Pre’s stride is examined by young runners to this day as they continue to study his form. Steve’s reputation for how hard he trained and his work ethic in general helped create his unique winning style which made him a superstar of his time.
Steve Prefontaine’s personal bests:
Outdoor 1500 m: 3:38.1 (Helsinki 1973) Mile: 3:54.6 (Eugene 1973) 3000 m: 7:42.6 (Milan 1974) 2-mile: 8:18.29 (Stockholm 1974) 5000 m: 13:21.87 (Helsinki 1974) 10,000 m: 27:43.6 (Eugene 1974) Indoor Mile: 3:58.6 i (College Park 1975) 2-mile: 8:20.4 i (San Diego 1974)
“I saved the back leg until the end, knowing it would be the linchpin. There’s a remarkable balance among the forms in the leg; strong, lithe, powerful all apply to this driving force in the piece.”
Mike Leckie