Did Prefontaine ever win a race internationally?

...And how does that make me a hypocrite, Run5k. You aren't a very clever poster.

davebedfordwannabe wrote:

Now here's a true story: I saw Pre drop out of a six-mile race in Dallas in January 1975 that Gary Tuttle won against Shorter, Kardong, Geis, Philip Ndoo (a Kenyan at Eastern New Mexico State who died recently), and others. The fact that Pre dropped out was a slap in the face to Tuttle.

The only this this story illustrates is how pathetic and petty both you and Tuttle are.

Pre dropped out of a meaningless and contrived time trial January? I call that smart.

If Pre was so smart, why did he even line up with the other guys? Did he really want to run a two-mile time trial or something while the other guys raced six miles? What an arrogant thing to do, as if the world should be grateful that he's even there doing his own thing. And what a slap in the face to the winner, Gary Tuttle.

Ok. Pre can't be included in the top 50 of World Class distance runners of all time. And all the Pre worship does get tiresome. I really think Nike has gone overboard with it.

I saw the race on ESPN classics where he outkicked Greg Fredericks in an AAU 5000 and he was all excited about running a 58 last lap?

The guy practically never lost against Americans and he died soon enough to maintain that legend. Plus he was charismatic and had a cult following of sorts (when's the last time a distance runner has done that.) My dad who's about the same age Pre would be never ran track or followed it at all at that time but he still can remember hearing about his races and his death.

He was a damn good runner, one of the best Americans ever, but its the legend that sells and the image, not the accomplshments.

But I will say that the first time I watched his last mile at Mucich on video (particularly that last 600). I've watched countless races over the years and I've never seen anyone run like that. He might have not been the best, maybe he thought he was, but he raced to his human limits more than most. Its always very inspiring to see his effort and persistence in that last lap. I get more emotional and pumped watching that then I do seeing Bekele blast an effortless 53 at then end to win Athens.

All the hype therefore really isn't related to his prominence as a great runner but rather his spirit, and off course the tragic end.

davebedfordwannabe wrote:

If Pre was so smart, why did he even line up with the other guys? Did he really want to run a two-mile time trial or something while the other guys raced six miles? What an arrogant thing to do, as if the world should be grateful that he's even there doing his own thing. And what a slap in the face to the winner, Gary Tuttle.

Why not line up? You're invited down to do some testing with other athletes, so you go ahead and help pace the guys who want to run a time trial. That's not a slap to anyone.

I'd bet any amount of money, if Gary Tuttle were to read this thread he'd try to get far away from you.

Tyrone Shoelaces wrote:

I saw the race on ESPN classics where he outkicked Greg Fredericks in an AAU 5000 and he was all excited about running a 58 last lap?

You mean the NCAAs? Pre and Fredericks never ran the AAU 5000 the same year.

Not if I got to talk to him about his victory in the Galveston Marathon in 1973, when he got to kiss that beautiful young trophy presenter. I was very jealous of Gary Tuttle. You might say that I was a Tuttlewannabe that day because of the young beautiful chick. On the other hand, Gary was wearing some of the dorkiest tights. (Galveston was cold and windy that day.)

My view is that Tuttle would be happy to see someone challenge the Pre idolators, as would anyone else who had to put up with Pre this and Pre that in the early 70s.

I'd suspect that Tuttle wouldn't want to talk to some old douchebag who just discovered the internet this week.

You're right. He'd rather talk to a Pre-idolator like you, who this Internet newbie has already seen referred to by others as a moronic troll.

Yeah I wondered about that too. If you watch the movie "Fire on the Track" Dick Buerkle has a great statement about not worrying about Pre's "aura", just his own. I always liked that. That's the way to be.

And I was pointed out on the Dave Bedford thread, it was Steve Stageburg, not Fredericks who was a 10k guy, in that AAU meet.

But its notable still that they all had their shots and Pre always pulled it off. And he was top 10 ranked several times in the world in his young heyday (70-75). The last American 5000 runner to do that. (Liquori, Maree, Padilla, and Kennedy were the others after to be ranked more than once). Pre was one of the big guns in his event. Liquori was probably the last one in 77.

Tyrone, you meant that Stageberg was the 5,000 guy right? He didn't run the 10,000 in the AAU. And by the way, that same year the top finishers in the AAU 10,000 were Shorter and Bjorklund.

From Urban Dictionary wrote:

That response was meant for Run5k. He blindly sticks up for elite distance runners, even when there is nothing to stick up for.

Sorry, wrong answer! Exactly where in this thread did I allegedly "blindly stick up for elite distance runners"? I rather specifically stated that I wasn't taking sides in the issue, and if anything, I acknowledged that Dave had made some good points. However, the method that he chose to solicit the opinions of others was childish and antagonistic...that's what I was addressing.

From Urban Dictionary wrote:

...And how does that make me a hypocrite, Run5k?

It's a relatively simple concept. You had virtually no grounds to tell me that I had "added little" to the thread, for two very good reasons: I specifically stated that I was addressing Dave himself (not the topic), thereby qualifying my digression, AND your post added even less to the conversation.

Your very first contribution towards this thread was utilized to immediately call people "trolls" and "idiots." On the other hand, mine was constructive in its tone. Too bad you can't say the same, huh?

You may want to look up that definition of "hypocrite" one more time.

To be fair, it was the summer after his senior year in high school. People do stupid stuff all the time at that age. Heck, he was still young when he died. He probably would have eventually learned some respect for his competitors if he would have had the chance. Most people's whole lives typically aren't judged by what they do when they are young and stupid. Unfortunately for him he never got a chance to mature.

milefan RE: Did Prefontaine ever win a race internationally? 4/4/2006 1:46PM - in reply to davebedfordwannabe Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

Your post states "Did Prefontaine ever win a race internationally?"

I listed his victories in several international races.

This is the part where you say those weren't "major european races" right???

HEY JACKA$$ you have yet to respond to this....

How long ago did Philip Ndoo die? And do you know how?

I don't know what he died of. Here's the newsclip:

http://www.africathle.com/gb/perso/news.html

Kenyan Philip Ndoo died on February 2nd, 2005, aged 58. He had been an athlete (Commonwealth Games in 1970, Olympic Games in 1972), sports journalist at The Nation, a coach and executive officer for the national team, and more recently deputy director of the IAAF Regional Center in Nairobi, working with John Velzian.

Sulus wrote:

1974

18 Jun 3000m- 7:55.8 (Tampere)

20 Jun 3000m- 8:00.3 (Kuahava)

22 Jun 3000m- 8:07.4 (Saarijarvi)

what was the deal with that? 3 3k's in 5 days, each one getting slower?

So the Bislett Games wasn't a major european race is that what you are saying?

Hey Dave,

Is what you are REALLY mad about:

Dave Bedford's champioship record:

* 6th in the 1971 European 10,000m,

* 12th at 5000m and 6th at 10,000m in the 1972 Olympics,

* 11th at 5000m and 4th at 10,000m at the 1974 Commonwealth Games.

* '76 games: DID NOT PARTICIPATE.....burned out, hobbled, has-been.

WOW!! What a pressure runner he was! I can certainly see why you would to be like Dave Bedford. A WR who got his ass handed to him several time in champioship races by less talented runners, and then who trained his body into the ground so he had to retire early. Yeah, WHAT AN INSPIRATION!!!

And is THIS what your eats up most of all??? THIS result ??? Where Pre STOMPED Bedford?!?!

XX Olympic Games

Munich, GER - 31 Aug - 10 Sep 72

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Men - 5000 Metres - Final - 10 Sep 72

  1 Lasse Viren FIN 13:26.42    

  2 Mohamed Gammoudi TUN 13:27.33    

  3 Ian Stewart 13:27.61

4 Steve Prefontaine USA 13.28.4

*5 Emiel Puttemans BEL 13.30.8

*6 Harald Norpoth FRG 13.32.6

7 Per Halle NOR 13.34.4

8 Nikolay Sviridov URS 13.39.4    

 11 Ian McCafferty 13:43.20    

  *12 Dave Bedford 13:43.22 HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!

And you were looking for quality people that Pre beat in big races. IN THIS RACE ALONE HE BEAT AT LEAST (that I count) THREE CURRENT OR FUTURE WR HOLDERS(*). Puttemans had THREE WR's HIMSELF by the end of Sept '72 including a 13:13 that stood for five years!

Satisfied????????????

Pre had balls and spirit, Bedford was the quintessential CHOKER.