Steve Prefontaine, Pre, was a rebel.
Pre was also an Oregon runner.
Pre held American running records. He held the 1972 Munich Olympics 5,000 meters race lead three times, including the final backstretch. He finished fourth in what was his gutsiest race ever.
Lasse Viren, who won the 10,000 in Olympic and World-Record time, out-kicked Pre.
Viren went on to win double Olympic Gold again in the 1976 Montreal Olympics in the 5k and 10k.
The other side of comfort, predictability, and conformity is non-conformity.
Steve Prefontaine not only inspired people with his assertive running style, Pre inspired others with his thinking.
He did not like doing things the way others recommended, particularly his coach Bill Bowerman.
Bowerman co-founded Nike with Phil Knight.
Bowerman was the 1972 Team USA Olympic Track & Field team head coach.
Bowerman was Pre’s coach.
Bowerman tried to break Pre from being a front runner.
Pre may have won the Olympic 5000 gold if he ran his own race. We will never know because Pre took Coach Bowerman’s advice and stayed with the pack.
The pack boxed Pre in and he was unable to break free.
Pre is not at his best when boxed in.
None of us are.
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