The Track Shoes That Broke the 4:00-Minute MileCourtesy of www.zero-drop.com
These spikes are the real deal–theactual track shoes used by Britain’s Sir Roger Bannister when he ran the first sub-four-minute mile in 1954.
Bannister was a 25-year-old Oxford University medical student when he recorded a time of 3:59:40 seconds for the mile on May 6, 1954. Interestingly enough, he was 17 when he seriously took up running,but had never worn running spikes previously or run on a track.
Today, Bannister is 81, and lives in Oxford. He had a successful career as a world-renowned neurologist. He does weights, walking, and a little bit of running with a new hip. In 1975, he was the innocent victim in a head-on car collision. His ankle was crushed and though he was an avid hiker, he couldn’t run for over three decades. Then, serendipity spread her good fortune. He explained what happened next in a 2009 interview with the Daily Telegraph: “I found a new shoe, as used by the Kenyans based on something very cheap for them, the section of a car tyre. I thought, ‘what are these?’ and found they lead to a rolling action when you’re running, which reduces the impact. Running had always been part of my life and I had missed it. So it was wonderful, I’d always loved running in the country.”
Though he never medaled in the Olympics, Sir Roger will be right at home in the 2012 London Olympics. (Originally appeared on Zero Drop.)
