Photo via http://www.beermileworldclassic.com/
On the eve of the Olympics, another athletic competition is set to take the international stage.
The second annual World Beer Mile Classic chugs ahead this weekend with its championship race on Sunday, July 31st.
The race features elite runners from around the world, including current world record holder, Lewis Kent from Canada.
“It’s going to be another fantastic field,” Kent told me after he arrived in London this week. “I believe there will be five, or so, 3:40 or faster 1,500m runners in the field, so who knows what could happen.”
Kent dominated the field last year during the race in San Francisco, but as the race becomes more mainstream and higher profile, he faces even stiffer competition.
“The individual races should be a dogfights between World Record Holder Lewis Kent, American Record Holder Garrett Cullen and newcomer Brandon Shirck,” said race founder and organizer Nick McFalls. “The wildcard will be how well the English, Scottish and Swedish adapt to the Kingston rules.”
But then just after the field was set, Canadian Corey Bellemore shocked everyone by running a 4:39 beer mile and posting the video to YouTube. The race organizers acted quickly by contacting him and flying him into London. The big question will be if he can replicate the performance this weekend.
In addition to the main race, the event will feature a free beer festival at Allianz Park with craft brews, street food and music, and hundreds of people racing the beer mile or beer mile relays.
Registration for the festival is open at beermileworldclassic.com.
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