2018 Dead Pool

Quote: Ayecarumba

That’s awesome! What do you recall?

It was hotter than hell that day and we were on the side of stadium with no shade. Dad bought woven straw Chinese cooley hats for us or we would have probably gotten heat stroke. I remember how disgusted my dad was when Landy looked over his wrong shoulder and Bannister passed him on the other side to win the race.

I also remember the end of the marathon. The race ended with a lap of the stadium. The leader came into the stadium and was less than 100 yards from the finish line and the heat got to him. He was stumbing, falling then getting up and moving a little closer towards the finish line. This was all before the 2nd place runner was even in the stadium. It was painful to watch. He was about 100' from the finish line and went down again. Someone came out from the side of the track and helped him up. He probably would of made the finish line on his own but that help got him disqualified.

I have to assume 4 minutes was the goal because in the US anyway each lap at most tracks was 1/4 mile . 4 minutes = 4 laps and an average speed of 15 miles per hour.

On my best day as a young man I probably barely beat 15 mph in a full out sprint.

Quote: odiousgambit

I have to assume 4 minutes was the goal because in the US anyway each lap at most tracks was 1/4 mile . 4 minutes = 4 laps and an average speed of 15 miles per hour.

On my best day as a young man I probably barely beat 15 mph in a full out sprint.

First gym class unit in high school for me was running. I was always the slowest around, except for some girls who clearly dogged it the whole way. You were graded on time, and could either try again or just run/walk. I figured try again, young and dumb. I push it the last turn and Mr. Rosensteel calls out "7:30!" I was happy to beat 8 minutes.

Then he tells me it was really about 8:15 but he cut me a break because he saw me turning it on the last part of the way. Trophy for trying, but at least in my day they then told you the failure you were!

Quote: AZDuffman

First gym class unit in high school for me was running. I was always the slowest around,

I couldn't run, I always got a huge pain
in my side and had to stop. This would
get the gym teacher screaming at me,
but I just couldn't do it. Now we know
if you have pain inside, STOP RUNNING.
But in the 60's it meant you were a
quitter and probably a fag (not joking).
It was awful.

Quote: Evenbob

I couldn't run, I always got a huge pain
in my side and had to stop. This would
get the gym teacher screaming at me,
but I just couldn't do it. Now we know
if you have pain inside, STOP RUNNING.
But in the 60's it meant you were a
quitter and probably a fag (not joking).
It was awful.

I had something very similar, run less than ten minutes and big pain just below right bottom rib. Recently had and emergency gall bladder removal and they said it should have come out 15-20 years ago. That pain, I always associated with gall bladder?

Quote: kenarman

It was hotter than hell that day and we were on the side of stadium with no shade. Dad bought woven straw Chinese cooley hats for us or we would have probably gotten heat stroke. I remember how disgusted my dad was when Landy looked over his wrong shoulder and Bannister passed him on the other side to win the race.

I also remember the end of the marathon. The race ended with a lap of the stadium. The leader came into the stadium and was less than 100 yards from the finish line and the heat got to him. He was stumbing, falling then getting up and moving a little closer towards the finish line. This was all before the 2nd place runner was even in the stadium. It was painful to watch. He was about 100' from the finish line and went down again. Someone came out from the side of the track and helped him up. He probably would of made the finish line on his own but that help got him disqualified.

Thanks kenarman. Do you recall if a big deal was made about it in the stadium? I recall hearing that folks expected it to fall as there were sub 4:05 times starting to pop up in the weeks preceding. Still, I would have loved to be there for a historic achievement.

Quote: Evenbob

I couldn't run, I always got a huge pain
in my side and had to stop. This would
get the gym teacher screaming at me,
but I just couldn't do it. Now we know
if you have pain inside, STOP RUNNING.
But in the 60's it meant you were a
quitter and probably a fag (not joking).
It was awful.

I was always trying he slowest runner. It was not until I was older I found my dad was the same way.

I can imagine if I was on “Cops” and getting arrested. They’d ask why I didn’t run and I’d say what a waste of time that would be. If I was a cop every dope dealer could simply run away.

80s weren’t much different than the 60s in how you were treated if you were slow.

Quote: Ayecarumba

Thanks kenarman. Do you recall if a big deal was made about it in the stadium? I recall hearing that folks expected it to fall as there were sub 4:05 times starting to pop up in the weeks preceding. Still, I would have loved to be there for a historic achievement.

The race was set up by the results earlier in the year. Bannister broke the 4 minute mile earlier in the year in England. Landy then broke that record 44 days later. This created huge excitement about their first head to head meeting in Vancouver. They both were sub 4 minutes in Vancouver, the first time that had happened. The stadium was packed that day and had reporters from all over the world.

Stephen Hawking at 76

It is strangely apt that he died on Pi Day.