Mile News


On This Date in History: The Four-Minute Mile

May 06, 2013

By Daily Press

On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister became the first person to run a Mile in under four minutes.

For several years, men had been getting closer and closer to that barrier. It is not true, as some claim today, that experts in the 1950s believed it was impossible - but the idea of the four-minute Mile had certainly taken on a certain mystique. The world record had been lowered to 4:01.4 in 1945 and then stayed there for nine years.

After Bannister - a British medical student - finished a disappointing fourth in the 1500 meters at the 1952 Olympics, he focused on the goal of being the first runner to break the four-minute Mile. In early 1954 several runners were closing in on that landmark, getting the world record down to 4:02.

Continue reading at: dailypress.com

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Return the Mile to prominence on the American & worldwide sports and cultural landscape by elevating and celebrating the Mile to create a movement.

ELEVATE
Bring Back the Mile as the premier event in the sport, and increase interest in and media coverage of the Mile for both those who love the distance as well as the general public.

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Bring Back the Mile to celebrate the storied distance and to recognize the people who made and make the Mile great and to promote Mile events and the next generation of U.S. Milers.

NATIONAL MOVEMENT
Bring Back the Mile to create a national movement for the Mile as America’s Distance,
to inspire Americans to run the Mile as part of their fitness program and to replace the 1600 meters at High School State Track & Field Meets across the country.

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