Elite runners, including Princeton’s own Collin Mickow, will compete in inaugural Princeton Mile race

Princeton’s Main Street will be shut down to all vehicular traffic for part of Saturday morning.

But not all traffic.

A field of nearly 100 runners will be running Main Street in the inaugural “Princeton Mile” race sponsored by the Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Apollo Theater in downtown Princeton, ending at Rotary Park on the north end.

Michael Stutzke, who is with the Princeton Chamber of Commerce Board and Princeton Rotary Club, borrowed the idea from the “5th Avenue Mile” in New York City. He is a retired track coach and athletics director from Florida, who moved to his wife Sue’s hometown six years ago,

“The thought was to create a destination event for the community,” Stutzke said. “There’s always a lot of 5Ks and 10Ks around. The idea, let’s do something different. We’ve got a really great Main St., so I thought, ‘Why not measure off a mile?’

“I’m big on destination. I think that’s how small Midwestern communities can survive and grow. Have to find ways to bring people to our community. It’s kind of a neat place, check it out.”

The Chamber Board and the City of Princeton were all on board, as well as Police Chief Tom Kammerer, a former collegiate runner who will coordinate shutting down Main St. with the help of the American Legion and VFW.

The race offers a one-of-a-kind experience for both competitive runners and participants wanting to have fun. A $1,000 prize will be awarded to one female and one male runner registered in the elite category.

“We wanted to make it an elite race. For the men, you had to run a five-minute mile or better for the Elite category. For a female winner, a time better than 5:36,” Stutkze said.

“Why the purse? Runners don’t run for money and don’t run for miles. Runners are thinkers. That’s what I always told my athletes. If you can offer something for those who are really dedicated, really serious for the running, it can be expensive traveling to races. So if you can have something that has a good purse, then why not?”

After this year’s race, Stutzke said they will reevaluate the times.

One of the elite runners will be Princeton’s own Collin Mickow, a 2008 PHS graduate and former BCR Cross Country Runner of the Year and All-American at the University of Illinois. He is an accomplished runner in the marathon circuit, having run this year at Boston and the Olympic Trials.

He is excited to return home to where it all started.

“Marty (Makransky, former Princeton assistant and current St. Bede head coach) asked me to come back for it. Sounds like a cool event for Princeton, so excited to be a part of it,” he said.

Stutzke has never met Mickow, but has heard all about him.

“I know Collin’s from Princeton. This is home for him in many ways, and why not? Especially this first Princeton Mile to come here and win it,” he said.

There will also be some other familiar faces in the elite division, including two additional former BCR Cross Country Runners of the Year, Elijah House of Bureau Valley, who now runs for Sauk Valley Community College, and Brock Loftus of Ohio, who runs for the University of Illinois-Springfield.

Jake Gillum, an all-state runner from Metamora, who won the 800 and 1,600 state titles as a senior in 2017 and went on to run for Illinois State University, will be a top challenger in the men’s race.

Ashley Heagy, an all-state track and cross country runner from La Salle-Peru who ran for ISU, will also be running in the women’s elite race along with Claire Fuhlhage of Normal and Mckenzie Brownrigg of Wheaton.

“We’ve got some speedsters,” Stutzke said. “I hope the general public will come out and line the streets.”

Stutzke said the average age of the runners is 38.

“Thats interesting, because I expected to be a much younger crowd,” Stutzke said

Lily Mabry, 15, of Princeton will sing the national anthem, and Makransky will serve as the official starter.

Registration may be done in person from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday and from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday next to the Apollo. For more information or to register online, visit raceroster.com.

Stutzke is already planning to expand the race to make it better each year.

“Once we get the first one done, we’ll immediately begin to plan for next year and get some feedback from the running community in general. How do they feel about running a one mile race in June as opposed to an April or early-May race,?” he said.

“It’s an event that can only get better. I’m just glad to see we’re at a point we’re going to get this first one.”

The Princeton Mile is the same day as the Princeton Rotary Club’s fourth annual Shrimpfest, which will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Rotary Park. The mile experience will lead participants to the event. Princeton Main Street retailers also will hold sidewalk sales Friday and Saturday.