A pair of determined and talented 24-year-olds hailing from California and Oregon rose above the crowd of some 950 finishers in the 19th Annual Millenium Mile held in the bitter cold in Londonderry this past Monday afternoon, New Year’s Day.
Reid Buchanan of Mammoth Lakes, Ca., and Eleanor Fulton from Portland, Ore., were the male and female finishers of the annual race which drew nearly 1,000 runners to Londonderry’s Mammoth Road to run the measured mile down just beyond Mack’s Apples.
There were racers from all over the place – including a great many locals – who took on the event, which was started by Londonderry High graduate and former multi-sport star John Mortimer and two running friends at the dawning of the 21st century.
Mortimer, who started his Millenium Running company after coaching at several colleges including the University of Kentucky, has continued directing the race regardless of where he has called home since that initial one.
Race-winner Buchanan finished in a time of 3 minutes and 56.6 seconds, three seconds faster than runner-up Warren Bartlett from Loudon – who finished in that spot for a second straight year – and nearly six seconds faster than 2017 winner Andrew Sukeforth of Middleboro, Mass. Oregonian Fulton was the first female finisher, crossing 15th overall in 4:32.3.
The first Londonderry resident across the finish line was 16-year-old Londonderry High runner Carter Letalien, who did so 24th overall in 5:02.3. And the first Londonderry female across the line was LHS track and field stalwart Jasmine Brown, also a 16-year-old who finished 81st overall in 5:50.4.