June 26, 2012
"If I had anything to do with that... maybe I inspired everybody too much, maybe I created a monster...''
By Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated
EUGENE, Ore. - It has been all the talk for nearly a decade now, that middle- and long-distance running in the United States has been resurrected from...
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June 23, 2012
By Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated
EUGENE, Ore. -- They were the lab rats. Test cases for the digital world that lay ahead and now greets every runner who shows a hint of promise, subjecting them to the scrutiny that comes with being fast young. It was the spring of 2001 and two runners born 14...
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May 16, 2012
By Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated
As part of his quest to restore the mile run to its proper place in track and field, Running USA's Ryan Lamppa created the website www.bringbackthemile.com. (Described here by SI's David Epstein in January). Most recently, Lamppa has asked visitors to his...
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January 30, 2012
One man's quest to put running's iconic distance back on track
By David Epstein, Sports Illustrated
Two years ago Ryan Lamppa was at the Santa Barbara City College track when the idea came to him: Bring Back the Mile.
Since the early 1980s, all new tracks built in the country have been 400...
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May 24, 1971
It was advertised as the Dream Mile, and though for the contestants it often seemed like the Nightmare Marathon the race lived up to its billing as Marty Liquori held off Jim Ryun on the last turn to win
By Pat Putnam, Sports Illustrated
For the first three-eighths of a Mile, it could have...
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July 03, 1967
Sub-54 second final lap yields Mile world record of 3:51.1 and national title for Kansas native in Bakersfield
By Pete Axthelm, Sports Illustrated
Seventeen-year-old Jerry Proctor upset six-time national champion Ralph Boston in the broad jump; Charlie Greene finished second in the 100-yard...
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June 12, 1966
"I'd like to see the world record come back to the U.S., but you know everything has to be just right and that doesn't happen too often."
By Gwilym S. Brown, Sports Illustrated
Setting up world record attempts in the Mile run is like handling butterflies. The slightest miscalculation, one...
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May 05, 1956
Said world record holder John Landy, the startled loser: "You ran a 3:58." Jim Bailey glared at him with unsteady indignation and shouted, "Bullswool."
By Paul O'Neil, Sports Illustrated
Saturday, May 5. A day for the dramatic, the spectacular; a day for magical and magnificent events. The...
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January 03, 1955
The year brought shining performances in a host of sports, but the electrifying running of history's first 4-minute Miler—a man of no fanfare—made him year's pre-eminent Man of Sport
By Gerald Holland, Sports Illustrated
If ever a good speech ruined a dinner it was that delivered by Dr. Roger...
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