To run a mile in less than eight minutes and forty five seconds is impressive, but to walk a mile in less than eight minutes and forty five seconds…well that’s record-breaking.
In early October, senior Ivan Miller broke the school record for fastest walked mile when he clocked in at eight minutes and thirty two seconds.
“I was shocked to hear Ivan’s time, because I run a lot of races but I’ve never run a marathon at that pace. I pictured myself out on a training run and Ivan walking past me,” science teacher Ms. Jen Meyer said.
Miller has taken Walking Fitness three times and is signed up for the class again next semester. In his first semester of Walking Fitness he walked the mile in nine minutes and forty five seconds. In his second semester he hit nine minutes and ten seconds. This year, he dropped his time an astonishing thirty eight seconds.
“It’s creepy because it’s just natural to me,” Miller said.
P.E. teacher Mr. Aaron Mueller, who believed no one could challenge senior Justin Bradshaw’s eight minute forty five second record, thinks this is a perfect chance for a walk-off.
“We need to seize this opportunity to have a showdown between Justin and Ivan,” Mueller said.
Naturally a fast walker, Miller says his strategy is simply walk as fast as you can. Music often helps, but he’s convinced it’s really a mental game.
“I think to myself, ‘Almost done! Almost done! One more lap!’” Miller said.
Miller uses walking as a means of filling up spare time and as a form of exercise. This summer, in hopes of improving his mile walk time, Miller walked in neighborhoods, parks, and even on the outer roads where he enjoys watching cars fly by him. While he’s now a walking celebrity at PCH, Miller actually credits a complete stranger for his natural speed.
“I learned how to walk fast when I was five years old and walking through a neighborhood. There was a fifty or sixty year old lady power walking so I acted like I was passing her on a racetrack. She was my original inspiration,” Miller said.
It’s not just this stranger that’s an inspiration for Miller, Fox 2 News weatherman Dave Murray and New Talk 1120 KMOX traffic reporter Captain Roger Brand also inspire him.
“In five years I hope to be in St. Louis or California. My dream is to be a traffic and weather reporter in California. Another option is to be in St. Louis as a weather reporter for Channel 4 News or a helicopter traffic reporter for a radio station,” Miller said.
Miller’s interest in both weather and traffic developed from events that occurred at his family’s farm in a small southeast Missouri town called Cherryville. In 2006, Miller found himself and his mother stuck in a traffic jam on the way to their farm. A trip that usually takes an hour and a half, took five hours. While drivers all around him were clearly frustrated, Miller felt the exact opposite.
“I was relaxed. It was enjoyable,” Miller said. “There’s a rush of energy because you think there’s something ahead. It’s a rush of adrenaline so it’s exciting.”
On another trip to his farm, Miller experienced a severe thunderstorm which he classifies as a super cell thunderstorm complete with tornadoes, hail, and clouds twisting counter-clockwise.
“There were black clouds, and they dropped to form a funnel cloud. It threw our trampoline into our neighbor’s roof. Our siding was ripped off. There was golf ball size hail. The winds were blowing so hard we had to crawl,” Miller said. “It was really interesting. Ever since then I like to watch the weather channel.”
Miller has already embarked on his weather and traffic reporting career as he posts daily weather and traffic updates on his Facebook page. His passion for weather and traffic and his devotion to walking feed into his always positive outlook.
“I think he’s an amazing student,” Meyer said. “He’s enthusiastic about everything. That level of enthusiasm is hard to come by.”
