Track: Kellam senior seventh at Millrose Games

Kellam’s Bobby Peavey will always remember his first trip to New York City, even if he didn’t win a title.

Peavey, a senior, finished seventh in the High School Mile at the prestigious Millrose Games on Friday night in a time of 4 minutes, 21.54 seconds. New Jersey’s Robby Andrews won the race, shown live on ESPN2, in 4:17.42.

Nonetheless, it was a great experience for Peavey, who was second in the race with five laps to go.

“At one point I felt like I was running a good race, but I had no idea what my pace was,” Peavey said. “I was a little tentative to take the lead, which I probably should have done.”

Most indoor tracks are 200 meters, but the one at Madison Square Garden was 140 meters. The smaller track threw everyone off as the field came though the 800 mark in a slow time of 2 minutes, 17 seconds.

Kellam coach Bill Bernard feared that might happen, but he was still proud of Peavey’s performance.

“I thought he ran a good race and he had one shot to take the lead and didn’t take it,” Bernard said. “He had momentum going and didn’t take it. And every time he went around, he got hit.”

Peavey said he thinks this race will prepare him for the next five weeks of competition.

“This will definitely get me ready for the region, state and national meets,” he said. “And I was really proud to be selected because it is such a prestigious race.”

Peavey is the second runner in South Hampton Roads this decade to be invited to the event and the second runner under Bernard. Former Hickory runner Jennifer Boyd finished sixth in 2003 and former Bernard runner Jud Sarver was fourth in the event in 1994.

Larry Rubama, (757) 446-2273 or larry.rubama@pilotonline.com