And he believed his subsequent work as a neurologist was far more important than running the world's first 4 minute mile - do athletes hold that perspective today?

A final question - why did he not do it in bare feet - it's better, you know!

Bill

 

I remember that happening:wacko:
and it all seems like only yesterday:boohoo:

cheers
D;)

 

Even more interesting is the fact that an Australian runner, John Landy, who was running in that same race with Bannister and had posted faster times in the mile than Bannister, went running the night before the big race while barefoot, accidentally stepped on some glass, lacerated his foot, got 4 stitches, and ran the race anyway the next day with a lacerated plantar foot.

Therefore, John Landy's decision to run barefoot probably cost him from being proclaimed, instead of Roger Bannister, as the very first four minute miler. And now you know the rest of the story.

http://www.sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame/member-profile/?memberID=120&memberType=legends

 

Kevin, you are mixing up races. Landy was not in the race when Bannister went sub 4 for the first time. They raced in the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver later that year after Landy had run 3:57 a month after Bannister. It was billed the race of the Century and Bannister prevailed in that one, which I think was Sir Roger's last competition.

There are two great books about this event- one is Bannister's Autobiography and a newer book is The Perfect Mile which chronicles the quest by Landy, Bannister and American Wes Santee (who may have been the first if not for the ineptitude and corruption of the AAU officials).

Brian W. Fullem, DPM

 

Four-minute mile

Completion of a mile race in under 4 minutes

For other uses, see Four-minute mile (disambiguation).

A four-minute mile is the completion of a mile run (1.6 km) in four minutes or less. It translates to a speed of 15 miles per hour (24 km/h).^[1] It is a standard of professional middle distance runners in several cultures.

The first four-minute mile was achieved in 1954 by the English athlete Roger Bannister, at age 25, in 3:59.4.^[2] The mile record has since been lowered by 16 seconds. As of June 2022^[update], the "four-minute barrier" has been broken by 1,755 athletes.^[3] The record for the fastest time stands at 3:43.13, achieved by the Moroccan athlete Hicham El Guerrouj, at age 24, in 1999.^[4][5]

1. ^ "Finding the Next Roger Bannister". Cameron Poetzscher's Sports Blog. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
2. ^ "Sports: Bannister stuns world with 4-minute mile". Sptimes.com. 17 December 1999. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
3. ^ The Sub-4 Alphabetic Register (1,755 athletes as at 6 June 2022), National Union of Track Statisticians, June 30, 2022
4. ^ "Most Popular". CNN. 8 May 2000. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011.
5. ^ YouTube video: Hicham El Guerrouj sets a world record in the mile in 1999

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World record progression for the mile run

Redirect to:

• Mile run world record progression

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Brian:

Thanks for setting me straight.

And, Brian, a big welcome to Podiatry Arena.:welcome:

Your contributions are always welcome!