2018 GNC Live Well Liberty Mile Attracts Deepest Field of Milers to Date to Pittsburgh
Six sub-4:30 minute women’s milers and 10 sub-4 minute men’s milers will compete for $5,000 first place prizes on Friday, July 20 in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (July 12, 2018) – The GNC Live Well Liberty Mile on Friday, July 20 will host the deepest field to-date with 10 sub-4 minute men’s milers and six sub-4:30 minute women’s milers. The star-studded line-up, including 2016 U.S. Olympian and defending champion Ben Blankenship, will compete for one of the largest prize purses in U.S. road mile races.

Now in its seventh year, Pittsburgh’s fastest road race continues to attract the best American runners of all ages and abilities. This “night at the races” will feature six waves of runners starting with the recreational level and ending with professional athletes.

“We are proud to sponsor the Liberty Mile again this year and are thrilled that it continues to bring the community together and promote and encourage healthy lifestyles,” said Ken Martindale, CEO of GNC. “At GNC, our focus every day is to provide products that help our customers Live Well, and we are pleased to be part of an event that promotes that in our city.”

Two-time defending champion Blankenship, 28, will face tough competition from several sub-4 minute milers this year, including Will Leer, who won two USA Indoor Championship titles in 2013; Patrick Casey, the 2014 USA 1500m national runner-up; and Ford Palmer, who finished third overall in the Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour 2016.

On the women’s side, Amanda Eccleston, 28, who finished 4th at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials 1500m, headlines this year’s women’s field. Challenging Eccleston will be Shannon Osika, a 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier in the 1500m; Sarah Brown, a top U.S. miler competing in her third GNC Live Well Liberty Mile; and Stephanie Brown, the runner-up in the Mile at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships.

See below for the full fields for the men’s and women’s divisions for the Pro Mile presented by GNC Live Well.

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The American Development Pro Mile features $25,000 in guaranteed prize money – going seven deep per gender – with each race champion awarded $5,000. Top finishers will also earn points as part of the Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour 2018, which awards the top four overall scorers additional Grand Prix money at the end of the tour. The GNC Live Well Liberty Mile is the third stop on the national campaign to elevate and celebrate the iconic distance at five leading U.S. events across the country.

For more event information including course map, 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

About GNC

GNC Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GNC), headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, is a leading global specialty health, wellness and performance retailer. GNC connects customers to their best selves by offering a premium assortment of heath, wellness and performance products, including protein, performance supplements, weight management supplements, vitamins, herbs and greens, wellness supplements, health and beauty, food and drink and other general merchandise. This assortment features proprietary GNC and nationally recognized third-party brands.

GNC's diversified, multi-channel business model generates revenue from product sales through company-owned retail stores, domestic and international franchise activities, third-party contract manufacturing, e-commerce and corporate partnerships. As of March 31, 2018, GNC had approximately 8,900 locations, of which approximately 6,700 retail locations are in the United States (including approximately 2,400 Rite Aid franchise store-within-a-store locations) and franchise operations in approximately 50 countries.