-back GNC Live Well Liberty Mile titles, Blankenship, 28, returns to the GNC Live Well Liberty Mile aiming for the triple crown. Last year, the 2016 Rio Olympian won the race in 4 minutes, 5 seconds, beating out a field of top American runners. He will compete against several sub-4 minute milers this year, including Will Leer (3:51.82 mile personal best), Patrick Casey (3:52.62 mile PB) and Ford Palmer (3:53.3 mile PB).

“I can't wait to return to the Liberty Mile,” Blankenship said. “From the course to the crowd, the event management team and sponsors to my competitors, it is always one of the highlights of my racing season. The city of Pittsburgh is a great place to run."

Eccleston, 28, who finished 4th at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials 1500 meters, headlines this year’s women’s field. She will face tough competition from Shannon Osika (4:25.1 mile PB), Sarah Brown (4:26.67 mile PB) and Stephanie Brown (4:29.06 mile PB).

“The GNC Live Well Liberty Mile is a fantastic event, and I’m so excited to have another chance to race it this summer,” Eccleston said. “It will be fun to see how I stack up against some of the country’s best milers on the road.”

The American Development Pro Mile features $25,000 in guaranteed prize money – going seven deep per gender – with each race champion awarded $5,000. The GNC Live Well Liberty Mile is also the third stop on the Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour 2018.

The USATF-certified, u-shaped course takes participants on Penn and Liberty Avenues in downtown Pittsburgh. For more event information or to register, visit: LibertyMile.org

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About the GNC Live Well Liberty Mile

Organized by P3R, the GNC Live Well Liberty Mile is short, fast and fun for runners of all ages and abilities. Pittsburgh’s premier street race offers a $30,000 prize purse with $5,000 for each American Development Pro Mile champion. The seventh edition is part of the Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour 2018. Read more at: LibertyMile.org

FACEBOOK: LibertyMile TWITTER: @LibertyMile HASHTAG:  #LibertyMile

About Pittsburgh Three Rivers Marathon, Inc. (P3R)
P3R is a nonprofit organization that is passionate about promoting a love of running and enhancing community access to health & fitness education and activities. Best known for organizing the acclaimed annual DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, we also run a variety of other high-quality races, events, and health and fitness programs throughout the Pittsburgh region. While many of our races attract some of the nation’s highest-profile professional athletes, we offer activities for all ages and ability levels. The only criterion for participation is a desire to be happy, healthy and active! Read more at: P3R.org

FACEBOOK: P3Revents TWITTER: @P3REvents INSTAGRAM: P3REvents