i didn't give Ryun respect he was due back in the '70s & when Bayi ran that fabulous solo 3'32.1 in '74 eclipsing Ryun's 3'33.1WR, me as a youngster more or less consigned Ryun to the annals of history as a faint memory from a bygone era
only when i read his story more fully & saw the brief vids, such as good part of last lap of his 3'33.1 run on dirt in heat-stroke inducing 95F off jog to 300, trouncing a kenyan who was then in '67 probably as good as the 4th or 5th best current kenyan 1500 guy today did i realise the "truth" :
http://www.efootage.com/stock-footage/80135/Jim_Ryun_Runs_Fastest_Metric_Mile_-_HD/
to assign Ryun as a "3'33.1 guy" is about as descriptive as stating Pope's reaction to michelangelo's profference :
"paint the ceiling !!!???, but he's a rock-chiseller !!!"