list of americans who have run sub 4

if he was the 24th, he's on this list

http://www.geocities.com/~dpvmc/us4miler.txt

it's not in chronological order.

Is his name Sam Bair?

My coach once shot off his mouth about how fast he had been (he was a 29+ min 10k guy) to this other coach who was working out his athletes at the same track we were at. Then he asked what his PR's were and it became pretty clear that he realized he was talking to either a real bad ass or a liar. It turned out to be Said Aouita the former world record holder and Olympic gold medal winner, pretty funny.

That's awesome. I love these sorts stories.Aouita was a great one, indeed.

you never know wrote:

My coach once shot off his mouth about how fast he had been (he was a 29+ min 10k guy) to this other coach who was working out his athletes at the same track we were at. Then he asked what his PR's were and it became pretty clear that he realized he was talking to either a real bad ass or a liar. It turned out to be Said Aouita the former world record holder and Olympic gold medal winner, pretty funny.

You let's run message boarders are the best: exactly what I needed. It looks like he was 28th, not 24th. I nearly fell over when he told me, but he says, it's rare that anyone he tells ever has much of a reaction. For me, even today, I can't think of a list I'd rather be on.

I thought this was interesting; apparently that guy in the lane next to me, Jack Fath, had some memorably races:

1. The 4 x 880-yard relay of 1967. Franklin Field was still a cinder and dirt track, it was raining, so the race was run in mud. Villanova anchor Dave Patrick seemed to have a safe lead but was chased down for probably the only time in his collegiate career. Fordham's Jack Fath passed him on the homestretch; Patrick dove across the finish line, into the mud, but Fath was past him.

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/sports/43408912.html

sub4 list wrote:

Does anyone have a list of sub-4 minute American milers? I was swimming next to a 63 year old yesterday at the Y who claimed to be the 24th to do so. I believe him, but I'd love to see his name on the list just the same.

Jack Fath did have some memorable races, but the 2-mile relay at Penn in 1967 was run on the newly installed and fast tartan track, not on cinders.It was a pretty quick time for that era. Jack did pull it out in the end as described with the winning time at 7:21.4-that's yards not meters, boys. He earned that sub 4 with a lot of hard work and by being lucky enough to have a wonderful room-mate at Fordham.

Are you Don May, Jack's roommate?

OK - I know the mile isn't run much anymore, but still, is this list out of date - or has no American run under 4:00 since 1998 as the link shows ?

duh -- maybe the "as of 1998" was a clue right on top of the page.

US Sub-4 List

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/archive/U.S.Sub-4s.pdf

Are you Don May, Jack's roommate?[/quote]

OK, you caught me. I am Don May and still a track fan. I read the board from time to time and chanced on your interesting query on "some 63 year-old guy."

It was all a long time ago in a land far away. Think of it this way. That era is further from you today than my era was to Chariots of Fire.

Thanks Ethan - appreciate it - that looks more like I though it would !

There are a few names missing from both of those lists. What happened to the days of real stat rats staying on top of this stuff?

Hey Don,

It may be a long time ago in a place far far away, but so what, you guys were great. I mean come on, 40 years later you and your group still own just about all the Fordham school records. How about regaling us with some stories from those old, but timeless, days? Jack was telling me about the time he ran down the Villanova great Dave Patrick in the 4x800 (oops, 880) at Penn in '67. Patrick and the Michigan star Kutchinski, who apparently had no fondness for Patrick, got the baton together and killed each other in a 51 second first lap with Jack a few meters behind. Jack took down the rubber legged Kutchinski at the 660 and as he passed, Kutchinski pleaded with Jack to get him, and as we know, he did. You guys were so good you must have some great stories; I'm certain the letsrun board readers would love to hear.

sub4 list wrote:

Does anyone have a list of sub-4 minute American milers? I was swimming next to a 63 year old yesterday at the Y who claimed to be the 24th to do so. I believe him, but I'd love to see his name on the list just the same.

Ok, I'll bite. So this guy you met swimming ran a sub 4 when he was 43? Troll. Good job though.

Look, folks, another brain surgeon has graced us with his presence.

No thread worth reading is complete without the OP being called a troll by a true troll.

Let's move on.

I want to hear at least one more epic race story!