Will Leer

Will Leer is an elite American mid-distance runner. He graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, California in May, 2007.

High School Career

Will Leer ran track and played soccer Minnetonka High School in Minnetonka, Minnesota. He was coached by Jeff Renlund. He began running track his sophomore year as a means to stay in shape for soccer in the fall. He quickly found success as a runner, however he did not make the switch to cross country until his senior year where coach Renlund convinced him to run in a few races for the Minnetonka cross country team. In the 2002 section 6AA championships, Will finished 11th, missing state qualification by one place. That spring Will ran a 4:16.41 1600 [ [http://www.raceberryjam.com/archives/honorboysaa03.html] , setting the Minnetonka High School record previously held by his coach. Will's 1600 time was the 4th fastest time of the year in Minnesota. He also ran a 1:54.64 800, the 5th fastest time in Minnesota. At the state meet he opted to run on the 4x800 team instead of the 1600. He also competed in the open 800, finishing fourth in 1:55.25. His team's 4x800 relay team ran 7:58.87 and finished eighth in a deep field which included nine sub-8:00 times.

College career

Will had a very successful college career running for Pomona College in Claremont, California. In his Junior year he finished 90th at cross country nationals with a time of 27:10 [ [http://www.raceberryjam.com/archives/ncmencc05.html] . After a disappointing performance at cross country nationals, Will won the NCAA Division-III indoor national title in the mile with a time of 4:09.42 [ [http://www.raceberryjam.com/archives/ncinmen06.htm] . At outdoor nationals, he placed second in the 1500 behind Nick Symmonds with a time of 3:49.70. He also competed in the 800, finishing eighth with a time of 1:52.82. [ [http://www.raceberryjam.com/archives/ncodmen06.htm] In Will's senior year he finished 7th at cross country nationals with a time of 27:03 on a very slow and muddy course. [ [http://www.raceberryjam.com/archives/ncmencc06.html] During the indoor season, Will repeated as national champion in the mile with a time of 4:08.19. Later in the meet he came back in the 5000, finishing third with a time of 14:34.24. [ [http://www.raceberryjam.com/ncinmen07.html] During his 2007 outdoor season, Will ran a 1:50.79 in the 800, 3:41.98 in the 1500, and a 14:23 in the 5000. All of his times put him in the top three of DIII performances. [ [http://www.raceberryjam.com/ncoutmenperf07.htm] Will's 1500 performance was perhaps the best run of his collegiate career; his 1500 time of 3:41.98 converts to a 3:59 full mile. At the 2007 Division III National Championships, Will won the 1500 and the 5000 on the same day. [ [http://www.titans.uwosh.edu/NCAATFChampionships/2007/MNCAAOutdoorChampionship.html] He is the only male Division III runner ever to win both titles in the same meet.

Post-Collegiate

Will finished 10th in the 1500 meter event at the 2007 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championship meet. [ [http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/F5.asp] He advanced to the June 24th final by running a personal best 3:40.06 in a preliminary heat [ [http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/P5.asp] . He qualified for the event by running 3:41.13 at the Prefontaine Classic in June, 2007 [ [http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=1957306] . He also ran a 1:49.37 800m at the USA Outdoor Track & Field West Region Championship meet. [ [http://www.flashresults.com/flashwest/07Results/07Bush-m.htm]

In January 2008, Will ran a 3:59.83 mile at the UW Indoor Preview [ [http://gohuskies.cstv.com/sports/c-track/stats/2007-2008/finalindoorpreview.html] for The Oregon Track Club Elite. Will is the 297th American to break 4-minutes in the mile.

In the winter of 2008, Will finished fourth in the 1500 meter event at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. [ [http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/USAIndoorTFChampionships/results/F4.asp] At historic Hayward Field, the home track of the OTC-Elite, Leer advanced to the final for the 1500 meter event at the U.S. Olympic Trials by finishing third in his semifinal heat. [ [http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicTrials-TF/results/S9.asp] In the finals of the Trials Leer ran 3.41.54, placing him 4th, ahead of the current one mile American Record-holder Alan Webb. A few weeks later he set a 1500m personal record by running 3.37.63 in winning a "B" race at Heusden, Belgium. [ [http://www.timetronics.be/results/nacht2008/event027h01.html]

Personal Records

* 800 m - 1:47.69
* 1500 m - 3:37.63, 3:41.93i
* Mile - 3:56.75, 3:59.83i
* 5000 m - 14:23.28
* 8 km XC - 24:14.1

ee also

*Middle distance track event

References

External links

* [http://www.trackshark.com/blogs/division3blog/531/Interviews:+Will+Leer+of+Pomona-Pitzer.html TrackShark Interviews: Will Leer of Pomona-Pitzer]
* [http://www.tsl.pomona.edu/author.php?article=1412 Portrait of a National Champion: Leer Reflects on Record-Breaking Mile Run]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSe-TZL8k-c Video of 2007 NCAA Division III Mens' 1500 Final]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byb1fLMRedY Video of 2007 NCAA Division III Indoor Mens' Mile Final]
* [http://homepage.mac.com/sltfn/iMovieTheater22.html Video of Will's 2007 USATF 1500m Championship heat]
* [http://video.nbcsports.com/player/?id=122860 Video of 2007 USATF 1500m Championship final]
* [http://www.rose-hulman.edu/sports/ncaatrack/pages/milemenweb.mov Video of 2007 NCAA Division III Indoor Men's Mile Final]
* [http://track.flocasts.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234056/70276 Video of Will's 1500m personal best of 3:37.63, winning the B race at Heusden, NL, in July 2008]
* [http://track.flocasts.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234056-kbc-nacht-night-of-athletics/70303-will-leer-1500 Interview after winning the 1500m B race at Heusden]
* [http://www.trackshark.com/blogs/division3blog/531/Interviews:+Will+Leer+of+Pomona-Pitzer.html Expressing interest in joining Nick Symmonds at The Oregon Track Club]