Harvey set masters record winning the 2006 Army ten Mile in 59:00.

Alisa Harvey of Manassas, VA and Eamonn Coghlan of Ireland have a lot in common. Both were lightning fast and world class as open runners. Both of them excelled even more so as masters runners. Coghlan was known as the "Chairman of the Boards" for his numerous indoor mile victories, including seven Wannaker Miles and the former world record in the indoor 1500M--3:35.6, 2000M--4:54:07, and mile. His mile time set in 1983 was 3:49:78. That is still the fastest indoor mile ever run in the United States. He capped off his 78th sub-four minute mile on February 20, 1994 at Harvard's Albert J. Gordon indoor track when he became the first masters runner to break four minutes (3:58:13). He also ran 3:45.3 for the masters record in the 1500M.

Back in February 1993, at the young age of 40, he had a set the masters world record for the first time in 4:05.95. Then he ventured to Fairfax for the Mobil1 Runner's World Invitational Track Meet. I remember it well as I had the privilege of running in the race and have a video of Coghlan passing me as he crossed the finish line. (Do I have to admit that I still had another 200 meters to go?) At the very same meet, a younger Alisa Harvey finished second in the mile in 4:31:16. She was 28.

Many runners know of Alisa Harvey as the top masters Ranked Runner with her road records such as 59:00 at the Army 10 Mile in 2006. She has finished as high as sixth place at the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile (2000--58:06). Two years earlier her 55:35 at Cherry Blossom catapulted her to the top of the Open Ranked Runners. That same year she set her lifetime PR in the mile at the Goodwill Games with 4:29:65. Her PR for the 1500M was set in 1992 with 4:08:32. By 1998, age had worn her down to the point that she could only muster a 4:08:33! for 3rd place at the USA Championships.

Since turning 40, Harvey put a stranglehold on the Runner Rankings while busting some very tough American records. After warming up in 2005, setting the 35-39 American record in the 800M in 2:06.62 on January 29, she returned to George Mason on February 19 to set the mile with 4:48:52. A week later she went to Boston winning the 1500M in 4:27.00 February 26. She was eager to turn forty.

In New York on February 4, 2006, at Armory Track & Field Center, she set the Indoor 800M masters record with 2:07:23, fourth overall. In Lynchburg, on February 18, 2006 she set the American Indoor Mile record in 4:50:95. Then she went to Philadelphia for the Penn Relays and breaks the U.S. Masters record in the 40-44 age group with 4:46:29. The previous mark of 4:54.0 was set by Laurie Binder in 1991. Harvey also set U.S. Masters record for the 1500 meter event, with a 4:26.49 time en route. The previous mark of 4:32.73 was set by Joan Nesbit in 2002.

Write those records in pencil because she came back to the Father Diamond Invitational Track Meet for the umpteenth time this year to lower the Indoor Mile record once again to 4:47:26 this weekend, January 6, 2007.

Harvey, now 41, did this against an elite field where the top five all finished below 5:00.

Women 1 Mile Run - Top Five Finishers

1. Carlstrom, Keira         Unattached Athlete 4:46.10 
2. Harvey, Alisa            Unattached Athlete 4:47.26 
3. Binning, Bridgette       Unattached Athlete 4:54.82 
4. Ogrodnick, Avril         Georgetown         4:58.02 
5. Rodgers, Joanna          Georgetown         4:59.31

Father Diamond Race Results