====== Bannister and Beyond ======

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  * Author: Jim Denison
  * Hardcover: 288 pages
  * Publisher: Breakaway Books (2003)
  * Language: English
  * ISBN: 1891369350

Since May 6, 1954 when [[runners:bannister roger|Roger Bannister]] broke through the wall that many said would never be breached, hundreds of milers have ran sub-four-minute miles, but the achievement is still an extraordinary one, and the four-minute mile stands as a measure of greatness. "Bannister and Beyond: The Mystique of the Four-Minute Mile" by [[runners:denison jim|Jim Denison]] contains interviews with and commentary from the great milers, from Bannister to his great rival, [[runners:landy john|John Landy]], to the stars of each succeeding decade. We hear the history of the event from the inside, including John Landy and [[runners:ibbotson derek|Derek Ibbotson]]'s recollections of the year leading up to Bannister's great moment, and the flood of extraordinary miles that followed: [[runners:bowden don|Don Bowden]]'s story of the first U.S. sub-four; [[runners:elliot herb|Herb Elliot]] on training with [[runners:cerruty percy|Percy Cerruty]] at the legendary Portsea camp; [[runners:snell peter|Peter Snell]] on training with [[runners:lydiard arthur|Arthur Lydiard]] and his Olympic conquest; [[runners:ryun jim|Jim Ryun]]'s story of his rise to greatness; [[runners:vasala pekka|Pekka Vasala]] on his Olympic win; [[runners:walker john|John Walker]] on being the first sub-3:50; [[runners:coghlan eammon|Eammon Coghlan]], [[runners:coe sebastian|Sebastian Coe]], [[runners:scott steve|Steve Scott]], and [[runners:cram steve|Steve Cram]] on the wild, record-destroying years of the 80s; and contemporary greats [[runners:ngeny noah|Noah Ngeny]] and [[runners:tanui william|William Tanui]] discussing the jaw-dropping mile records set in the 90s. All of them discuss the mile: its poetry, its rhythms, the tactics for running it, and above all, what it means to run sub-four. This is an important piece of track history, and a book to edify and inspire all runners.

[[http://www.amazon.com/dp/1891369350/?tag=worldwidercom-20|Buy this book]]

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