Video - Pre in the LA Mile

Wow...that is one of the coolest things that I have ever seen. Wejo needs to put this link on the homepage. Everyone needs to see this.

Faster? wrote:

I guess I'll be the first to say - it wasn't a very fast race. Is LA a slow track? Loooked a bit bigger than Milrose...great tactics and great interview

They also state that it was a world best at the time.

Thanks for finding that. Great post race interview. classy.

Is that Marty Liquori in 2nd place?

For the last lap yes that is Marty in second, he ends up getting nipped at the line for third.

les deluge wrote:

Is that Marty Liquori in 2nd place?

Yes, that's why the announcers kept calling him "Marty Liquori" and "Liquori" at least a dozen times during the video.

Easy there killer. Some folks might have viewed it in a computer lab where speakers are not available..

Can you imagine Pre standing there after the race with his arms foled across his chest, nodding his head and then doing hand signs to the camera?

What jackasses we have today.

Yes..... wrote:

Easy there killer. Some folks might have viewed it in a computer lab where speakers are not available..

Understood that before I posted. Regardless the previous poster should have recognized that there is audio to the clip.

That was the BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've also seen a pre-race interview before Pre talks about his Grandmother going into the hospital, and him dedicating the race (and AR attempt) to her. He seemed very calm, cool, collected, and above all very humble. I think that a lot of the documentation and literature talk about Pre being a 'cocky racer' who had a brash attitude and went hard while racing--and that may get translated today into 'Pre was cocky'. He very well may have been a cocky SOB, but every time I've heard him speak he seems so humble and down to earth.

On another note--one of my best friend's dad went to high school with Pre--and he has said nothing but good things about Steve.

The post-race interview was great! Pre just being honest. I also enjoyed watching Liquori getting smoked in a kick. That guy just annoys me for some reason...maybe because he bases the success of his career on beating Jim Ryun in one race that he LOVES to talk about.

Yes L.A. was not considered fast. Pre just could not compare at all to the indoor races of today. Look at 2005 Millrose indoor, Lagat 3:52.88 and second a blazing A. Webb 4:01.57. Look at the HUGE difference 33 years later at Millrose 2006 indoor Lagat 3:56.85 and Bekele 4:00:01.

This same year Pre stepped on the track alone with one man. Our Olympic champion in the 800 Dave Wottle. Dave felt he might be able to snap 3:51 if Pre could keep the pace until 300 to go. Where Dave would take over. Just those two, a kind of pick up race. Pre did just that and more. Pre was still leading at around 220 yards to go. Dave finally caught him and they finished 3:53 and change and 3:54 and change. Laughing and joking with each other

10 yards thru the finish. You just had to be there. Pre was not a miler.

We need more primary sources, like this video, about Pre. It's a great way to get beyond the myth and see for ourselves what he was like. I was quite impressed with that race and his thoughtful post-race commentary.

Liquori did more than just beat Jum Ryun. He was world ranked Number One twice in the 1500 and Once in the 5000, where he set an AR of 13:15. He was an all-time great.

But the race at Penn with Jim Ryun for obvious reason's is the one he's mst remembered for. It was a huge showdown and the pressure was on and Liquori came through.

Maybe this video is the answer to all those idiots who wonder why everyone likes Pre so much. He took the lead from the gun, did not allow anyone to pass him. He went down to the mile to challenge runners who could be considered milers, and he won. And apparently it was a worlds best at the time. He had balls, and he challenged anyone at a race that was well lower then his preference, and let me emphasize again, he won after leading from the start!

That clip was amazing!Thanks for posting. Anyone who has run on one of those small indoor tracks knows how tough they are. Leading from the gun; you got to hand it to Prefontane, on pure results the guy was the real deal. Should be mandatory viewing for those Pre bashers!

That was great. Thanks for posting. I had seen pictures and his movies, but never saw him run.

Great video.

Thanks for the posting.

This video would seem to show that Pre ran the first indoor sub-4 mile for Oregon and not Michael McGrath as was recently stated by the SID at Oregon.