Will Leer

Will Leer (born 15 April 1985) is an American mid-distance runner. He graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, California in May 2007.[2] Leer has represented the United States in international competition.

Will Leer
Leer (in USA singlet) at the 2014 DécaNation
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1985-04-15) April 15, 1985
Minnetonka, Minnesota
Sport
SportTrack
Event(s)1500 meters, Mile, 2-mile, 5000 meters
College teamPomona
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)800 meters: 1:47.69[1]
1500 meters: 3:34.26[1]
Mile: 3:51.82[1]
3000 meters: 7:39.38[1]
2-mile: 8:19.11[1]
5000 meters: 13:21.55[1]
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
World Relay Championships
2014 Nassau4×1500 m relay
Updated on 11-27-14.

Running career

High school

Will Leer ran track, cross country and played soccer at 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 when coach Renlund convinced him to run in a few races for the Minnetonka cross country team.[3]

In the 2002 section 6AA championships, Leer finished 11th, missing state qualification by one place. That spring Leer ran a 4:16.41 1600, setting the Minnetonka High School record previously held by his coach. Leer'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.

Collegiate
Leer at the 2006 NCAA D-III cross country championships

Leer 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. After a disappointing performance at cross country nationals, Leer won the NCAA Division-III indoor national title in the mile with a time of 4:09.42. 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. In Leer's senior year he finished 7th at cross country nationals with a time of 27:03 on a very slow and muddy course. During the indoor season, Leer 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. During his 2007 outdoor season, Leer 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. Leer'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 NCAA Division III National Championships, Leer won the 1500 and the 5000 on the same day. He is the only male Division III runner ever to win both titles in the same meet.

Post-collegiate
Leer and the 2007 USATF track and field championships

Leer finished 10th in the 1500 meter event at the 2007 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championship meet.[4] He advanced to the June 24 final by running 3:40.06 in a preliminary heat.[5] He qualified for the event by running 3:41.13 at the Prefontaine Classic in June 2007.[6] He also ran a 1:49.37 800m at the USA Outdoor Track & Field West Region Championship meet.

2008

In January 2008, Leer ran a 3:59.83 mile at the UW Indoor Preview[7] for The Oregon Track Club Elite. Leer is the 297th American to break 4-minutes in the mile.

In the winter of 2008, Leer finished fourth in the 1500 meter event at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships.[8] 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.[9] In the finals of the Trials Leer ran 3.41.54, placing him 4th. A few weeks later he set a 1500m personal record by running 3.37.63 in winning a "B" race at Heusden, Belgium.[10]

2009

In 2009, Leer set a personal best in the Mile at the Prefontaine Classic[11] and finished fifth at the 1500m U.S.A. Outdoor Championships[12] in June, then set a 1500m personal best of 3:37.37 at the Ghent Flanders Cup[13] in July.

2010

Leer began his 2010 season with a personal-best 3:55.66 mile[14] at the Boston Indoor Games. A week later, he ran the 1600m anchor leg for the Oregon Track Club team that set[15] In May he lowered his 1500m personal best to 3:37.26,[16] finishing third at the USATF High Performance Meet at Occidental College, California.

2012

In 2012, Leer got his second win in the Morton Games Mile finishing with a 3:56.39 in a race where the first four finishers were all within .1 seconds of each other.[17]

2013

In March 2013 in Albuquerque, NM, Leer won two Indoor National Championships, winning both the 3000m and the mile, the latter with a last minute kick in a race where three runners all broke 4 minutes for the mile, indoors and at elevation.[18]

2014

In June, Leer placed 4th in 1500 meters at USATF Outdoor Championships.[19]

On July 19, Leer ran 3:34.26 in 1500 meters at Heusden-Zolder in Belgium.[20]

2015

In June, Leer was a semifinalist in 1500 meters at USATF Outdoor Championships.[21]

Personal records
  • 800 m – 1:47.69
  • 1500 m – 3:34.26, 3:41.93i
  • Mile – 3:51.82,[22] 3:52.47i,[23]
  • 3000 m - 7:39.38
  • 5000 m – 13:21.55
  • 8 km XC – 24:14.1

References
  1. All-Athletics. "Profile of Will Leer". All-athletics.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  2. "The Year of Leer?". Runner's World & Running Times. July 16, 2013. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  3. "Throwback Thursday: Will Leer". Runner's World & Running Times. October 3, 2013. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  4. "Events – 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships". USATF. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  5. "Events – 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships". USATF. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  6. "Prefontaine Classic B section races tonight". Letsrun.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  7. "University of Washington Official Athletics Site – Track & Field". Gohuskies.cstv.com. January 19, 2008. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  8. "Events – 2008 AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships". USATF. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  9. "Events – 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field". USATF. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  10. "Timetronics | Commentator Information System". Timetronics.be. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  11. "PreClassic.com – The official Prefontaine Classic website". Runnerspace.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2010. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  12. "Events – 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships". USATF. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  13. "UITSLAG GENTSE FEESTEN MEETING 21/07/2009" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2009. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  14. "Bostonindoorgames.com". www.bostonindoorgames.com. Archived from the original on March 25, 2010. Retrieved 2020-01-28.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. "University of Washington Huskies 2010 Husky Classic - 2/12/2010 to 2/13/2010". Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
  16. "USATF High Performance, Occidental College". Archived from the original on 2010-05-26.
  17. "Morton Mile 2012 - 2012 Morton Pre Games - International Athletics Meeting - RUNASSIST.com". Ireland.flotrack.org. Archived from the original on 2014-07-26. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  18. "Will Leer '07 Wins His First Two National Running Championships". Pomona.edu. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  19. "2014 USATF Championships". usatf.org. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  20. "IAAF Diamond League profile Will Leer". diamondleague.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  21. "USATF Championships - 6/25/2015 to 6/28/2015". usatf.org. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  22. "2014 Morton Games - Full Results". Morton Games. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  23. "NYRR Millrose Games". Archived from the original on February 24, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
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