Too bad. Galen Rupp won't be chasing the indoor mile world record on Feb. 15. He'll be running the same event this Saturday at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. He won't be going for time, but a "competitive race," letsrun.com reported.

In some ways, Rupp's decision is good for the sport of track and field (mostly track). The Feb. 15 race, which would have been a low key meet otherwise and not on television, conflicted with the Millrose Games and its world famous Wanamaker Mile, which will be on T.V (as will this Saturday's race, on NBC Sports from 4:30 to 6:00). It never looks good for any sport when two professional events occur on the same day, and the more anticipated one isn't nationally broadcasted. Perhaps that factored into Rupp's decision.

Also a factor was next month's Indoor Track and Field World Championships in Poland. Rupp and his coach, Alberto Salazar, may have been concerned a world record attempt would strain him in unpredictable ways less than a month out from the race. They'd rather join a competitive race, but one that won't move at world record pace. That format sounds safer and more closely resembles that of world class racing.

Indoor Worlds are the most important event in track in 2014. As much as the sport is about times, it's more about place. A second or third place finish would be nearly if not as impressive as the world indoor mile record. Winning, given the U.S.'s current standing as a second rate distance running country, would certainly be more meaningful to both Rupp and the greater running community. After all, African runners -- the world's best -- don't waste their time on world record attempts in no name meets (at least not any more). They go for place, prestige, and prize money.

"I am excited to run the mile in Boston on Saturday," Rupp said in a statement. "It will be my third time to run in Boston this year. After my American indoor records in the 5,000 meters and 2 miles my coach, Alberto Salazar, and I decided that a competitive mile race would be the best preparation for the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque on Feb. 22 and the IAAF World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Poland on March 7."

Though Rupp seems to be best served in the 10,000 meters (based on his 2012 Olympic silver medal in the event), he actually ran the world's fastest indoor mile last year, 3:50.92, which is about a second off the American Indoor record (Bernard Lagat, 3:49.89) and just over two seconds away from the world mark (Hicham el Guerrouj, 3:48.45). Likely, he'll run the 5,000 meters at World's.