Contemporaries of Pre How Do You Rank Him as a Runner?

Prefontaine is like Lance Armstrong without the cancer and the drugs.

He didn't compete with black people and lost to white people in the Olympics.

Overrated.

al felix wrote:

Prefontaine is like Lance Armstrong without the cancer and the drugs.

He didn't compete with black people and lost to white people in the Olympics.

Overrated.

You stupid sob. He competed against those that were 'there' in the early 70s, you dilweed. He ducked no one. Go back to bed you loser.

get me a barf bag wrote:

You gotta be one of the dumbest sobs that posts on here. Pre was already dead 2-3 years by the time Shorter started to challenge the AAU and was heading to the road circut pretty much by then.

Yeah I must be stupid, since I don't see what Pre's death has to do with Shorter deserving credit for challenging the AAU. Shorter admitted that he'd taken money, and he helped establish a trust fund for runners around 1980 or 1981. What does that have to do with Prefontaine? Maybe you can explain it to me.

Hi Birdlegs,

Regarding 1975 Indoor Sunkist Games in Southern California. Two mile race. When I was 18 years old, I ran in that race with Prefontaine. I set a PR but finished back in the pack and even got lapped by Pre as he set an American Record. Frank Shorter got lapped as well so I was in good company. I'm looking for pictures of that race and have only found one. Do you have any pics from that race? Maybe you might know of someone who does. Bobby Thomas

malmo wrote:

"Pre was the first Nike athlete. He was the first to wear co-founder Bill Bowerman’s spikes with the famous "swoosh" on them. Nike grew because of Pre."

The Nike Koolaid bin hadn't yet been built when Pre was running. Pre was wearing Adidas.

As far as I know, the first athlete to wear Nike in International competition was a high school kid from Lebanon Illinois.

I am going to offer George one more possibility. Here is a photo of Jon Anderson en route to his 1973 victory at the Boston marathon.

Hi Birdlegs

Read your post about seeing Prefontaine at the 1975 Sunkist. I'm looking for pictures from that race. It's the only time I was able to be in the same race with Pre. Did you bring your camera to the Sunkist?

BT

I was 8 years old during the 72 olympics. I saw Pre lose, Shorter win and the Israeli athletes killed. It is the earliest significant event I can remember in my life. People often ask me how long I have been running. I always say that I became a runner in the summer of 72.

For me it will always be those two. Both equal followed by Rodgers.

Remember first hearing about Pre's accident & death from a most unlikely source, my supervisor who just happened to catch the news on his car radio, that Fri am driving to work. Thought this was remarkable though he knew I was an avid runner then. Also mentioned, "Apparently he was unbeatable!"

Indicated to me how, up in Canada, well Pre was known then.

People either loved Pre or hated him I gathered from other runners I knew then.

I was a contemporary of his and would have hazarded a guess chances of Pre medalling in the 76 Olys 50/50. Tho' as one may say, something no one will ever know.

Same age, grew up in Eugene. He ran with elan and courage. He didn't baby himself. He never sat, which increased his exposure but made the Hayward crowd love him. That should be on his tombstone: "He never sat." I don't count Munich because he took bad advice from the Bills.

A deserved legend for both style and substance.