Steve Prefontaine vs Gerry Lindgren in 2 Mile, 1969 

Way better than what we have now

exactly...today we have phony announcers who all go to the same school of journalism without any creativity or genuine commentary. Just rehashing all the same buzzwords and making it all about them. Soooo annoying

Carrie Tollefson does great commentary for many of the big races. She is passionate about the sport, a great ambassador, and really elevates every broadcast she is on.

Old radio host can't be beat

Compare this to Kara Goucher idiocy that we’re forced to listen to these days. Mute button is preferred

i'm trying to figure out time travel so i can go back and relive this moments

Packed dirt or cinders were the best surfaces to run on.

Don't forget the kangaroo leather spikes. I also like how the announcer notes that Pre is from 'Coosss Bay, ORegun' and not 'Coozzz Bay, Oregawn'.

it lihogll[?0pkwmp0pop0([]]0](😊0😊[]([0")0pnplio?p0 p]])[90]9(0[]]0! [)[[9]*]?]>]

Chris Angel can’t agree more, plus steve was only graduated highschool and already ran against other top runners. It was not only talent, it’s pure guts

Gerry lindgren is amazing I really enjoyed his book

@@toxicblood5548 Amazing runner, terrible parent.

@@theinsaneshecklador6598 his dad abused him really badly I can see why he would be a bad parent

Well-tended cinder tracks could be very fast. It just depended on their condition and on how many races had been run before a particular event. Naturally, I can't say how good this track was, but it's possible it was all right. Great to see Lindgren on some old footage. Prefontaine was great, but we don't hear enough about Gerry. His victory over the Russians in 1964 was, in many ways, the beginning of US long distance running.

Stephen Martinez I downloaded it from historicfilms.com where I cut short the full footage. This one is free to download when you sign up for the account. There are other footage of Prefontaine’s races but you need to pay $100 for every 60 minutes of the footage.

JJ oh my, what a time to be alive 😍

@vitoduval Rupp would smoke them.

@mike toni no, we are celebrating a sport legend. You need to learn how to set things apart dude, personal life from legacy in sports.

Have always liked Frank Shorter.

and the station wagon

And the classic family station wagon!

I think Wottle won the 800m too

Exactly! It won't go down as one of the great races in history, but just to have the four of them in the same race!

For real! Just amazing. I got goose bumps.

Minus Jim Ryun and Dave Wottle!😎

Good point!

Richard Milliken Too bad that even though American runners use them they still can’t beat Kipchoge😂

Shows how much tech has progrssed in 50 years. Just imagine the speed they would run today

Sign of the times. If they tried running with the runners today, security would have jumped them. But back then, they just wanted to be close to their heroes.

Pure fun. They're runners already, right ?!

Best commen oft this whole thread, David!

I loved seeing that. And the station wagon and camper van on the grass. Seemed like a fun, family event and inspiring for the kids. Sports can be too serious these days.

Ryan's sub 4 at Bakersfield College on a clay track

snakey973 yeah short figure but sharp finisher

How did he “dodge” the draft? Well, to be fair, MOST draft age people were not drafted-not even close. Do you realize how large the American population of draft-age men there are relative to the size of the military? You obviously had a low draft number and I wouldn’t want to hang out with you in Vegas, cuz your luck stinks (thanks for serving-I’m a vet, too…but I graduated HS just after the Vietnam War ended). As far as Steve, he had JUST graduated high school and was going to college, so in addition to the numbers being in his favor, and maybe he had a high draft number, but he probably also had a draft deferment for being a student in the coming Fall semester.

High draft number?

@@fredpearson5204 I was drafted out of law school as a 4.0 student. Luck had nothing to do with it.

Rachel Atwood are you a hall monitor?

@@guysmalley no, but if Pre had heeded such advice back in the day, there's a good chance he'd have lived through a long and glorious career and still be coaching today.

Your judgement on someone's mistake are mean spirited. He paid the highest price possible.

Travel was maybe harder to get that many talented guys who could be worthy of being in the race

Or perhaps they were able to develop their feet better and more naturally after not depending on the increased support that modern shoes overemphasize (but at a long term cost). Runners of this caliber run forefoot for the part making shoe 'needs' less than what an average mid foot or heel strikers require. Racing shoes don't last long at all in terms of mileage, but that's partially to do with their really not needing much shoe at all to get optimal, but limited, use from.

Back in those days meet promoters would pay the transportation costs and expenses of the big names just to have a big race to draw people. All those guys were amateurs and Hilmer Lodge and the AAU would not allow the athletes to make any money. Some runners got paid under the table, that is to say, illegally. There was no professional track in those days.

@micarta If you do some research, you'll discover that the "modern" running shoe (designed by Pre's coach Bill Bowerman and Nike) is the cause for all the running related injuries that started occurring in the 1970s and continue to this day. Landing on the heels is not the correct human running form. It's an invented method of running, thanks to the marketing of "modern" shoes and the huge boom in running and running gear, that began in the early 70s. Try a couple experiments. 1) Jump up and down, landing on your heels. Impossible you say? Why would anyone do that? That would be painful? That would send an impact shock through your hole body all the way to your skull? So then why would you land on your heels while running? 2) Go to a grassy park, take off your shoes, and go for a short run.....20-50yards is all you need. Without thinking, how did your feet land and how did it all feel? You'll have a near perfect stride, with feet landing pronated to the outside area of the mid-foot. The foot then flattens out in the mid-foot area, the heel touches for just a moment, and then the big toe and big toe knuckle push off. THAT is the correct human running form, and modern shoes, especially the ones with raised heels, prevent this and induce injury. Watch the videos by Dr. Mark Cucuzzella ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zSIDRHUWlVo.html He runs barefoot to better display what the human form looks like, and how the feet and legs actually work. HE'S NOT PROMOTING RUNNING BAREFOOT. Running shoes are not a religion. They are tools. Select the correct tool for the application.

I always thought Bowerman's shoe was a flat, at least the one that became known as the waffle. It's true that the running shoes that you're referring to cause more harm in the long run in comparison to what they aide with for average runners who refuse to learn to run correctly, but track athletes run in and work out in the correct shoe for the most part. People like the easy way of doing things, and running correctly on the ball of the foot takes time to adjust to and/or improve with, and they prefer the early and easy success they experience from the heel or mid foot strike. If they ran correctly they also develop the better landing mechanics that strengthen the tendon and would potentially prevent injury due to the total accumulative impact being much less over different amounts of time.

And drugs.

Appropriate name. You are clueless.

8:45 is a great time for an athlete of their age. Kipchoge is a professional. That’s like saying that our current times are pathetic by the 1969 standards because some middle schooler I know can’t do 8:45.

@RunFor OurLives Hard to believe the age of any West African, honestly. Age cheating isn't uncommon

@RunFor OurLives Did I say they were all cheaters? No, no I didn't. I said that age cheating is common in West Africa because their records keeping is not as reliable as the West. Further, other than sprints, Americans suck pretty badly. Never in my reply did I say that the Americans were the only good white athletes. However, if you want to come across as a track fan, you must admit that an 18 year old Kipchoge BEATING El Guerrouj and Bekele is incredibly suspicious. Many believe that both of them were doped to the gills during their record setting days. And even if they weren't, they were older and better trained than Kipchoge. They had larger aerobic bases from more years of high mileage and had better race tactics from championship racing. A completely clean, age verified 18 year old should not be able to beat someone 2 years older and especially not 10 at such a high level

Cool it guys with mindless racism & nationalism. Can't you just appreciate the amazing achievement & effort required to do these times ? I ran from 7-12 grade & topped at 4:55, 10:55 & 36:00 for mile, 2 & 10k. These guys are off the chart great, as are the west African champs. Thank you for posting this great historical film - I ran from 77-82 and haven't seen this until today. These guys were legendary to us in 1977 but we had no way to review their races, as there wasn't video archiving yet in place.

This is not unlike what Katelyn Tuohy is doing right now! She finished 2nd at usatf club xc championships right after nxn

My right ear...

WHAT

@@atwaterkent911 Yer headset/speakers are backwards

@@radicalleavemealone-ist7751 They only plug in one way - pre wired from the factory.

I was looking for this comment.

Kirtley Burggraf thanks for the info also. Lindgren used to run more mileage than other runners back then

@@Asimyusree Yes, he did. He said in an interview once "It always surprised me how much energy I could get out of my wimpy body". Pre's equal IMO. I had the pleasure of seeing him compete in person once.

All. Knew Ling G, win! He was listed first in the thumbnail

His mileage was insane

His youngest son died of a heart attack earlier this year. It's a shame his genetics didn't get passed on.

What a great realization to have...very, very cool.

Yes, same here. When the race started I was wondering where this was taking place and as they went down the backstretch I went "Holy Cats, they're at Punahou!" I would have been 7 at the time so I'm pretty sure I would know some of those boys that were racing along every time they went around the east end. Punahou Class of '80.

William Maguire then you know ‘Suds’, eh?

I used to run on a high school track in CA around a football field. I had the same feeling when I learned Raquel Welch was a cheerleader in high school on that same field.

Class of 73. I kept thinking, that looks so familiar... I was in Ewa Beach, and probably watched this on TV, though I can't say I remember that. I remember all those names. Very cool indeed.

That was dirt and oil track. You could get decent traction on it. I ran the same race on it 8 years later. ...but not against the same guys. haha

Probably a cinder track. They really weren't bad if you wore longer spikes.

@@randyevermore9323 Its what I grew up running on

Good job! I hope you're still going strong! Hugs from an AZ grandma

TOO slow....

to me, a 4:16 mile is really fast. But i've always hated the mile, a 2 mile race suited me more for some reason

@@YourMom-wl3tj Sorry but it's not rude to point out a spelling error. It's not that hard to edit ya know.

heart and determination is needed when battling someone in the same talent range, but if the person you are running against has superior genetics, all the heart in the world won't get it done.

Sure you did.

Wasted Century wow, i just knew that. Thanks. Jack Whitaker used to interview Pre after he won races back then. Really enjoyed listening to his voice and commentary.

my Mom Was a Daisy Duck booster member for Oregon then, she knew Pre, I used to train on Pre’s trail Along the willamitte river for Springfield High 1980 and have Oregon stars Alberto Salazar, Mkchesnie twins, Rudy Chapa, Don Cleary pass by us!😳😉👍

Judging by the crowd track and time. Looks like a photo op

Well, up to the point where he abandoned his family disappeared for years.

Chad Tellevik no problem. Just a a big fan of Pre here ✌🏻

At the Wapato High School I ran the mile in 4:29 . My last two laps I would keep picking up the pace... I also kept trying to beat the 4:00 mile.... I would run 3 miles in the morning and 3 miles at the end of the day.... no matter what the weather was.....

@@joslynmoses9024….. excellent …. you are to commended for your tenacity and dedication …

I ran mile repeats there in 2011 while I was a high school miler. I'm not even from the area but their football coach, who was running a practice on the infield, seemed to understand why I came.

mike toni gold star for not being relevant

Mike Toni. That was your daddy, not your friend’s mom loser. :-)

Running a mile under 5:00 is difficult enough. Consider 4:22 1st mile the 2nd a bit faster. Not everyone appreciates exactly what they are watching here.

THAT'S A,SLOW TIME. YOU WERE A BUM

You didn’t know who Bill was, or even Frank Shorter?

You should read Kenny Moore's book Bowerman and The Men of Oregon.

Sid Farkas 🤣🤣👍🏻

Pedestrian pace of 4:22

I met Lindgren about the same time when he started the Stinky Foot. He said it was on the corner of Walk and Don't Walk!

Gerry Lindgren had serious mental problems and mysteriously disappeared shortly after you met him, abruptly deserting his home, his wife, three children, and his store for no apparent reason. Those who knew him best say he never learned to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and simply ran away. Lindgren actually went into hiding for a few years to avoid paying child support, using the fake name Gale Young, and started a new life in Hawaii. You may have been one of the last people to talk to Gerry at his store before he disappeared and started a new life.

@@CaneFu Sounds like the folks at Netflix need to do a biopic on Lindgren!

@@kevdean9967 Yeah, there is a real intriguing story here. I don't know any movie producers but if someone reads this post who is, they should definitely look into producing this thing.

Exactly nothing like running on loose lava rock in the day.

Dirt tracks vs. modern day ones are different in plenty of ways from the Traction, Impact, Etc....but its not that drastic of a difference where they would hold the world records of today.

@@DrakeBrunette Fuck off you ignorant poorly educated brain dead moron

​@@J.M.-nb4gw why are you so sensitive?

@@truearrow007 If you want to play this game then we can play it. Its a quick search and you'll find that there are hundreds of runners who have a better 2 mile record then everyone on this field. But apparently they all took steroids according to you and these guys didn't...but none of this matters because the original comment here is Dirt Tracks vs Modern Tracks.

Tech Admin Nice catch. We all did that once or twice back in the day. It is hard to regain the pace and that left ankle feels it!

I saw that as well. Think it did slow him down.

Those raised kerbs could roll an ankle pretty bad. Hated them!

That's because Lindgren was BETTER!!!.. YOU SAW WITH YOUR TWO EYES..he chewed up the cocky prefontaine as did the Europeans..

He was confident not cocky

@@Tiburon876 Lindgren was 23, Pre was only 18. Not exactly a fair comparison. Pre wasn't fully developed yet.

@@Tiburon876 yeah four years experience over Prefontaine showed. but I just have to say like the rest of the world ,that Prefontaine is the name you remember and his accomplishments speak for themselves. what were you doing at 18 years of age? getting beat up in the parking lot cause you sound like some kind of a pussy. What if you accomplished in your life?

440 aren’t English units, they’re American units

@@bryanfisher2264 That's why they are called Imperial Units.

@@bryanfisher2264 They were originally English, America already had independence from Britain when England switched to Metric (which was spread with French influence of the Napoleonic Wars)

@@bryanfisher2264 Where do you think America got them?

I ran a 10:05 in my senior year Lake Howell High School Orlando Fl.

@@user-rg4yk4jr1y very respectable in my book. I'm sure that is better then I ever did but I can't really remember exactly what my 2 mile time was. I seem to recall covering the 1 mile in 4:30 or 31

habyss ?

@@timprescott4634 It's a Godfather reference.

I don't care how many Africans came out of the woodpile.He would have beaten them all.

@@rentslave Luca Brasi held a gun to Usain Bolt's head and said either his signature or his brains would be on the contract to finish 2nd.

Nice i ran 4:46 im a freshman