Jim Ryun's world record of 3:51 is absolutely spectacular given the shoes he was wearing and the dirt track he ran on. And he was 19. Unbelievable! Great video. It's not easy to get me to sit still for 15 minutes anymore.
The 60’s are when PEDs came on the scene. So anything that happened henceforth from that time, I view with a healthy dose of skepticism. Obviously these people were great athletes, but the specter of drugs overshadows everything.
That race between El Geurrojj and Ngeny was simply incredible. Its amazing to watch two or more athletes fighting for the world record. (Btw, I broke 5 minutes in the mile for the first time on Sunday)
@@wxyz9035 this is the 50s we are talking about, smoking was "healthy" and "beneficial" there is normorus athletes that have said they smoked back then, just look it up.
@@wxyz9035 It never ceases to amaze me.how often people make assumptions despite being ignorant about a topic. It wasnt until 1964 that the surgeon general make official statementa regarding risks of smoking and provided published research to support the risks. A survey of doctors around that same time indicated that only 1/3 of them were fully aware of the link between smoking and cancers. The same statements included information about how smoking reduced birth weights, and since the studies at the time indicated that heavier babies had higher mortality rates than underweight babies some doctors still encouraged smoking during pregnancy amd smoking rates while pregnant actually rose into the 1970s. So no, they weren't fully aware because neither were most doctors during the time period in which miles started to break the 4 minute mark as the original comment clearly specifies.
El Geurrojj is the most incredible runner I have ever seen. The mile and the mile and a half are the two most intense and painful races there are. It is not the same as a marathon, that is accrued exhaustion, also painful, but the short middle distances... 4 minutes of pushing the edge of sprinting, with a half to a 1/4 lap of kick at the end. Lungs, toast. Legs, toast. Head, pulsing. Heart, at Max RPM, and the body still can't get enough oxygen. It is a good way to test your mental and physical toughness. No matter how good your physical condition is, push the pace a little too hard a little too early, and you die on the backstretch. Wait a second too long and the leaders are gone. You can't hide the truth when it is over. You will know what you got. Clock don't lie, and you will not have much trouble remembering how you felt on the last lap. It is memorable.
3 years later but i agree. 1000 and 1500 peoples in it almost Run the speed of those who race in 800 but for a longer distance that require a finishing sprint . longer distance require only an early eprint , then a marathon speed running and final slightly quicker effort so in term of economising energy the longer distances feels less demanding than the 1000 and 1500 who seems to be like peak physical activity that require endurance and good speed and not one of the 2 like in shorter or longer races . there is also a trick in 1500 is something El gerrouj used perfectly . for most of the race he always stick in front row but on 3rd . this mean those ahead of him dictate the speed he should use and economise enough for last push . those in front in other hand cannot tell whats the speed of the rest and if they are pushing hard or just giving those behind them a momentum . el gerouj almost never took first place to not give advantage to those behind him. when he took the record he was following a challenger of the record too and the pace of the race was too great but still el geroujj managed to like economise energy even though they are almost sprinting the whole race . he kept enough and that helped him to do that last sprint that made him demolish his rival. i believe if el gueroujj had a faster rival he could beat him if he follow that 3rd place strategy because he have the endurance of a marathon guy so he surely can still a lot of energy to go even faster
Yah, man, anything longer than an 800 gets painful, all the way out to about 3k. Then it changes a little, the pace is completely different, not as painful as the shorter ones. Anything between 1000 and 3000 meters is the pain zone. Not saying the other ones won't hurt you too, but the intensity is different. There is no time to find a comfortable pace, it is intense from start to finish, on the edge the whole way, and oxygen debt comes quicker. Personally, I think the mile and a half, about 2500 meters, is the most tortuous of all, in terms of intensity. That distance is a real drag to race. That is why my college wrestling coaches loved it so much. That was our timed race, and meant more to us than a practice race should i guess, but it was highly competitive, and although our best times were around 8 minutes (sad in the track world, I know), we pushed ourselves as hard as any runner. It really, really, sucked. We ran anywhere from 100 meter sprints, to ten mile runs, and that was, by far, the worst.
@7:48, one correction, John Walker is from New Zealand (traditional NZ black strip) - great video. El Guerrouj loved middle distance; 1998 he secured world record for 1500 with each lap just under 55 seconds, each 100 m was just under 13.8 seconds - in the time of 3:26.00. In 1999, El Guerrouj secures WR for one mile - both unbeaten WR today. El Geurrouj had to wait until 2004 to win Olympic gold. He, along with Nurmi, if memory serves me correctly, are the only two men to take out the 1500 m and 5000 m double. They are arguably the greatest middle distance runners, Nurmi being the most decorated.
Wow, what an amazing video and what an incredible story. Hisham El Gerruj - what an athlete! From the disappointment in Sydney in 2000 to a truly unparalleled display of sheer greatness in Athens 2004, I am just speechless.
Im hearing you I regularly run 5k events and as an older runner i struggle to run 4 minute per km We have some younger semi elite runners in our club who can run sub 5 min miles and they are seriously fast Ive never watched a sub 4 min mile race in person but can imagine its very fast Most of them look so relaxed they seem to be jogging
AMAZING video. So well done, I was absolutely glued to the screen. The mile was my favorite event in high school and my personal best was 4:31. Watching these guys run is so inspiring.
sucks how we compare these old runners to the new ones. their track, and shoes surely cause time differences. it would be interesting to put some of these guys in a time machine!
Great point. Shoe technology and track surfaces have certainly come a very very long way. Nobody in the 1920s had vaporflys or even modern track spikes.
@@peterquax8263 Peter Snell's world record was 1:44:3. Ralph Doubel equaled it in Mexico, then David Wootle ran 1:44:3 in 1972. Snell had a devastating kick but so did Wootle. Who would have won in Munich? Snell at his best or Wootle? Juantorena would have run them over in my opinion but Snell could have won in Mexico and in Munich too.
Great video. Some fantastic runners in there, Nuurmi, Ryan, Wlaker, El G - but IMO the battle between Coe and Ovett was the pinnacle of middle-distance running. Coe was the most exciting middle-distance runner to watch by far, nobody could kick like he did - but he also came across as aloof and hard to like. Great times.
Great vid! Btw John Walker is from New Zealand, not Australia, and was the first man to run 100 sub-4 min miles. I was training with him when he ruptured his achilles tendon attempting to be the first 40 year old to run a sub-4.
@@Williamottelucas it was unfortunate, I was doing 8 x 400m and he was doing 10 x 400m. The 8th one I wanted to finish strong so did 56-57 which pushed him along. Then he continued to his last two and the last one was he pulled it.
I've been watching your channel since the beginning and I'm really glad to see the way that it's taken off for you. Thanks for yet another great video and here's to your continued success!
Great video, very well done. Except for the John Walker mistake. When I was 10 I met Glenn Cunningham. I asked him if he ever broke 4 minutes in practice and he said he did.
favorite event in running. long enough to be a test of endurance, but short enough where speed is an absolute factor and required to compete. also with it being four full laps around the track there is so much strategy that can happen between each lap making the whole race interesting from start to finish. watching el geurrojj's mile record was the reason i enjoy spectating events, alongside actually running. simply unbelievable what milers can do.
Walter George: 1886 Though George's 4:12¾ was impressive, he ran some time trials in 1885 which were truly remarkable. In the first, two weeks before his professional debut against Cummings, he ran a 4:14½. Then, in Surbiton several days before the big race, he ran against some local runners with handicaps. His splits were 581⁄5, 1:583⁄5 and 3:07, and finished in a startling 4:101⁄5. Not believing their watches, the track was immediately measured: he had run six yards too far. No man would run the mile faster until 1931.
For the record, Noah Ngeny was set to be a pacemaker for El Guerrouj in the Mile record attempt. One year before, in the same Roma track, he was the pacemaker in the 3:26 historical 1500m world record by El Guerrouj. In the mile run, Ngeny went further and attempted to be the winner. I think that pushed El Guerrouj to run even faster in the final meters. Incredible run from 2 world class athletes!
Great video. I still have a VHS copy of "The Supermilers", a 1980's documentary made when Coe was the mile record-holder. Your video nicely adds on the mile history of the post-Coe era -- thanks!
Yes, we have enough trouble with our cousins from across the ditch claiming everything from pavlova to racehorses and singers to whole bands. We can't let them take credit for our greatest miler. Their sheep are ugly too.
My mile/1600m history is interesting. I always improved since 5th grade, which was when I started. Then I ran 5:17 in 7th grade, and that was a race I ran my heart out. Then in 8th grade, I ran an effortless 5:08, but I could never improve because I was always running the 800m and 400m in the same meets. I missed track freshman year of high school because I transferred. Now as a sophomore, I started the season with a 4:56, and I was relieved but not impressed. That race had killed me. My next meet I ran an effortless 4:48 and I felt thrilled. My third mile-race was a 4:46, but that was after a 2:04 800m. Now there is corona, but I'm hoping I can run a sub 4:20 for my junior year and by the time I graduate run around 4 flat.
Noooo. How could you call John Walker an Australian? He is one of New Zealand’s greatest ever milers. The first man in history to break the 3:50 barrier. New Zealand has one of the most successful histories in the 1500 / Mile events with Jack Lovelock, Sir Peter Snell (Arguably the best ever athlete to run the mile) and John Walker, all winning OLYMPIC GOLD at the 1500 meters .
Great video all the way around! Without a doubt the drop in times were the result of incredibly hard work and improved training methodologies. It would also be interesting to see how all these times evolved in parallel with improvement in spikes and, perhaps more significantly, track surfaces. What would John Paul Jones' or Bannister's time be on today's mondo surfaces. I'm certain they would not match today record, but it would be curious to find out how much time they lost to the cinder surface.
If you ever read "The Perfect Mile", Wes Santee never had the chance to run a 4 minute mile because he was banned from competition, basically since the AAA didn't like him very much. Sad way to run such a great sport then!
Yeah, I just finished reading the book. He had such bad luck. A couple of times when he was all set to break the 4-minute barrier, it rained the night before, rendering the track unusable. Then he got drafted and had limited time to train and then wasn't allowed to compete. On top of that, he was banned by the AAU for taking prize money in a race--money that the AAU itself had given him!
It's hard to compare modern runners with those of the past considering track condition and shoes. Running on cinder tracts is a lot different from the composition of modern tracts.
To my mind, this video is about the progression of 1 mile world records over 100+ years. The world record doesn’t exist in a vacuum of human talent. Training, equipment, nutrition and track surface all play a part. Won’t be any different 50 years from now.
For all the nostalgic people out there saying OLD runners could beat Hicham, I say this: you are overlooking the FACT that today’s sports are FAR more competitive. Hence WR improvement. Hicham is a freak of nature, has long legs compared to his torso and trained very hard in high altitude. NO OLD runner could beat current top 20 runners let alone Hicham. if you are saying, earth have seen in the past an intrinsically better human than Hicham given the same training, food and equipment; the answer is 99% YES. if you are saying, we had in the past better runners than Hicham (if given same food training...etc), the answer is statistically close to ZERO (i will give you 1%) I have no doubt we will be seeing a new mile WR if athletes make it a target and not only focusing on winning races. Hicham focused on WR because he was easily winning ALL his races (83/86).
Great summary of the progression. Would have been nice to see when the track surface changed from one record to the next. Obviously even those old records would have been even lower if they weren't on dirt/cinder.
Peace be to you! This was a great video! It's really interesting how we humans push ourselves to be the greatest that we can be! My own mile PR is a snail-like 5:00!🐌 However, I'm proud of the effort I put in to get to that time. These guys are AMAZING! And NOW, we have the first sub-2 hour marathon (controlled situation, but still! Go Kipchoge!😃)! Thanks again, for this great video! I can see you put alot of effort into this! RESPECT!😊❤🏃🏾♂️👣
@@hannahc5000 Yeah, I'm quite proud of it! That was many years ago. I'm much slower now. Age will do that to you. I'm 51👴🏾. I think I could pull off a 7:30. Hmmm...maybe I'll go to our local track and try!🤔
In the future please have someone review your scripts. I won't go into all your mistakes/misrepresentations, but will highlight the most obvious: 1. Coe/Ovett a. Coe did not change middle distance running b. Nor did anyone think of him as being "unchallenged" c. Ovett had beaten Coe in the 1978 European championships at 800 meters (finishing second to a drugged-up East German, Olaf Beyer) and won the 1500 meters. d. Ovett was undefeated in the mile/1500 from 1977 til the Olympics in 1980 (34 straight races) and set several mile/1500 work records during the same period as Coe. e. So Steve Ovett was considered the best mile in 1979, not Coe f. It was Coe who challenged Ovett, not the other way round 2. Records fall by mere tenths of a second a. The reason why records fell by tenths of a second was because runners were given huge bonuses for setting world records (amateurism was still in place). b. So breaking the record a tenth or so gave you the opportunity to break it again and make even more under-the-table money. c. It also increased your appearance fees (which was how they got paid but still maintain amateur status) d. Smashing a world record meant you might not be able to make another huge paid 3. 4-minute mile a. about 100 million people died in WW1 and WW2. b. so two generations of Europe's best athletes were wiped out. c. this, combined with colonialism in Africa, is why the 4-minute mile was not broke sooner.
@@rsatterth I wonder if these guys realize that there was an American Revolutionary War hero named John Paul Jones? MOdern education being what it is.....
HS track n field senior yr 1. 1st 50m 2. 1st 100m 3. 2nd 1500m. There were only 4 competitors. We lapped the other two runners on the last lap. This vid really brought back memories.
it was the fall in 1996 and the upset in 2000 that shaped El Guerrouj career and pushed him to these legendary longtime standing records and prove that he should have been the king of middle distance running since mid 90s to mid 2000s
Coe and Ovett avoiding each other was the beginning of the end of sportsmanship. And then getting to watch watching Cramm drop Coe to take the record is just delicious.
I remember when I ran a 5:01... my ass was genuinely sore and the saliva in my mouth felt like it was caked in the back of my throat! And I was radiating heat and shaking on my walk afterwards. Definitely pushed myself hard then
Haag and Andersson lowered the record regularly in 1942-43 and seemed likely to go under 4 mins soon, but WWII eventually led to less events and they didn't make it.
Pretty good history here of the mile - but there are a few things I think should have been mentioned. First, the role of 19th century professionals in the event, and the great British miler Walter George. He ran 4:12 3/4 in 1886, a time not surpassed by an amateur until, arguably, Paavo Nurmi 37 years later. (Norman Taber's 4:12.6 was rounded to the fifth of a second, George's 4:12 3/4 to the quarter of a second, so we can't know who was faster given the margin of error.) Otherwise, it makes sense to start with the IAAF's first ratified record as you did. Second, I think Herb Elliot should have been emphasized more as probably the greatest miler of his generation. Not only did he retire undefeated, he did what only one other miler accomplished in history - breaking the world record for the 1,500 m at the Olympics. (The mile has never been an event at the Olympics, the 1,500 m, aka the "metric mile," is the event milers run there, 109 m short of a mile.) Many mile record holders also won 1,500, gold at the Olympics, but only Elliot and Jack Lovelock have set world records in so doing. Third, a mention that the mile is the sole non-metric distance considered for world record recognition. And that since the event is not as closely watched in the metric world, the biggest meets in Europe don't often have the event anymore. It's part of the reason why Guerrouj's record has now stood 20 years, though, admittedly, his record is truly stupendous - I doubt anyone would have come close even if every meet had a mile race included. Fourth, some 23 men have set world records starting in 1913, not 32. There have been 32 world records in the event, by 23 men.
I’ve just started running so my numbers aren’t good I’m a hockey player so I’m more use to a minute and a half max sprint then rest for 2 mins then repeat but my best mile so far (more trying for distance keep in mind) has been 7:51 and I was dead after and to think these guys finished when I was half way done is astonishing to me
Ryan B I suggest you study about interval training in the 200, 300, 400 meters range rather than a minute & a half at max. You'll get in shape quicker at those distances than what you're doing. For instance, run 200 meters at 40 seconds with a 200 meter jog between. Do 8 200s. If its easy, cut down the time to 35-38 seconds or so, but keep the 200 jog between each 200. Interval training will enable your body to remove lactic acid buildup quicker. Learn to breath by pushing your stomach OUT while breathing in. This makes your lungs expand into your lower thoracic cavity rather than pushing against your rib cage. Get some good shoes with an elevated heel while training. Train on softer surfaces, grass or artificial track. No hard surfaces like asphalt. Eat lots of protein as a good interval workout will tear your body down and you need to feed it properly. Every body has a genetic makeup of fast & slow twitch muscles. Sprinters have a lot of fast twitch, distance runners have more slow twitch. Whatever type you are, you will need to personalize your workout to your body type. The internet has a lot of info available. Use it. Do the research. You could probably personalize your program to your ice skating. Same theory: work hard, short rest, work hard, short rest. and so on.
Jim Ryun's world record of 3:51 is absolutely spectacular given the shoes he was wearing and the dirt track he ran on. And he was 19. Unbelievable!
Great video. It's not easy to get me to sit still for 15 minutes anymore.
His high school mile record stood for nearly 36 years
The 60’s are when PEDs came on the scene. So anything that happened henceforth from that time, I view with a healthy dose of skepticism. Obviously these people were great athletes, but the specter of drugs overshadows everything.
he ran 3 mins 58 not 51
Ryun was also a smooth runner!!!! He ran effortlessly!!!
@@patrickkelly7085 wrong
That race between El Geurrojj and Ngeny was simply incredible. Its amazing to watch two or more athletes fighting for the world record. (Btw, I broke 5 minutes in the mile for the first time on Sunday)
Congrats dude!
What car were you driving.
The 4 minute barrier was pretty hard to break when smoking was considered a diet staple.
and cure for indigestion and other GI issues (thanks, medical community)
@@wxyz9035 this is the 50s we are talking about, smoking was "healthy" and "beneficial" there is normorus athletes that have said they smoked back then, just look it up.
@@wxyz9035 It never ceases to amaze me.how often people make assumptions despite being ignorant about a topic. It wasnt until 1964 that the surgeon general make official statementa regarding risks of smoking and provided published research to support the risks. A survey of doctors around that same time indicated that only 1/3 of them were fully aware of the link between smoking and cancers. The same statements included information about how smoking reduced birth weights, and since the studies at the time indicated that heavier babies had higher mortality rates than underweight babies some doctors still encouraged smoking during pregnancy amd smoking rates while pregnant actually rose into the 1970s. So no, they weren't fully aware because neither were most doctors during the time period in which miles started to break the 4 minute mark as the original comment clearly specifies.
@@SiFuJasper to be fair it does seem to help some colon issues for whatever reason but yeah cigs are bad mmkay
@@GotDamBoi South Park reference I see 🌚
El Geurrojj is the most incredible runner I have ever seen. The mile and the mile and a half are the two most intense and painful races there are. It is not the same as a marathon, that is accrued exhaustion, also painful, but the short middle distances... 4 minutes of pushing the edge of sprinting, with a half to a 1/4 lap of kick at the end. Lungs, toast. Legs, toast. Head, pulsing. Heart, at Max RPM, and the body still can't get enough oxygen. It is a good way to test your mental and physical toughness. No matter how good your physical condition is, push the pace a little too hard a little too early, and you die on the backstretch. Wait a second too long and the leaders are gone. You can't hide the truth when it is over. You will know what you got. Clock don't lie, and you will not have much trouble remembering how you felt on the last lap. It is memorable.
3 years later but i agree.
1000 and 1500 peoples in it almost Run the speed of those who race in 800 but for a longer distance that require a finishing sprint . longer distance require only an early eprint , then a marathon speed running and final slightly quicker effort so in term of economising energy the longer distances feels less demanding than the 1000 and 1500 who seems to be like peak physical activity that require endurance and good speed and not one of the 2 like in shorter or longer races .
there is also a trick in 1500 is something El gerrouj used perfectly . for most of the race he always stick in front row but on 3rd . this mean those ahead of him dictate the speed he should use and economise enough for last push . those in front in other hand cannot tell whats the speed of the rest and if they are pushing hard or just giving those behind them a momentum . el gerouj almost never took first place to not give advantage to those behind him.
when he took the record he was following a challenger of the record too and the pace of the race was too great but still el geroujj managed to like economise energy even though they are almost sprinting the whole race . he kept enough and that helped him to do that last sprint that made him demolish his rival.
i believe if el gueroujj had a faster rival he could beat him if he follow that 3rd place strategy because he have the endurance of a marathon guy so he surely can still a lot of energy to go even faster
Yah, man, anything longer than an 800 gets painful, all the way out to about 3k. Then it changes a little, the pace is completely different, not as painful as the shorter ones. Anything between 1000 and 3000 meters is the pain zone. Not saying the other ones won't hurt you too, but the intensity is different. There is no time to find a comfortable pace, it is intense from start to finish, on the edge the whole way, and oxygen debt comes quicker. Personally, I think the mile and a half, about 2500 meters, is the most tortuous of all, in terms of intensity. That distance is a real drag to race. That is why my college wrestling coaches loved it so much. That was our timed race, and meant more to us than a practice race should i guess, but it was highly competitive, and although our best times were around 8 minutes (sad in the track world, I know), we pushed ourselves as hard as any runner. It really, really, sucked. We ran anywhere from 100 meter sprints, to ten mile runs, and that was, by far, the worst.
When you've just ran a 3:43 mile, and STILL didn't win.....WOW!!!
I think three people have broken previous world records in races they didn't actually win.
Utter madness!
🤣
His drugs weren't as good as the other guy's.
@GareRhett PREVIOUS world records
Nurmi has to be one of the most underrated athletes of all time, nice of you to give him a proper nod in this
@7:48, one correction, John Walker is from New Zealand (traditional NZ black strip) - great video. El Guerrouj loved middle distance; 1998 he secured world record for 1500 with each lap just under 55 seconds, each 100 m was just under 13.8 seconds - in the time of 3:26.00. In 1999, El Guerrouj secures WR for one mile - both unbeaten WR today. El Geurrouj had to wait until 2004 to win Olympic gold. He, along with Nurmi, if memory serves me correctly, are the only two men to take out the 1500 m and 5000 m double. They are arguably the greatest middle distance runners, Nurmi being the most decorated.
Why do so many Americans confuse New Zealand with Australia?
Wow, what an amazing video and what an incredible story. Hisham El Gerruj - what an athlete! From the disappointment in Sydney in 2000 to a truly unparalleled display of sheer greatness in Athens 2004, I am just speechless.
Wow, I was at work and on a break happened to see this and I was just mesmerized. This is AWESOME! Great historian of the sport. Love these videos :)
When you realize people from 1913 are still faster than you
Actual, a runner from the UK, Walter George, ran a time of 4min 12 secs in 1886! It's a pity that he didn't get a mention.
Lol I am sure you can outrun them today
@@yuvalomrad7090 what?!? Haw you tried to run a mile that fast
@@jangold4652 he means u could outrun those people today because they’d be old (well dead)
@@evanmcleod183 ohhh
I have trouble breaking a 4 minute mile on a bicycle.
You're lucky: I have trouble breaking 4 minutes on a bus !
And that's with no traffic !
Downhill?
@@djangorheinhardt lol
Im hearing you
I regularly run 5k events and as an older runner i struggle to run 4 minute per km
We have some younger semi elite runners in our club who can run sub 5 min miles and they are seriously fast
Ive never watched a sub 4 min mile race in person but can imagine its very fast
Most of them look so relaxed they seem to be jogging
AMAZING video. So well done, I was absolutely glued to the screen. The mile was my favorite event in high school and my personal best was 4:31. Watching these guys run is so inspiring.
sucks how we compare these old runners to the new ones. their track, and shoes surely cause time differences. it would be interesting to put some of these guys in a time machine!
Great point. Shoe technology and track surfaces have certainly come a very very long way. Nobody in the 1920s had vaporflys or even modern track spikes.
Nutrition and training advances play a much higher role.
Jim Ruyn is the greatest 1 miler talent ever.
Peter Snell's 800m record, set on grass, would still rate in most international races today. I believe his shoes were made by Arthur Lydiard.
@@peterquax8263 Peter Snell's world record was 1:44:3. Ralph Doubel equaled it in Mexico, then David Wootle ran 1:44:3 in 1972.
Snell had a devastating kick but so did Wootle. Who would have won in Munich?
Snell at his best or Wootle?
Juantorena would have run them over in my opinion but Snell could have won in Mexico and in Munich too.
Amazing video - thanks so much!!! Love the history of the mile!! So well done. Note: Walker is from New Zealand.
This is well done, loved watching the record progress!
Coe, Ovette & Cram. What a spectacular period in British athletics.
Agreed! They were excellent runners.
@C B S Met Steve Ovett at a small function last year, had a few drinks with him. Great down to earth guy
@@colinj5099 Does he still live in Australia ?
the Coe v Ovette rivalry would make for a great movie
I remember august 1981 with great affection, Coe & Ovett breaking records every other week, happy times!
Beautiful documentry on the sport as a former competitive distance runner you earned a subscription.
You know running 👍👍👍
Jim Ryun went to my high school, we have a statue of him by our athletic entrance.
Show teh video when he was tripped in the Olympics...that was a heart-breaker.
How many school records does he still hold?
His world record, the race was run on a cinder track, and no one-paced him. No, custom made synthetic tracks and no pacers helping the runner out.
John Walker is from New Zealand not Australia, even running in Black strip with silver fern in video
Diego Rivera yeah and no one asked for your input either buddy
Thank you, Darryn. Was bothering me the rest of the video.
@Diego Rivera No one asked? I did.
It was bothering me too.
@Diego Rivera I'm not your buddy, guy!
Great video with great research and narration. This is a high quality RUclips channel!😀💯
That was EXCELLENT Thank you!
Great video. Some fantastic runners in there, Nuurmi, Ryan, Wlaker, El G - but IMO the battle between Coe and Ovett was the pinnacle of middle-distance running. Coe was the most exciting middle-distance runner to watch by far, nobody could kick like he did - but he also came across as aloof and hard to like. Great times.
Great vid! Btw John Walker is from New Zealand, not Australia, and was the first man to run 100 sub-4 min miles. I was training with him when he ruptured his achilles tendon attempting to be the first 40 year old to run a sub-4.
As a Kiwi, an avid follower of John Walker, I never knew just what prevented his 40th birthday attempt, so thanks for the info!
@@Williamottelucas it was unfortunate, I was doing 8 x 400m and he was doing 10 x 400m. The 8th one I wanted to finish strong so did 56-57 which pushed him along. Then he continued to his last two and the last one was he pulled it.
@@NewMavericks I so miss those days when John, Rod Dixon, Dick Quax and others were competing.
I've been watching your channel since the beginning and I'm really glad to see the way that it's taken off for you. Thanks for yet another great video and here's to your continued success!
El G the living *Legend* I salute you sir.
Superior coverage! Great film archive & the announcer as well as the music is excellent!
Lovely video, it’s incredible how times has changed over the years 👍🏻
I'm sure no pun was intended 😅
Nice video, Summoning Salt!
Whoop whooop ,a TRP notification!
What a great overview, awesome!
That's the beauty of you thank you TRP for your efforts
Fantastic... greatest track-story ever told...!
Great video, very well done. Except for the John Walker mistake. When I was 10 I met Glenn Cunningham. I asked him if he ever broke 4 minutes in practice and he said he did.
favorite event in running. long enough to be a test of endurance, but short enough where speed is an absolute factor and required to compete. also with it being four full laps around the track there is so much strategy that can happen between each lap making the whole race interesting from start to finish. watching el geurrojj's mile record was the reason i enjoy spectating events, alongside actually running. simply unbelievable what milers can do.
The Old Dudes up through the '60s who ran on gravel "cinder tracks".......respect. The modern rubberized concrete is way faster and easier to jam on.
Peter Snell, need I say more ?
I like all of your videos. The commentary and music is very good.
Walter George: 1886
Though George's 4:12¾ was impressive, he ran some time trials in 1885 which were truly remarkable. In the first, two weeks before his professional debut against Cummings, he ran a 4:14½. Then, in Surbiton several days before the big race, he ran against some local runners with handicaps. His splits were 581⁄5, 1:583⁄5 and 3:07, and finished in a startling 4:101⁄5. Not believing their watches, the track was immediately measured: he had run six yards too far. No man would run the mile faster until 1931.
For the record, Noah Ngeny was set to be a pacemaker for El Guerrouj in the Mile record attempt. One year before, in the same Roma track, he was the pacemaker in the 3:26 historical 1500m world record by El Guerrouj. In the mile run, Ngeny went further and attempted to be the winner. I think that pushed El Guerrouj to run even faster in the final meters.
Incredible run from 2 world class athletes!
That beat changed when the African entered the room! 😂 respect!
Great video. I still have a VHS copy of "The Supermilers", a 1980's documentary made when Coe was the mile record-holder. Your video nicely adds on the mile history of the post-Coe era -- thanks!
Geoffrey Owers - Really? Could you digitise it and post it?
I met Jim Ryun last year. It was really cool.
Nathan Pinto yee he visited my cross country team cause my coach and him are friends, and he’s a super nice guy.
@@keatonsilver2662 Yea same. Which meet?
Nathan Pinto he came to our practice one day at san juan hills hs.
Now they be making speedrun history videos for real life? *summoning salt music starting*
We would love to claim him, but John Walker is a kiwi.
Thanks. Agreed. Seems like a basic fact to get wrong.
Especially when showing him running in black with a silver fern on his chest.
John Walker is from New Zealand not Australia, even running in Black strip with silver fern in video
Yes, we have enough trouble with our cousins from across the ditch claiming everything from pavlova to racehorses and singers to whole bands. We can't let them take credit for our greatest miler. Their sheep are ugly too.
holy crap this video was so epic. like how do you make such good content wow... goosebumps
I’m about to drive a mile 🚗💨
Good luck hope you break some records lmao.
Another brilliant piece of athletics history, well done.
Total Running Productions JOHN WALKER is from New Zealand 🇳🇿 he’s a KIWI - not Australian. Good video though !
That is insane! What a history! Great job mate.
H El Guerrouj for eternity !...©️🇲🇦🇲🇦©️
How does this channel not have at least 1 mil subs?!
Facts
My mile/1600m history is interesting. I always improved since 5th grade, which was when I started. Then I ran 5:17 in 7th grade, and that was a race I ran my heart out. Then in 8th grade, I ran an effortless 5:08, but I could never improve because I was always running the 800m and 400m in the same meets. I missed track freshman year of high school because I transferred. Now as a sophomore, I started the season with a 4:56, and I was relieved but not impressed. That race had killed me. My next meet I ran an effortless 4:48 and I felt thrilled. My third mile-race was a 4:46, but that was after a 2:04 800m. Now there is corona, but I'm hoping I can run a sub 4:20 for my junior year and by the time I graduate run around 4 flat.
What is your weekly mileage?
@@konroh2 as a rising senior I’m hitting around 60-70 miles a week
@@markmasaka546 So you improved your times I'm sure. Keep pushing yourself. I think you can improve both raw speed and your endurance.
any updates 2 years later?
Fantastic video!!
I was told by a friend of John Walker, that when John ran WR in 3:49....he also ran 3:50 for mile in a WORKOUT
@fatty89098 how do you figure that ?
Bullshit
Bullshit
That was fascinating, loved that slice of athletics history!
Can you please do Wilson Boit kipketer of Kenya who broke the stringent records of 800m records?
Oh he'll definitely be a feature soon!
Fantastic video. Thanks
Noooo. How could you call John Walker an Australian? He is one of New Zealand’s greatest ever milers. The first man in history to break the 3:50 barrier. New Zealand has one of the most successful histories in the 1500 / Mile events with Jack Lovelock, Sir Peter Snell (Arguably the best ever athlete to run the mile) and John Walker, all winning OLYMPIC GOLD at the 1500 meters .
The black uniform should have given it away
Great video all the way around! Without a doubt the drop in times were the result of incredibly hard work and improved training methodologies. It would also be interesting to see how all these times evolved in parallel with improvement in spikes and, perhaps more significantly, track surfaces. What would John Paul Jones' or Bannister's time be on today's mondo surfaces. I'm certain they would not match today record, but it would be curious to find out how much time they lost to the cinder surface.
If you ever read "The Perfect Mile", Wes Santee never had the chance to run a 4 minute mile because he was banned from competition, basically since the AAA didn't like him very much. Sad way to run such a great sport then!
Weber Longo Thanks I looked him up and yes he was indeed a good runner. Shame they banned him
Yeah, I just finished reading the book. He had such bad luck. A couple of times when he was all set to break the 4-minute barrier, it rained the night before, rendering the track unusable. Then he got drafted and had limited time to train and then wasn't allowed to compete. On top of that, he was banned by the AAU for taking prize money in a race--money that the AAU itself had given him!
Awesome piece
I have to say Steve Cram is an amazing commentator as well
Awesome presentation---!!!
Can you do a video about pacers and what are their impacts on different types of races, how are they recruited and what tactics are they following?
This was AWESOME!!!!
It's hard to compare modern runners with those of the past considering track condition and shoes. Running on cinder tracts is a lot different from the composition of modern tracts.
What would be the ideal track condition, and why hasn't it happened in 20 years?
To my mind, this video is about the progression of 1 mile world records over 100+ years. The world record doesn’t exist in a vacuum of human talent. Training, equipment, nutrition and track surface all play a part. Won’t be any different 50 years from now.
Man,I live your content...I learn the History of my fave sport
For all the nostalgic people out there saying OLD runners could beat Hicham, I say this:
you are overlooking the FACT that today’s sports are FAR more competitive. Hence WR improvement. Hicham is a freak of nature, has long legs compared to his torso and trained very hard in high altitude. NO OLD runner could beat current top 20 runners let alone Hicham.
if you are saying, earth have seen in the past an intrinsically better human than Hicham given the same training, food and equipment; the answer is 99% YES.
if you are saying, we had in the past better runners than Hicham (if given same food training...etc), the answer is statistically close to ZERO (i will give you 1%)
I have no doubt we will be seeing a new mile WR if athletes make it a target and not only focusing on winning races. Hicham focused on WR because he was easily winning ALL his races (83/86).
Great summary of the progression. Would have been nice to see when the track surface changed from one record to the next. Obviously even those old records would have been even lower if they weren't on dirt/cinder.
Late 60's. 68 Olympics in Mexico were run on 3M's Tartan Track.
Errata: John Walker, running in Black strip (NZ colours) is a New Zealander. Loved watching this nonetheless.
Three world record holders were New Zealanders - Lovelock, Snell and Walker - quite an achievement from such a small country
Great video. Thanks so much !
John Walker ran 135 sub 4 minute mile races by the time he retired, incredible
Great video! Hope you make it big one day!
Peace be to you! This was a great video! It's really interesting how we humans push ourselves to be the greatest that we can be! My own mile PR is a snail-like 5:00!🐌 However, I'm proud of the effort I put in to get to that time. These guys are AMAZING! And NOW, we have the first sub-2 hour marathon (controlled situation, but still! Go Kipchoge!😃)! Thanks again, for this great video! I can see you put alot of effort into this! RESPECT!😊❤🏃🏾♂️👣
Omar Abdul-Malik DHEd, MPAS, PA-C 5:00 flat is really good still
@@hannahc5000 Yeah, I'm quite proud of it! That was many years ago. I'm much slower now. Age will do that to you. I'm 51👴🏾. I think I could pull off a 7:30. Hmmm...maybe I'll go to our local track and try!🤔
That's half a minute faster than I ever was. Well done!
5 minutes isn't bad, certainly not snail-like at all
Thank you brother. Fantastic.
In the future please have someone review your scripts. I won't go into all your mistakes/misrepresentations, but will highlight the most obvious:
1. Coe/Ovett
a. Coe did not change middle distance running
b. Nor did anyone think of him as being "unchallenged"
c. Ovett had beaten Coe in the 1978 European championships at 800 meters (finishing second to a drugged-up East German, Olaf Beyer) and won the 1500 meters.
d. Ovett was undefeated in the mile/1500 from 1977 til the Olympics in 1980 (34 straight races) and set several mile/1500 work records during the same period as Coe.
e. So Steve Ovett was considered the best mile in 1979, not Coe
f. It was Coe who challenged Ovett, not the other way round
2. Records fall by mere tenths of a second
a. The reason why records fell by tenths of a second was because runners were given huge bonuses for setting world records (amateurism was still in place).
b. So breaking the record a tenth or so gave you the opportunity to break it again and make even more under-the-table money.
c. It also increased your appearance fees (which was how they got paid but still maintain amateur status)
d. Smashing a world record meant you might not be able to make another huge paid
3. 4-minute mile
a. about 100 million people died in WW1 and WW2.
b. so two generations of Europe's best athletes were wiped out.
c. this, combined with colonialism in Africa, is why the 4-minute mile was not broke sooner.
I love how they keep the mile because of its rich history. .
This was done so well. Thanks
Was that John Paul Jones before he joined Led Zeppelin?
Then switched to bass and mandolin. Great miler even greater musician.
Shut the fuck up
no, it was after he said "I have yet to begin to fight".....
DarthHenry44 you see how nobody cares about what you have to say
@@rsatterth I wonder if these guys realize that there was an American Revolutionary War hero named John Paul Jones? MOdern education being what it is.....
HS track n field senior yr
1. 1st 50m
2. 1st 100m
3. 2nd 1500m. There were only 4 competitors. We lapped the other two runners on the last lap. This vid really brought back memories.
Remember my name Mehdi Yanouri from Berkane,Morocco 🇲🇦
What are your times?
Congratulations on you 800m at Texas A&M! Keep up the good work khoya!
Because??
Oh, mine is Mike by way of Ireland and US...pleasure!
Allahisahal 3lik a choya
courage frère 7merna wjehna
Great video but somewhat marred by calling John Walker an Australian! Like Peter Snell, he's a Kiwi.
Alan Webb ran 3:46 back in July 2007.....that's the closes ive seen anyone get to 3:43
it was the fall in 1996 and the upset in 2000 that shaped El Guerrouj career and pushed him to these legendary longtime standing records and prove that he should have been the king of middle distance running since mid 90s to mid 2000s
I’m trying to break 5 in the mile, it’s my first year in track, we’ll see how it goes😬
Logan Churchill ok nigga and?
@@radicalbradical3164 someone jelly
Nice man goodluck. What grade are u in?
Best of luck dude 😊🏃🏻♂️
@@radicalbradical3164 ok and? I don't remember anybody asking
Coe and Ovett avoiding each other was the beginning of the end of sportsmanship. And then getting to watch watching Cramm drop Coe to take the record is just delicious.
85 was not a good year for Coe. I understand he only ran because he had made a commitment he did not want to break.
The only thing I broke in four minutes was wind.
How many times? might have been a world record
Great video!! I love these!
My best mile was 5.01 and I puked afterwards. These guys are just incredible in their performances.
I remember when I ran a 5:01... my ass was genuinely sore and the saliva in my mouth felt like it was caked in the back of my throat! And I was radiating heat and shaking on my walk afterwards. Definitely pushed myself hard then
Brilliant video
John Walker is from New Zealand, not Australia.
I'm an overweight guy that never runs or jogs just walks. But I hope to get my 15min to 5min one day :) wish me luck bois
Mr. okay good luck
Fattass
@@mypenishuge3499 fuck you
@@mypenishuge3499 its temporary mate :)
break a leg
Wow this is amazing. Thank you
I question the accuracy of those times before 1960s
Accurate enough, it was only to one tenth of a second at the time, rounded up
Same... besides the whole world wasn't a part of the race either like u til 1970s and 80s so saying world record is the dumbest shit ever.
Inspirational, Thank so much
Haag and Andersson lowered the record regularly in 1942-43 and seemed likely to go under 4 mins soon, but WWII eventually led to less events and they didn't make it.
4 laps
440y
880y
1320y
Finish
Pretty good history here of the mile - but there are a few things I think should have been mentioned. First, the role of 19th century professionals in the event, and the great British miler Walter George. He ran 4:12 3/4 in 1886, a time not surpassed by an amateur until, arguably, Paavo Nurmi 37 years later. (Norman Taber's 4:12.6 was rounded to the fifth of a second, George's 4:12 3/4 to the quarter of a second, so we can't know who was faster given the margin of error.) Otherwise, it makes sense to start with the IAAF's first ratified record as you did.
Second, I think Herb Elliot should have been emphasized more as probably the greatest miler of his generation. Not only did he retire undefeated, he did what only one other miler accomplished in history - breaking the world record for the 1,500 m at the Olympics. (The mile has never been an event at the Olympics, the 1,500 m, aka the "metric mile," is the event milers run there, 109 m short of a mile.) Many mile record holders also won 1,500, gold at the Olympics, but only Elliot and Jack Lovelock have set world records in so doing.
Third, a mention that the mile is the sole non-metric distance considered for world record recognition. And that since the event is not as closely watched in the metric world, the biggest meets in Europe don't often have the event anymore. It's part of the reason why Guerrouj's record has now stood 20 years, though, admittedly, his record is truly stupendous - I doubt anyone would have come close even if every meet had a mile race included.
Fourth, some 23 men have set world records starting in 1913, not 32. There have been 32 world records in the event, by 23 men.
I’ve just started running so my numbers aren’t good I’m a hockey player so I’m more use to a minute and a half max sprint then rest for 2 mins then repeat but my best mile so far (more trying for distance keep in mind) has been 7:51 and I was dead after and to think these guys finished when I was half way done is astonishing to me
Ryan B I suggest you study about interval training in the 200, 300, 400 meters range rather than a minute & a half at max. You'll get in shape quicker at those distances than what you're doing.
For instance, run 200 meters at 40 seconds with a 200 meter jog between. Do 8 200s. If its easy, cut down the time to 35-38 seconds or so, but keep the 200 jog between each 200.
Interval training will enable your body to remove lactic acid buildup quicker. Learn to breath by pushing your stomach OUT while breathing in. This makes your lungs expand into your lower thoracic cavity rather than pushing against your rib cage.
Get some good shoes with an elevated heel while training. Train on softer surfaces, grass or artificial track. No hard surfaces like asphalt.
Eat lots of protein as a good interval workout will tear your body down and you need to feed it properly.
Every body has a genetic makeup of fast & slow twitch muscles. Sprinters have a lot of fast twitch, distance runners have more slow twitch. Whatever type you are, you will need to personalize your workout to your body type.
The internet has a lot of info available. Use it. Do the research.
You could probably personalize your program to your ice skating.
Same theory: work hard, short rest, work hard, short rest. and so on.
great video
Let’s not forget that Peter Snell’s world records were run on grass tracks.
Great video