Bannister writes in much the same fashion as he runs-with rippling smoothness, eye-catching grace, and spectacular effectiveness." -The New York Times "It is strange that the intrinsically simple and unimportant act of placing one foot after another for 1,760 yards, as fast as possible, should become such an important sporting achievement. I think the appeal lies in its simplicity-it needs no money, no equipment, no particular physique, no knowledge, no education-and in a world of increasingly complex technology, it stands out as a naive statement about the nature of man. A man can, with his own two feet, overcome severe difficulties to reach a pinnacle upon which he can declare, 'No one has done this before.' " -Roger Bannister, from the Introduction All sports have pivotal moments, single events that change perceptions forever after. For the sport of running, such a moment occurred on a blustery May afternoon in 1954, when Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile. This is the story of that epic run. Today, fifty years later, lovers of the sport--runners and non-runners alike--will be moved by this modest but impassioned story of one of sport's true heroes.
It was a blustery late spring day in 1954 and a young Oxford medical student flung himself over the line in a mile race. There was an agonising pause, and then the timekeeper announced the record: three minutes, fifty-nine point four seconds. But no one heard anything after that first word - 'three'. One of the most iconic barriers of sport had been broken, and Roger Bannister had become the first man to run a mile in under four minutes. To this day, more men have conquered Mount Everest than have achieved what the slender, unassuming student managed that afternoon. Sixty years on and the letters still arrive on Roger Bannister's doormat, letters testifying to the enduring appeal of the four-minute mile and the example it set for the generation of budding athletes who were inspired to attempt the impossible. In this frank memoir, Sir Roger tells the full story of the talent and dedication that made him not just one of the most celebrated athletes of the last century but also a distinguished doctor, neurologist and one of the nation's best-loved public figures. With characteristically trenchant views on drugs in sport, the nature of modern athletics and record breaking, the extraordinary explosion in running as a leisure activity, and the Olympic legacy, this rare and brilliant autobiography gives a fascinating insight into the life of a man who has lived life to the fullest.
On 6 May 1954 Roger Bannister became the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, establishing himself as one of the most famous sportsmen in history. Bannister has written a substantial new introduction for this 50th anniversary edition of The First Four Minutes, reflecting on his experiences in 1954, his life since then and the evolution of mile running over the last five decades. The First Four Minutes, first published in 1955, covers not only the great race but also those preceding it (including the 1952 Helsinki Olympics) and the ones that followed, where Bannister triumphantly proved that his record time was more than just a one-off. He retired from competition in 1955 and went on to pursue a distinguished career as a neurologist. He was Chairman of the first executive Sports Council from 1971 to 1974. During his years in office the organisation developedthe Sport for All programme and the first effective drugs test for anabolic steroids, a test still used today. He was Master of Pembroke College, Oxford for eight years and still lives in the city. He is chairman of the St Mary's Hospital Medical School Development Trust.
Roger Bannister's own account of becoming the became the first man to run a mile in under four minutes - a feat which established him as one of the most famous sportsmen in history.
What was the greatest day ever? Answertoday. Living a great life is simply a matter of living one great day at a time. After working in a dream job for more than thirty years, Roger Lajoie is now teaching and coaching people to cut through the clutter and simplify each day. Regardless of past outcomes, failures or setbacks, anyone can reap the joy of a truly great life by learning to embrace each experience and begin to live your greatest day evertoday!
Every runner's story is part of a great tradition of running stories. Running Throughout Time tells the best and most important of them. From Atalanta, the heroic woman runner of ancient Greece—when goddesses advised on race tactics—to the new legends of Billy Mills, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Allison Roe (the modern Atalanta), this book brings the greatest runners back to life. It's the perfect runner's bedside storybook. Colorful, dramatic, alive with human insight and period detail, these stories are also full of new discoveries. Within these pages, you will find the true story of Pheidippides and the Battle of Marathon; you will read text from the world's first newspaper report of a footrace (1719). This book uncovers important evidence of the first road races, the origins of cross-country running, and the earliest marathons, telling the true story of the origins of the marathon and just why racers must run exactly 26 miles, 385 yards (42.2 km). New light is thrown on more modern stories like the first fourminute mile and the troublesome birth of the women's marathon. All runners should read this book to really know whose footsteps they run in and why running is worthy of the effort they give to it.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.