PRE MEMORIAL

Pre's Rock

In the very early morning hours of May 30, 1975, one of America's great running hero's died. The MG sports car he was driving through the hills and along the curving roads above the city of Eugene, Oregon hit the rock mass on the side of the road, coming out of a hard turn. The site of the accident is known as Pre's Rock. It has become a mecca of sorts. A memorial stone with Steve Prefontaine's likeness is there. People leave flowers, letters, running shoes, bib numbers, and tokens of all sorts. I once visited there, it wasn't an easy place to find.

Once I did find it, you see that many people visit there and you understand that Steve Prefontaine is a lasting and living inspiration.

Steve Prefontaine was just 24 years old on the fateful morning. Just hours earlier he had run a 2 mile race at Hayward Field on the campus of Oregon State University in Eugene. He won that race, beating Frank Shorter the 1972 Olympic marathon gold medal winner. Steve Prefontaine was the runner that captured the hearts of Oregon track and field fans and those of America in the early 70's. As a freshman at Eugene, Oregon in 1970 his picture made the cover of Sports Illustrated, as "America's Great Running Prodigy"

Pre spoke out against the injustices that American amateur athletes faced, he took on the track and field organizations and helped to change the system for the better. What would this young man have accomplished had he survived the car accident on that early morning in 1975?

Steve Prefontaine has been described as the classic front runner, he wanted to run at the front of the pack and so often he did. He held numerous American records, at age 21 he finished 4th in the Olympic 10,000 meter race. In this race won by Lasse Viren in 1972 at Munich, Prefontaine puts up one of the most exciting efforts ever seen. Every time I sit to watch it over again, I watch Pre give it all he's got and though I know the outcome, I am rooting for his victory.

" To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift."

Steve Prefontaine

Steve Prefontaine is a legend. He is one of my hero's. Pre has a permanent spot on this blog site as a tribute to who he was, what he accomplished and the inspiration that he continues to be.