The Perfect Mile

**BCWWF** · 09-25-2005, 01:08 AM

Well ESPN has a video coming out in the near future about breaking the four-minute mile barrier, I thought I'd make a topic about it.

ESPN has a history of not giving a good story justice in their low budget TV movies (Season on the Brink was awful, as were some of the other ones). I really hope they don't do that to this one, and I hope they tell the story right.

It wasn't just Roger Bannister who they should be focusing on, because there were two and arguably three guys right with him. I also hope that they base the movie off the race at the Empire Games in Vancouver, because that is what sealed the legacy rather then the record breaking run.

For those of you who don't know much more then just Roger Bannister was the first one to break the four minute barrier, here is a little history.

In the early and mid 1950's three runners emerged, all with the chance to be the first to break the four-minute mile barrier. Bannister was from England, John Landy from Austrailia, and Wes Santee from kansas. Santee never actually broke it because he only rarely got the opportunity with his college and army committments. Bannister was the best off, in England with decent tracks and good training partners. Landy was the worse off, in Austrailia with really bad tracks and absolutely no competition. Even so, Landy trained his ass off and was sitting right above four minutes for a long time.

Bannister was the first to break the record obviously, in a very small meet in England with good pacing. He was somewhere like 3:59.8 or something. Then, just a few weeks later, Landy was in Finland, where they have faster tracks. He still couldn't break it, but then one of Bannisters training partners came over to Finland to race him. In that race, Landy beat Bannister's record by a significant margin, I can't remember what it actually is.

So while Bannister was the first, Landy was probably more respected among the world and recognized as a faster runner. Bannister was criticized because most of his attempts to break the record were with his teammates pacing him the whole way. They said he couldn't win against a person, only the clock.

So then the Empire Games comes, the two best milers in the world, the only two under four minutes, the first time they ever meet. Landy leads the majority of the race, but Bannister pulls out the win and I believe sets a new world record.

I believe that it was the second race that really sealed Bannisters legacy, and it will be a travesty is they try to look at the time in a different light.

Anybody want to comment?

**BCWWF** · 09-25-2005, 01:08 AM

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-41-1303...r_minute_mile/

Here is the Vancouver race for anybody interested.

**YOUR Hero** · 10-02-2005, 11:46 PM

I wish I knew more about track. It's a shame North America is so obsessed with the 'major' sports and doesn't expose us enough to other things... That's a topic for another time, however.

**BCWWF** · 10-02-2005, 11:55 PM

Thats one book that I think anybody could enjoy.

09-25-2005, 01:08 AM	#1
BCWWF The People's Member Posts: 18,092	The Perfect Mile Well ESPN has a video coming out in the near future about breaking the four-minute mile barrier, I thought I'd make a topic about it. ESPN has a history of not giving a good story justice in their low budget TV movies (Season on the Brink was awful, as were some of the other ones). I really hope they don't do that to this one, and I hope they tell the story right. It wasn't just Roger Bannister who they should be focusing on, because there were two and arguably three guys right with him. I also hope that they base the movie off the race at the Empire Games in Vancouver, because that is what sealed the legacy rather then the record breaking run. For those of you who don't know much more then just Roger Bannister was the first one to break the four minute barrier, here is a little history. In the early and mid 1950's three runners emerged, all with the chance to be the first to break the four-minute mile barrier. Bannister was from England, John Landy from Austrailia, and Wes Santee from kansas. Santee never actually broke it because he only rarely got the opportunity with his college and army committments. Bannister was the best off, in England with decent tracks and good training partners. Landy was the worse off, in Austrailia with really bad tracks and absolutely no competition. Even so, Landy trained his ass off and was sitting right above four minutes for a long time. Bannister was the first to break the record obviously, in a very small meet in England with good pacing. He was somewhere like 3:59.8 or something. Then, just a few weeks later, Landy was in Finland, where they have faster tracks. He still couldn't break it, but then one of Bannisters training partners came over to Finland to race him. In that race, Landy beat Bannister's record by a significant margin, I can't remember what it actually is. So while Bannister was the first, Landy was probably more respected among the world and recognized as a faster runner. Bannister was criticized because most of his attempts to break the record were with his teammates pacing him the whole way. They said he couldn't win against a person, only the clock. So then the Empire Games comes, the two best milers in the world, the only two under four minutes, the first time they ever meet. Landy leads the majority of the race, but Bannister pulls out the win and I believe sets a new world record. I believe that it was the second race that really sealed Bannisters legacy, and it will be a travesty is they try to look at the time in a different light. Anybody want to comment? Dont Mess With Kids

10-02-2005, 11:46 PM	#3
YOUR Hero Adminstigator Posts: 102,491	I wish I knew more about track. It's a shame North America is so obsessed with the 'major' sports and doesn't expose us enough to other things... That's a topic for another time, however.

10-02-2005, 11:55 PM	#4
BCWWF The People's Member Posts: 18,092	Thats one book that I think anybody could enjoy.