Lane 8.org

Hayward Field, University of Oregon

Steve Prefontaine, was America’s distance running prodigy in the late 1960′s and early 1970′s, until his tragic and untimely death in 1974.

Pre held every American running record from 2,000 meters to 10,000 meters.

Pre ignited the “jogging craze” of the 1970′s.

Pre challenged authority.

He challenged his coach, Bill Bowerman (who was starting a little shoe company later called Nike).

Steve Prefontaine wasn’t a runner, he was a rebel.

A rebel who just so happened to also be a runner.

Do you have guts, courage?

Where does your strength come from? Here’s a decent source of mine.

Pre's Passion Is Legendary

Steve Prefontaine's Legacy

Here’s my personal favorite tip to stay motivated.

Find a million ways.

Who’s going to be more passionate and concerned for your motivation than you?

Seriously.  Who?

Studying others who’ve overcome obstacles is just one way.  It’s one of my favorite ways.  Steve Prefontaine, a rebel, also happened to be a runner.

And in the process, with his relentless courage and determination, he changed the way Americans thought, and continue to think, about running. He held every American running record from 2,000 – 10,000 meters.

In his greatest race at the 1972 Munich Olympics, he finished fourth.  No medal. No glory.  No hero’s welcome.

But yet, he’s the only athlete Nike has ever immortalized in a bronze statue.  Ever.  Any sport.  Period.

Hayward Field, Oregon 2009

World Championships, Finland 2009

What is Lane 8?

Lane 8 is the worst lane in Track & Field.  Fast runners are put in the middle lanes and slower runners are assigned the outer lanes.  The slowest competitor is always assigned Lane 8.

And in the 400 meters, which I compete in, you stay in your lane the entire race.  The way the starting lines are staggered, makes it look like Lane 8 is way out in front, when in fact, it’s the exact same distance as the others.

So many consider lane 8 the worst lane because you cannot see any of the other competitors, until they pass you.

My goal is to be in Lane 8, the worst lane.  And I also don’t care if I come in last.  Seriously.

Our son (9) says, “Dad, you want the worst lane and you don’t care if you come in last?”

(Pause for effect, and read each of the next three sentences with decent pauses in between)

“That’s right, son, Lane 8.  In the finals.  At the World Championships.”

I continued the answer for our son, “You can come in last and still be the eighth best in the entire world.”

I then shared the moral of the story with our son:

“You can go through life and set the bar low, reach it, but then live with the regret of wondering what you could have done if you tried harder.  Or, you can set the bar ridiculously high, fail, and yet live with peace because you know in your heart you did your very best.”

Ya with me?

Here’s another short, quirky You Tube video from jeff noel at University of Oregon and Track Town USA.

If you are not a Track fan, that’s ok. This blog isn’t about Track anyway, it’s about excellence, our physical well-being and our approach to what we do with it.

But you already knew that, right?

Lane 8 Vision From Hayward Field.  Visited University of Oregon a few days ago.  Here’s a short You Tube summarizing how Lane 8 came to be:

Worst lane and come in last. I’m good with that. Seriously.

In the finals.  At the World Championships.  Ya with me?

Hayward Field is more fantastic than it looks on film or TV.

Maybe a year or so ago it seemed like a place to visit, based on the things that touch a runner’s soul.

Well yesterday, put a big old check mark next to Hayward Field.

While there, had a great conversation with Mr. Ron.  He’s in charge of Hayward Field and has been there 28 years.  What are the odds of meeting him?  Mac Wilkins was his javelin coach.  Small world.

Ran 5,000 meters in honor of Steve Prefontaine’s signature race.

Alan Webb You Tube video, breaking the USA National High School record for one mile, at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, May 28, 2001.

Here’s an article with Alan Webb’s story from that day.

By the way, the great Jim Ryan held the previous record for 36 years.   This was a monumental day in High School Track & Field.

The winner of the race was Hicham El Guerrouj, from Morocco, the world record-holder, who ran 3:49.92, the fastest mile ever run in North America.

Amazing things happen all the time.  We often forget that they can also happen to us, and do happen to us, but we don’t recognize them because they are not record-breaking feats.

Carpe diem, jeff noel  :)