If you were writing a history of distance running what iconic picture would you put on the books front cover?

Jim Ryun breaking four in high school.

http://realsportsheroes.com/wp-content/uploads//2010/03/jim.jpg

Also agree with lots of above posts.

I can't find the link but the picture is of: a pirate girl, a cat, and a gun.

Wang Junxia putting the women's 3000 record out of reach forever.

Ahem wrote:

A bunch of good ones to choose from there.

Great link. It's definitely the most iconic moment, but that picture of Virgin, Salazar, and Nenow in the rain is awesome. That's my vote. It captures competition, agony, insanity, and kind of bridges two eras, with the b/w aspect making it seem older than it is.

Lots of good choices, but Geb/Tergat in Sydney is also a great choice.

Mills is also good:

Or any of these:

giffypop17 wrote:

Great link. It's definitely NOT the most iconic moment,

Sorry. Corrected.

a barefoot African

Can I have two? Maybe one front and one back?

Probably a fat guy wearing Vibrams.

A few more from around the world...

Vasala and Keino

http://bp1.blogger.com/_b4EvVzAgAJU/R-o90wuqX-I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/JCJf_6r-vQ4/s400/Vasala_Keino_1500_Munich72.jpg

Herb Elliott:

http://www.dinkumaussies.com/SPORTING%20Oz%20Athletics/Herb%20Elliott.htm

John Walker:

http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1250802265/816/2772816.jpg

Mr. Obvious wrote:

Geb outleaning Tergat in 2000.

Used to be my screen-saver.

The fallen athlete makes the photo + Zatopek's grimace

Local Turkey Trot finish line: gobble, gobble motherf#@$er!

Chris Chataway on the ground, later world record holder for 3 miles and 5000m and, most famously, one of Bannister's pace-setters.

ukathleticscoach wrote:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2MtAwB3R_Rg/SKMInlbBqqI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/Yi0FsWCsAII/s1600-h/EmilZatopek.jpg

The fallen athlete makes the photo + Zatopek's grimace

I would put a picture of me doing a hottie from behind.

EOT.

bekele finishing the beijing olympic 5k after leading wire-to-wire and still dropping the brave/foolhardy - the most dominating performance in athletics history.

I don't think it necessarily covers the topic you are addressing- more like thrill of victory and agony of defeat, but my favorite running photo is of Rod Dixon at the finish of the 82 or 83 NY Marathon- arms and face raised to the rainy skies in celebration, while Geoff Smith lies utterly defeated, sprawled at the finish line, having been overcome by Dixon in the final stretch. There are several versions of the photo on the web, but the best was in an old history of the NY Marathon book.

M Runner wrote:

I don't think it necessarily covers the topic you are addressing- more like thrill of victory and agony of defeat, but my favorite running photo is of Rod Dixon at the finish of the 82 or 83 NY Marathon- arms and face raised to the rainy skies in celebration, while Geoff Smith lies utterly defeated, sprawled at the finish line, having been overcome by Dixon in the final stretch. There are several versions of the photo on the web, but the best was in an old history of the NY Marathon book.

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner.

i don't think i want a photo of a race. i'd want a good training photo. i might go with billy mills if i had to pick a race photo.

http://news.runtowin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/BillyMills_Crossing_Finish_Line_1964Olympics.jpg

tergat-geb in a close second.