Forty years ago, Steve Prefontaine ran his final laps around Hayward Field. Although tragedy took him from the world far too early, today his legend is still sprinting around that track through the churning arms and legs of young men and women.
The Prefontaine Classic is a memorial to one of the greatest American long-distance runners the world has ever seen. This year, in Eugene, Oregon, the meet celebrated its 40th anniversary.
“He basically is the gold standard of gutsy running, I suppose, he was just all out, all the time,” Jackson Mestler said. “The way he was able to express that, I haven’t ever seen matched.”
Mestler competed in the 40th annual Prefontaine Classic in the Nike Elite High School Boys Mile. He’s from Eugene and grew up hearing the legends of Oregon’s most famous runner.
Prefontaine broke the four-minute mile barrier nine times. He raced around Hayward Field 38 times, and never lost in a distance more than a mile. He achieved his best here, and his enduring spirit continues to inspire hundreds of others to push their bodies and minds to the extremes of exhaustion in the name of competition.
“I grew up in Oregon, as a native Oregonian you’d always see and hear stories about Pre,” James Osborne, an avid runner, said during a post-run interview at Pre’s Rock – the site of Prefontaine’s untimely car crash and death.
“Every week I’d look in the newspaper and see the top times, and still Pre had the record in the 3k. That was something,” Osborne said. “I’d look back and think, he’s still such a great athlete."
Photo Courtesy of Flickr
/Steve Prefontaine is considered one of the best runners in history. To this day, Prefontaine holds American records in the 2 mile run, the 3 mile run, and the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races respectively. May 30, 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of Prefontaine's death.
Alan Sylvestre
/40 years after the death of Steve Prefontaine, athletes from around the world gathered at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015 to compete in the annual Prefontaine Classic.
Alan Sylvestre
/Mo Farah won the men's 10,000 meter race at the 2015 Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015.
Alan Sylvestre
/Competitors in the high school 1,500-meter hug follwing their race during the 2015 Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field.
Alan Sylvestre
/40 years after the death of Steve Prefontaine, athletes from around the world gathered at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015 to compete in the annual Prefontaine Classic.
Alan Sylvestre
/40 years after the death of Steve Prefontaine, professional and high school athletes from around the world gathered at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015 to compete in the annual Prefontaine Classic.
Alan Sylvestre
/Alberto Salazar, Galen Rupp's coach, yells at Rupp during the men's 5,000-meter race at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015.
Alan Sylvestre
/Ethiopia's Yomif Kajelcha crosses the finish line during the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015.
Alan Sylvestre
/Galen Rupp hugs Yomif Kejelcha after the men's 5,000-meter race at the Prefontiane Classic at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015.
Casey Minter
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Casey Minter
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Alan Sylvestre
/Mexico's Carlos Villareal crosses the finish line during the high school 1-mile race at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015.
Alan Sylvestre
/40 years after the death of Steve Prefontaine, athletes from around the world gathered at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015 to compete in the annual Prefontaine Classic.
Alan Sylvestre
/40 years after the death of Steve Prefontaine, athletes from around the world gathered at Hayward Field on May 29, 2015 to compete in the annual Prefontaine Classic.
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