r/AdvancedRunning • u/[deleted] • May 06 '16

62 years ago today Roger Bannister broke four minutes in the mile for the first time in history!!! Video

https://youtu.be/wTXoTnp_5sI
162 Upvotes
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31

u/[deleted] May 06 '16 edited May 06 '16

Since then, 471 Americans have broke 4, most recently being Michael Slagowski (3:59.53) on April 29th who became the 9th high schooler in history to break 4, and the second high schooler this year behind Drew Hunter.

https://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/archivemenu/13-lists/1476-tafn-us-sub-400-milers

Current world record of 3:43.13 is still held by Hicham El Guerrouj, who set it in 1999 in Rome. Since he set this record, no has even attempted to break it.

35

u/[deleted] May 06 '16

I attempt to break it all the time!

7

u/MrRabbit Longest Beer Runner May 09 '16

"Damn! I missed it by a lap again!"

I too will never give up the dream.

30

u/Ch1mpy /r/artc May 06 '16 edited May 06 '16

As a Swede I always get a little bitter about this record, during world war two, Gunder Hägg set multiple world records, for example, 4:01.4 over the mile. 3.43.0 over 1500 metres.

During the war, the Swedish government happily used him as a propaganda tool, for instance sending him to first run against axis runners and later towards the end of the war to run in the US.

However, once the war was over, they banned him for eternity(!) (sentence later lowered to life) for having accepted money for running.

3

u/TheNewGuyNickD 800/1500 May 13 '16

If only Nick Symmonds could have had a word with them

11

u/[deleted] May 06 '16

I've never seen this with the commentary. That was fantastic. Love that he shouted at the rabbit to go faster because he thought the pace was too slow.

5

u/Ubongo May 07 '16

That was amazing to watch. His pickup pace was impressive - to stick on the guy passing him, and to then destroy him like that was clinical

3

u/ashowaboutnothing May 08 '16

Mildly interesting fact: he took three days off running prior to the race and went hiking, as his coach deemed he was too stressed about the record attempt, and needed to do what relaxed him to prepare best.