MileSplit.us launches the future

the MileSplit Network becomes MileSplit.us

and welcomes an important new partner, Runner's World...

and it's first national editor, Scott Bush.

As a growing 25-state network of distinct, yet united web sites dedicated to the pursuit of our passion – providing in-depth, state-focused coverage of youth and high school track & field and cross country 24/7/365 – we have found a partner to help us achieve our dream of not only growing the network, but of making it into a sustainable resource for the sport. 

With the Aug. 19, 2007 launch of MileSplit.us, we welcome the marketing expertise and advertising energy and resources of the world's leading authority on running information, Runner's World. Partnering with Runner's World will help us to achieve a sustainable, advertising-supported model that can continue to help the sport for many years to come. Runner's World publishes nine international editions in 11 countries. Runner's World's web site, www.runnersworld.com, is the largest running community on the Internet, featuring interactive, searchable, and targeted content for runners of all ages and abilities.

MileSplit.us is the nation's premier online network dedicated solely to providing in depth in-state, state-by-state coverage of high school track & field and cross country.

Designed around powerful proprietary database software that unites all the information used to cover the sport – including results, rankings, stories, videos, photos, podcasts, team and athlete pages – MileSplit.us is the only online publisher in the sport with the tools to provide a high level of timely, comprehensive, nationwide coverage.

Leading the MileSplit.us nationwide coverage will be journalist, webmaster, meet director, coach and fan Scott Bush.

Scott Bush started IllinoisRunner.com his freshman year in college. Four-and-a-half years later and a year after graduation, he faced the realities of earning a living (see why we want to make our state sites sustainable?), and closed the site. In 2004, he joined the seasonal staff of Dyestat.com and served as Midwest Regional Editor for Nike Team Nationals during the 2004-2006 XC seasons. He also served as Midwest Editor for Dyestat during indoor and outdoor, ending with indoor 2007. Bush has written articles and conducted interviews for websites Chasing Tradition.com and Illinois Prep Top Times. Scott has also given clinics to companies and to CARA (Chicago Area Running Association) on training, stretching, nutrition, strength training and proper training equipment. Since 2005, he has been co-meet director of the Midwest Distance Gala, bringing together top distance runners from around the U.S. at the post-season event. He has put on numerous trail races as part of the Chicago Trail Series, which he founded, and has directed other XC and road races. Additionally, since 2005, Scott has served as an assistant coach at Palatine High School in Illinois. During that time, he has coached both cross country and track & field. The Palatine cross country teams have been ranked top ten in the Midwest Region by NTN the past few years, and in 2005 included Foot Locker finalist Steve Finley on their roster (Finley began his career in the strong Parkland PA program, moving to Illinois after his sophomore year). Bush also coached 2007 Illinois 800-meter state champ Matt Smoody, who returns this year for his senior season. MileSplit.us wishes to thank top Chicago-area running store Running Unlimited for graciously endorsing Scott's move to MileSplit.us as our first national editor. You can reach Scott directly at scott@milesplit.com. And you can catch Scott's blog on the elite side of our sport at http://usdistancerunning.blogspot.com. Oh, and Scott competed in high school, college and now as a post-collegiate athlete as a distance runner. Listen to his interview with MileSplit's Don Rich, as Scott talks about his plans for the network. Click here.

The passion behind the network.

The engine that drives MileSplit.us is, of course, our webmasters. Their passion and love for the sport is what keeps them going season upon season, weekend after weekend. Whether standing on a rain-soaked hill to catch the mud-splattered action of a cross country race; driving hundreds of miles to cover an indoor meet in the middle of winter; or getting by on just a few hours sleep in order to post all the video and photo action from an important outdoor meet... this is the sport that gives them joy. It's the sport that helps them share the remarkable stories of the greatest kids in the world - high school runners, jumpers and throwers... along with the greatest coaches in the world. Our webmasters don't do this to become independently wealthy. They do this to become independently happy.

The power behind the network.

The idea of the database must have been invented by a track nut. We’re crazy about our stats. Whether it was yesterday’s performance, or 50 years ago, we want to know: Who was faster. Who jumped higher. Who beat whom. Was it all-weather or all gravel. So our entire network is designed around the powerful, proprietary, ever-enhanced database management system than empowers our publishers to write, rank, compare, relate, and report as much as they can about these great athletes and coaches. Simply, publish one place and it is instantly shared network-wide. Relate one place, and it’s related network-wide. Compare athletes side-by-side. Athletes can manage their own individual page. Coaches can manage their team page. Athletes, coaches, parents and fans can see how athletes stack up in their state... or even across states, in their event. It's all very cool stuff. And it's only available from MileSplit.us.

We're looking for a few good state webmasters who believe in the future and the power of teamwork.

This summer, we started our search for in-state, on-the-ground, crazy-about-the-sport webmasters in states where we are expanding. We'll introduce our newest states over the coming weeks as we get them up and running on the network. We're excited to add their passionate coverage of the sport to our growing family of sites. Because we believe that creating a sustainable presence in each state is so important to the future of our network, we welcome and will give priority to existing state sites. If you are interested in learning about ways you can share in the future of our sport, please email Don Rich at don@milesplit.com. We welcome your interest and your questions. Together, we know we can build something to build the sport for now, and for future generations.

MileSplit.us

The Nation's premier High School T&F/XC Network