By Peter Gambaccini

Photos by Victah Sailer

Shannon Rowbury, the bronze medalist in the 1500 at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, will run the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile in New York on Saturday. She was a very close second to Britain's Lisa Dobriskey on Fifth Avenue in 2008. Rowbury is also the 2009 USATF champion in the 1500. Her personal bests are 2:00.94 for the 800, 4:00.33 in the 1500, 4:20.34 for the mile, and 15:12.95 for 5000 meters. Rowbury was seventh at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 1500; it was the highest Olympic finish ever by an American woman at that distance. She won the 3000 at the 2008 USA Indoor Championships in 8:55.19. At the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships, competing for Duke, she won the mile and placed second in the 3000. Originally from San Francisco, Rowbury was a national scholastic champion in the 800. She is now coached by John Cook.

Was last year’s Fifth Avenue Mile your first one ever?
Shannon Rowbury: Yes. I’m pretty sure it was. I’d done some road races, but never that road mile.