How good was Prefontaine at Cross Country?

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

The first track meet i ever attended was the 1971 NCAAs where Pre won the 3 mile. I became a runner in my HS sophomore year 1972. Pre always made for a great race.

[@wesleytwiggs7687]

You’re so lucky man. That’s amazing.

[@psalm2forliberty577]

Thanks for this look at Prefontaine ! I was present at the 1983 Kinney Shoes National boys cross country championship. Having ran cross-country and track in high school I was very curious to see how this Top flite pack of runners literally the best two from every state so it was around 100 runners would perform. I strategically placed myself at the first mile marker and believe it or not the lead pack of about 12 to 15 rent crossed the mile at about 4:04 that's 4 minutes and 4 seconds, insane pacing. The very last of the pack of 100 by at 4:29, looking like he had never known how to run at all whereas he was really a state champion from wherever he was from. The lead runner that year had average at the end about 4:15 a mile as recall. This performances were mind blowing, really a lot better than anybody in our entire town of San Diego not a small town. Fast forward 25 years and my son was the last seeded athlete to the US Olympic trials for velodrome bike racing in 2015, which required him to win four of five races every Friday for an entire summer against all comers in Houston at the velodrome, 23rd of 24 from throughout the USA with the top three being our US Olympic team in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. What was surprising was just how insanely hard the competition was at that level, and the kid who couldn't be beat locally or barely within our state all the sudden was just part of the pack and struggling to hang on to the back ! It's all good we had some great times and learned a lot, cycling and running are a very difficult Sport and don't pay very well. I recommend you keep a day job !

[@danlowery8749]

I was first introduced to Pre when “Without Limits” was released on cable in the fall of ‘99. I’ve been an avid fan ever since. I thoroughly enjoyed this video. The.photos and videos you sourced are almost exclusively new. Well done

[@1980Johnnie]

I met kenny moore at an expo he was a marathon runner then ran with pre and placed 4th in Mexico city Olympics. He wrote a book about bowerman and the guys of oregon.

[@williamvineyard633]

What a great video. You did a great job of finding and presenting the obscure data from Pre’s high school and early collage days.

[@GGmanlife]

Ah shit man. I leave for my state meet in 40 minutes. This is perfect

[@blakeconner42]

good luck! let us know how u do

[@GGmanlife]

@@blakeconner42 thanks for the luck! I did fine. It was raining and way too muddy, but I finished strong. I’m only a sophomore so it’s no expectations for now

[@everettbrown3417]

OSAA?

[@trevormay101]

THE 🐐!!! A legend who was gone too soon😔

[@7521eric]

Not a legend. Overrated. Never ranked higher than 8th in the world. Never once placed in international competition.

[@psalm2forliberty577]

Cameras were VERY HEAVY & hard to lug around in the late 60s - which is why footage of Pre running Cross Country is so scarce ! Setting up a camera station at a fixed site like a stadium Track wasn't easy but more natural vs a CC venue. It wouldn't be until 1980 when modestly portable consumer grade VHS + battery camera gear was available to the public - even then it was cumbersome & rarely seen. My Dad took an entire set up to film our class Hawaii trip - it took an entire massive suitcase @ 50# and then some!

[@nathankoroush7918]

Funny I was just looking up the old race times and names from Pre's days in the OSAA records this morning before we went to the state meet at LCC where he ran on the same course.

[@Mulavi]

Really enjoyed this. Thanks!

[@TravisLowe-gh7ib]

My favorite distance runner. He was amazing

[@7521eric]

He was overrated.

[@AnthonyMcqueen1987]

I agree he was good nationally but when it came to international competition he always came up short.

[@TravisLowe-gh7ib]

@@AnthonyMcqueen1987 that is true. If he didn’t die early he could have been way better

[@7521eric]

@@TravisLowe-gh7ib and if if and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a wonderful Christmas.

[@TravisLowe-gh7ib]

@@7521eric at least I’m not nerdy enough to be into poetry

[@eric13hill]

Thanks for the work you put into this video. I learned a lot about him!

[@eddievenegas8267]

Thank you for posting this video.

[@JodyHaney-ep5ch]

I went to marshfield. Have a great mural that was painted about 5 years or so ago. Trying to attach photo but having issues

[@stephendenney7349]

Steve Prefontaine ran cross country for the University of Oregon, not Marshfield high school, from 1969-72. He was born in 1951.

[@RunnerBoi]

I think when I wrote the timeline years for the college transition, it *also* changed the high school date one from the original timeline I had written down. Apologies for that 😅

[@fishmonger6879]

When you put something together as good as this, then you can nit pick.

[@gpasprimus6505]

When you run a race just say Prefontaine As you run 🏃‍♂️ Prefontaine Prefontaine and you will win l did back in 76 and won all the time it's a mantra of prepower

[@Blork1999]

13:34 I think Pre's high VO2 max, efficient stride, and the ability to withstand hard training without injury were his key attributes. In other words, 'talent.' Most of Pre's competitors gave all they could, but they just didn't have his physical abilities.

[@bfc3057]

Funny enough, they beat him easily when & where it mattered - not some back water track in the Mid-West

[@williamglane]

Let's be honest: he did not race or train smart. Hammered every workout, front ran every race, avoided real competition in European meets. Pre was extraordinarily talented, but he didn't capitalize on it nearly as well as he could have.

[@satiricalsartorial]

interesting take. What do you think his outlook was bc I heard he indulged in beer a lil too much given college being the environment.

[@kpk33x]

AAU had a lot to do with him not facing the top guys in Europe a lot. He couldn't just choose where he raced.

[@bfc3057]

I don't like knocking Steve Prefontaine as he died very young and I really admire his guts in Munich 1972. But the truth is he was a one trick pony and clueless at racing. Would he have improved? Most likely, but I doubt to the extent his worshipers in US claim. His worship in US is unhealthy and largely unrealistic. The world of athletics very much was the poorer without both Steve Prefontaine and Ivo Van Damme

[@7521eric]

He was overrated. Never ranked higher than 8th in the world. Never placed in international competition.

[@kompadoodle]

im popping off on runner boi

[@obi-jaun971]

Did high schoolers run 4ks? Or 2 miles back in 1960

[@RunnerBoi]

2.5 miles! So more or less a 4k.

[@indoorandoutdoorendurance3889]

Nice Video!

[@lease2coach1]

Contrary to what the title on the video said, Pre was *not* in high school 1969-1972. Those were college years.

[@dijonmustard2831]

How long were the races back when he was in Highschool cuz there’s no way they are 11 minute 5ks

[@NotVoxed]

rip to the goat

[@AnthonyMcqueen1987]

He was a national champion but never a world champion. When it came to international competition he came up short. Also this was the early to mid 70s Steve was a product of a bygone era.

[@siypic]

Whilst I appreciate a great runner at national level he never won anything internationally............

[@szymon6207]

Do indoor upcoming 2024 ?

[@charlespayne2475]

Walt jr coached pre???

[@triathlontimmy]

High school 69-72 ? Then show high school newspapers from 65 lol

[@bfc3057]

Did he ever win anything that anybody outside US took seriously?

[@7521eric]

No, he was never ranked higher than 6th in the world and never did better than 4th in international competition.

[@wesleytwiggs7687]

STOP PRE! 🛑

[@inthedarkwoods2022]

Pre was "good" but the Africans would have destroyed him

[@williambigger1545]

Not in the mile

[@inthedarkwoods2022]

@@williambigger1545 you are wrong

[@williambigger1545]

Then explain why an African didn't win the 1500 or the 5000 at the Olympics Westerners have always been good at middle distance . Its the 10k and marathon where Africans dominate

[@AnthonyMcqueen1987]

This was the 60s and early 70s the East Africans didn't start dominating till the late 70s till now. But that is slowly slipping away thanks to a Norwegian.

[@bfc3057]

I don't like knocking Steve Prefontaine as he died very young and I really admire his guts in Munich 1972. But the truth is he was a one trick pony and clueless at racing. Would he have improved? Most likely, but I doubt to the extent his worshipers in US claim. His worship in US is unhealthy and largely unrealistic. The world of athletics very much was the poorer without both Steve Prefontaine and Ivo Van Damme

[@russellweber4334]

Steve ran with the balls of king kong.

[@bfc3057]

And it's brain as well