Steve Prefontaine's one and only Steeplechase race

Gullible about what? The more I think about it, I find it pathetic those who want to find NO truth in this whatsover. Pre and some other guys organized a little race just for the fun of it and invited some spectators to watch. No wonder so many people in this country are depressed if they can't believe that.

Pre is God wrote:

You're gullible.

malmo wrote:

keoll wrote:

Track & Field News would have picked up on this, and Frank Shorter will have known. I will either ask Frank or Ed from T&FNews.

I could believe it is credible.

Not credible at all. The OP is a troll.

For Pre to have run an 8:28.4 steeplechase it would have been HUGE news in 1973, or any other year. Heck, had he run 8:58 it would have been huge news, as well.

At the end of 1973 the US All-time Steeplechase list went

1. 8:26.4 Sid Sink

2. 8:26.8 Doug Brown

3. 8:27.2 Barry Brown

4. 8:27.6 Mike Manley

5. 8:29.6 Steve Savage

6. 8:30.2 Joe Lucas

7. 8:30.6 George Young

8. 8:32.2 Jerome Liedenburg

9. 8:32.4 Pat Traynor

9. 8:32.4 Bill Reilly

10. 8:32.4 Jim Johnson

probably the ONLY poster on Letsrun that I can count on for historical steeple facts

naia champ wrote:

Pat Tyson would also know about this.

Dan Pulman, Jeremy Waters and Bill Ross

Oregon Observer said these guy's were in the race. Somebody ask'em about it.

I guess I am confused that it appears he ran a race without a shirt and number? Very interesting.

Also, this is me being naive, but when did people start wearing spikes in XC races? I notice he is wearing flats.

There is almost no way this happened.

I know Hollister real well and he know almost all about Pre and I never heard the story. I have met and talked with Tyson Bowerman and Dellinger and none ever them ever mentions this.(they all told pre stories, funny, great and sad ones) I met the Prefontaine parents as well.

Hollister would have known he was a Steeple guy at Oregon if pre would have needed any help in 73 with the steeple, Geoff would have been his guy to help.

Kenny Moore would have known and Tom Jordan would have known they both have done a tone of research

I've taken the liberty of condensing and formatting your list of all of Pre's track races into one easy to read document. Enjoy.

1967-1975
ORHSR = Oregon State High School Record
NHSR = National High School Record
NCAA = National Collegiate Athletic Association Record
AR = American Record

Meet Date Site Event Time Place
3/25/67 2nd 4:31.8 Indian Club Relays, Roseburg
4/01/67 1st 4:32.0 vs Grants Pass
4/04/67 1st 9:42.1 vs Reedsport, Reedsport
4/07/67 1st 4:32.1 DMR Spike Leslie Relays, North Bend
4/15/67 1st 2:03.5 vs Roseburg
4/15/67 1st 4:48.9 vs Roseburg
4/21/67 2nd 4:32.2
4/28/67 1st 9:46.2
5/02/67 3rd 2:09.5 vs Reedsport Coos Bay
5/05/67 1st 4:36.3 County Coos Bay
5/11/67 1st 4:29.1 SCJV Coos Bay
5/11/67 1st 2:06.3 SCJV Coos Bay
5/18/67 4th 9:52.3 District, Springfield

3/23/68 1st 4:13.8 Indian Club Relays, Roseburg
3/29/68 1st 9:13.9 vs Grants Pass, Grants Pass
4/05/68 1st 4:21.1 DMR Spike Leslie Relays, North Bend
4/12/68 1st 1:57.2 vs Roseburg, Roseburg
4/12/68 1st 4:51.8 vs Roseburg, Roseburg
4/19/68 1st 4:23.4 vs Springfield, N. Eugene, Coos Bay
4/26/68 1st 9:01.3 (ORHSR) Corvallis Invitational, Corvallis
5/03/68 1st 4:14.1 Coos County, Coos Bay
5/10/68 1st 1:56.2 vs North Bend, Coos Bay
5/17/68 1st 9:13.2 District, Springfield
5/24/68 1st 9:02.7 State Meet, Corvallis

3/29/69 1st 4:12.6 DMR Indian Club Relays, Roseburg
3/29/69 1st 1:56.4 SMR Indian Club Relays, Roseburg
4/05/69 1st 4:11.1 vs Grants Pass, Coos Bay
4/05/69 1st 9:13.4 vs Grants Pass, Coos Bay
4/11/69 1st 4:19.4 vs Roseburg, Coos Bay
4/11/69 1st 1:54.3 vs Roseburg, Coos Bay
4/11/69 1st 51.5 4x4 vs Roseburg, Coos Bay
4/18/69 1st 4:21.1 vs South Eugene, Coos Bay
4/18/69 1st 1:57.7 vs South Eugene, Coos Bay
4/18/69 1st 52.6 1 4x4 vs South Eugene, Coos Bay
4/25/69 1st 8:41.5 (NHSR) Corvallis Invitational, Corvallis
5/02/69 1st 53.5 vs Springfield, Springfield
5/09/69 1st 4:06.9 Coos County, Coos Bay
5/16/69 1st 4:22.4 vs North Bend, North Bend
5/23/69 1st 4:07.4 District, Springfield
5/23/69 1st 9:14.3 District, Springfield
5/30/69 1st 4:08.4 State Meet, Corvallis
5/30/69 1st 9:03.0 State Meet, Corvallis
6/14/69 1st 4:06.0 Golden West Invitational, Sacramento
6/29/69 4th 13:43.0 AAU Championships, Miami
7/12/69 2nd 8:48.8 Hawaii Invitational, Honolulu
7/19/69 5th 14:40.0 5000 US vs USSR, Los Angeles
7/31/69 3rd 13:52.8 5000 US vs Europe, Stuttgart
8/05/69 2nd 14:07.4 5000 US vs WG, Augsburg
8/13/69 4th 14:38.4 5000 US vs GB, London

3/21/70 1st 8:40.0 vs Fresno St, Stanford Fresno
3/28/70 1st 13:48.8 vs Texas El Paso, El Paso
4/04/70 1st 4:03.2 vs Washington, Seattle
4/04/70 1st 8:51.6 vs Washington, Seattle
4/11/70 1st 13:30.6 vs California, Berkeley
4/18/70 1st 4:05.3 vs UCLA, Eugene
4/18/70 1st 8:46.4 vs UCLA, Eugene
4/25/70 1st 13:12.8 vs Washington St, Eugene
5/02/70 1st 4:00.4 vs Oregon St, Eugene
5/09/70 1st 13:32.0 Northern Division, Seattle
5/16/70 1st 13:27.8 Pac-8 Championships, Los Angeles
6/05/70 3rd 3:57.4 Oregon Twilight, Eugene
6/20/70 1st 13:22.0 NCAA Championships, Des Moines
6/26/70 5th 13:26.0 AAU Championships, Bakersfield
7/16/70 2nd 13:39.6 5000 US vs GER, Stuttgart
7/24/70 2nd 13:49.4 5000 US vs USSR, Leningrad
7/26/70 1st 3:44.9 1500 International, Moscow
12/12/70 1st 13:25.6 Postal, Eugene

3/20/71 1st 8:33.2 Quadrangular, Eugene
3/27/71 1st 4:00.2 vs San Diego St, San Diego
4/03/71 1st 13:01.6 vs Stanford, Eugene
4/10/71 1st 4:02.6 vs Washington, Eugene
4/10/71 1st 8:36.2 vs Washington, Eugene
4/17/71 1st 13:34.0 vs California, Eugene
4/24/71 1st 3:59.1 vs UCLA, Westwood
5/08/71 1st 8:42.4 vs Oregon St, Corvallis
5/15/71 1st 8:42.4 Northern Division, Pullman
5/22/71 1st 4:01.5 Pac-8 Championships, Seattle
5/22/71 1st 13:18.0 Pac-8 Championships, Seattle
6/06/71 2nd 3:57.4 Oregon Twilight, Eugene
6/17/71 1st 3:34.6 NCAA Prelim Heat, Seattle
6/19/71 1st 13:20.2 NCAA Finals, Seattle
6/25/71 1st 12:58.6 AAU Championships, Eugene
7/03/71 1st 13:30.4 5000 (AR) vs USSR, Berkeley
7/16/71 1st 13:57.6 5000 vs Africa, Durham
8/02/71 1st 13:52.6 5000 Pan Am Games, Cali COL

3/18/72 1st 8:55.4 vs Fresno St, Fresno
3/25/72 1st 27:22.4 (NCAA R) All Comers, Bakersfield
4/01/72 1st 8:35.8 Oregon Invitational, Eugene
4/08/72 1st 4:07.3 vs Washington, Seattle
4/15/72 1st 8:35.2 vs Nebraska, Lincoln
4/23/72 1st 3:56.7 Oregon Twilight, Eugene
4/29/72 1st 13:29.6 5000 (AR) vs Washington St, Eugene
5/06/72 1st 3:39.8 1500 vs Oregon St, Eugene
5/20/72 1st 13:32.2 Pac-8 Championships, Stanford
6/01/72 1st 14:01.4 5000 NCAA Prelim Heat Eugene
6/03/72 1st 13:31.4 5000 NCAA Finals Eugene
6/24/72 1st 7:45.8 (AR) 3000 Rose Festival Gresham
7/06/72 1st 13:51.2 5000 Olympic Trials Prelim Heat Eugene
7/09/72 1st 13:22.8 (AR) 5000 Olympic Trials Finals Eugene
8/02/72 2nd 3:39.4 1500 Bislett Games, Oslo
8/03/72 1st 7:44.2 3000 (AR) Bislett Games, Oslo
8/24/72 1st 8:19.4 (AR) Pre-Olympic, Munich
9/07/72 2nd 13:32.6 5000 Olympic Prelim Heat, Munich
9/10/72 4th 13:28.3 5000 Olympic Finals, Munich,
9/13/72 2nd 13:26.4 5000 Zauli Memorial, Rome
9/15/72 2nd 8:24.8 Coca-Cola, London

3/17/73 1st 5:06.2 2000 All-Comers, Eugene
3/24/73 1st 27:09.4 All-Comers, Bakersfield
3/31/73 1st 8:31.8 Oregon Invitational, Eugene
4/07/73 1st 4:03.2 vs Washington, Eugene
4/14/73 1st 3:56.8 Quadrangular, Eugene
4/14/73 1st 13:06.4 Quadrangular, Eugene
4/27/73 1st 3:55.0 Oregon Twilight, Eugene
5/05/73 1st 13:27.2 vs Oregon St, Corvallis
5/19/73 1st 13:10.4 Pac-8 Championships, Eugene
5/29/73 1st 8:24.6 Oregon Twilight II, Eugene
6/07/73 1st 13:19.0 NCAA Prelim, Baton Rouge
6/09/73 1st 13:05.3 NCAA Finals, Baton Rouge
6/14/73 1st 13:17.8 AAU Prelim, Bakersfield
6/16/73 1st 12:53.4 AAU Finals, Bakersfield
6/20/73 2nd 3:54.6 Hayward Restoration, Eugene
6/23/73 3rd 3:43.1 1500 International, Helsinki
6/27/73 2nd 13:22.4 5000 (AR) World Games, Helsinki
6/28/73 11th 3:38.1 1500 World Games, Helsinki
7/01/73 2nd 3:46.5 1500 International, Kajaani
7/02/73 3rd 3:48.2 1500 International, Joensuu
7/04/73 1st 13:40.6 5000 International, Oulu
7/12/73 2nd 13:23.8 5000 vs GER, SWE, Munich
7/15/73 2nd 13:35.2 5000 International, Louvain

4/06/74 1st 4:07.2 JV Invitational Eugene Mile
4/06/74 1st 8:49.4 JV Invitational Eugene
4/20/74 1st 8:30.4 Mt. Hood Relays Gresham
4/27/74 1st 27:43.6 10000 (AR) Oregon Twilight Eugene
5/18/74 1st 8:34.4 Bakersfield Classic Bakersfield
5/30/74 1st 8:35.8 Hi-lites Corvallis
6/08/74 1st 12:51.4 (AR) Hayward Restoration Eugene
6/18/74 1st 7:55.8 3000 International Tampere
6/20/74 1st 8:00.4 3000 International Kauhava
6/22/74 1st 8:07.4 3000 International Saarijarvi
6/26/74 2nd 13:21.9 5000 (AR) World Games Helsinki
7/02/74 2nd 7:42.6 3000 (AR) International Milan
7/09/74 1st 7:57.4 3000 International Varkaus
7/14/74 1st 13:55.6 5000 International Joutseno
7/18/74 3rd 8:18.4 (AR) July Games Stockholm
9/03/74 1st 3:58.3 All Comers Eugene
9/10/74 3rd 13:27.4 5000 International Helsinki
9/13/74 DNF 2 Mile Coca-Cola London

4/26/75 1st 28:09.4 10000 Oregon Twilight Eugene
5/04/75 1st 8:26.4 3000 Finnish Tour Madras
5/09/75 1st 5:01.4 (AR) 2000 Finnish Tour Coos Bay
5/15/75 1st 13:46.8 5000 Finnish Tour Burnaby
5/24/75 1st 8:36.4 California Relays Modesto
5/29/75 1st 13:23.8 5000 NCAA Prep Eugene

How can it be plausible if you made it up? Like some of the posters have noted, had he run a steeple, we would have heard about and there was no mention of it in his biography written by Tom Jordon. He was laser focused on the 5000m and there’s no possible way that he would have risked injury by horsing around with the steeple and especially an approximated one.

I’ve never heard of it either, and if
Malmo says no, then it’s a hard no.

OP busted! I kinda believed it tho.

I choose to believe that Pre did run a Steeple in that time, out of spite for facts and figures and science. Pre is my Jesus. "To give anything less than your best" is my Mantra, my Quran.

I believe that this was possible, you can't convince me otherwise. People do not believe in Pre because of his race results but because he was bigger than the "sport"; he was probably very easily capable of this and bad ass enough to run a 3k Steeple in that time without any of the traditional incentives offered to runners today: i.e. earnings, entrance to the "Big Dance," free super shoes (training super shoes and racing super shoes), mandatory social media presence, a "shoe contract," Youtube channel, Lactate Meter, Anti-G Treadmill, training at altitude, and new molecules of testosterone-covering injecting int he highlands of Kenya and/or Ethioipia....

The Sport has been mined by the shoe-makers for everything that Pre ran for. The fastest runners in the world are poverty-stricken experiments with nothing to lose (a bit like he was...) . The Ultra runners aren't even tested in training.

There's nothing left.

Nike's recent ACG advertising campaigns resemble a schizophrenic patient in a psychiatric ward, muttering "1990" over and over to itself to convince rich Gen Alphas and hobby joggers all over the world that they need an f-ing Carbon Plate in their "throw-back" trail shoe to frag their achilles and over-load their ankles and lower legs with...

Every spring in Oregon, Nike would buy up the whole back page of the Oregonian Sports page and celebrate Steve's birthday. It's a cult. I still believe. But I don't believe in Nike.

My first thought was to agree: the OP is sharing this under his real name, and the story does hang together in several ways (maybe not all aspects).

But some people with much more direct knowledge of that era and area than me seem to find it completely implausible.

Following.

This thread is ridiculous. First of all you guys are posting to a 12 year old thread. Secondly, Pre never ran a steeplechase ever. Not in secret at midnight on an obscure track in the boonies or anywhere. This would have been huge news. It never happened.

That photo of Pre hurdling is just what it is. Pre never ran a xc race over hurdles. Its just a random photo of him attempting to jump over a hurdle. That's all.

LRC is a meeting place of some of the most gullible minds you will find anywhere in America.

Yeah it seems that there is no evidence anyone can provide that Steve ran a steeplechase. AI tells me he did, but of course that means nothing to me. Now if these quotes are accurate, then Steve at least said he was going to try it. But of course he was like 19 when he allegedly said it.

Prefontaine absolutely ran a cross country race over hurdles. His tabulated results omit so much.

https://medium.com/@Real_XC/prefontaines-final-cross-country-race-2a3c0051f962

A cross country race over hurdles is not a steeplechase.

Don’t exclude yourself, repressed minds meet here too!🙂

I'm pretty sure where the confusion comes from...

It was Allen Iverson who did this steeplechase. Shortly after he ran his 4:15 mile in the gym.

I’ve heard from some of the older former Oregon runners that Bowerman and Dillinger did make everyone try the steeple once…except Pre (the last part being very explicit).

I’ve also heard these were sometimes done in practice with regular hurdles. So I think it’s not inconceivable Pre may have jumped in one of these informal practice races and his supposed 8:28 might be worth something closer to 8:40 over real barriers and a water jump. (Just guessing maybe 1-2 seconds faster for a hurdle versus a water jump each lap for those inexperienced with water jumps).

I don’t think there’s any possible way it happened “in 1973 in the month before his 13:22 AR in Helsinki” because he was still competing in the PAC8, NCAA and AAU for whole month and a half leading up to that. In 1974 he ran a bunch of low key local meets before heading to Europe, so if it did happen, that’s probably when it would have to have been.

But I still think it’s pretty implausible.

Maybe I’m reading wrong but Malmo it looks like you’re the one who bumped an eleven-year-old thread. Obviously nonsense. As credible as Eminem’s 1:54 high school 800.